01 June 2014

The sky was clear when the orphans left the stockade in the morning and settled for lucerne where they were soon joined by a wild bull. After finishing the lucerne, Laragai led the way to the browsing field. Shortly before 10 o’clock in the morning, the lorry carrying Vuria, Garzi and Ziwa arrived. The three new babies were offloaded and five minutes later Teleki, Orwa and Bomani came to meet them. Vuria, Garzi and Ziwa were happy to see someone they knew in these strange new surroundings. The older orphans also came to the stockade and everyone was very excited and anxious to meet the new arrivals. Laragai showed interest in Vuria while Makireti and Kainuk were attracted to Ziwa. When everyone had satisfied their curiosity they all had a wallow at the stockade mud bath and then the keepers led the orphaned herd to the browsing field. In the field only Ziwa showed signs of loneliness, but Makireti and Kainuk tried to give him company from time to time. In the evening, the orphans returned safely to the stockade.

02 June 2014

The orphans left the stockade at 6 o’clock in the morning. They settled for lucerne and 20 minutes later, Mutara led the way to the browsing field. In the field, the orphans browsed calmly up to 11 o’clock in the morning and then they went for a mud bath. The weather was chilly and only Mutara, Bongo and Vuria ventured into water to have a bath. The rest of the herd had a mud bath later in the evening on the way back to the stockade.

03 June 2014

Sabachi, who has been recovering from an illness, joined his group today and they all left to go browsing together. Soon after leaving the stockade the orphans settled to browse at Kanziku area. The new babies from Nairobi have settled and are doing well. When it was time for a bath Laragai led the first group to the mud-bath while Bongo led the last one. As mud bathing progressed, the juniors were joined by 22 ex-orphans and two wild elephants. Later the group parted ways. In the evening, Sabachi didn’t return but remained in the bush with his group.

04 June 2014

Suguta and her group brought Sabachi back early in the morning so he could take his milk. He then joined the juniors, who were feeding on lucerne, but 15 minutes later Suguta called her group to leave and Sabachi left with them. Shortly later, Mutara led her group to Kone area where they settled to browse. At mud bath time, the juniors were joined by 20 ex-orphans and three wild bulls. Nasalot was very interested in Vuria and she kept on following him wherever he went. The ex-orphans then left while the orphans settled to browse at the slopes of the Ithumba hill.

05 June 2014

In the morning, the juniors were joined by a wild herd at the stockade. The wild herd had a small baby that was very playful. The baby opted to play with Ziwa and gave him a hard time as it chased him all around trying to mount him. At last, Ziwa got some peace as the baby’s mother called it back to the herd and they all left the stockade. Later, Mutara led the way to the browsing field. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and therefore the orphans only took milk before heading back to the browsing field.

06 June 2014

Around 30 wild elephants showed up at the stockade in the morning for water. Soon after the orphans finished feeding on lucerne and Laragai led the way to the browsing field. Laragai loves all the new babies who are settling in well. In the field, the orphans browsed calmly throughout the day. Vuria and Garzi have a very strong friendship and feed together. Vuria likes to browse close to the keepers and Garzi often follows him. Teleki feeds on his own and sometimes bullies poor Garzi.

07 June 2014

The juniors were joined by the ex-orphans in the morning at the stockade and there was an attempt by Sunyei and Sidai to snatch Ziwa. It started by the two pushing Ziwa gently away from the rest of the herd. The keepers had to intervene and they brought Ziwa back to join the juniors. The orphans then headed out and settled at Kanziku area where they browsed up to mud bath time. At mud bath, the juniors were joined by Lualeni and Ololoo. Soon after the mud bath Lualeni joined the juniors at the browsing field but parted ways an hour later.

08 June 2014

At 6 o’ clock in the morning, a buffalo came to drink water at the stockade and left shortly after. It was a quiet morning without disturbance as the ex-orphans didn’t show up and the orphans ate their lucerne in peace before leaving the stockades to go browsing. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and none of the orphans participated in wallowing. In the evening, the ex-orphans and wild elephants came for water at the stockade. Ziwa is very independent and is never scared of the wild elephants and loves to join them in drinking water or mud bathing.

09 June 2014

This morning the orphans left for browsing soon after they had finish their lucerne and concentrated on feeding peacefully. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and the orphans only took milk and water then returned back to the browsing field. In the evening the temperatures had soared and the orphans passed at mud bath on the way back to the stockade. The orphans wallowed and then dusted themselves with red soil before heading to the stockade for the night. Kanjoro and Mutara always bring up the rear as they no longer get milk bottles.

10 June 2014

Suguta, Kalama, Olare, Kibo, Melia, Kasigau Tumaren Murka and Chaimu came to the stockade in the morning shortly after the juniors had left for browsing. The orphaned group settled to browse at Kanziku area. At 11 o’clock in the morning, Vuria led the way to the mud bath where, they were joined by Tomboi. Only Bongo participated in wallowing whilst the rest watched on. They then returned to the browsing field after taking milk and water.

11 June 2014

Early in the morning, Loijuk, Makena, Buchuma, Chyulu, Kenze, Yatta, Sidai, Ithumbah, Kina, Wendi, Madiba, Lenana, Nasalot, Naserian, Challa, Rapsu, Orok, Meibai, Galana, Mulika, Mwende, Yetu, Tomboi, Sunyei, Kamboyo, Kilabasi, Zurura, Kandecha, Kilaguni, Chaimu, Olare, Suguta, Tumaren, Melia, Murka, Kibo, Kasigau and four wild elephants, were at the stockade. The orphans intermingled with the herd for around 20 minutes before leaving the stockade. Orwa enjoyed a good scratch on the nearby rocks and then Laragai led the way to the browsing field. At around 10 o’clock in the morning, the orphans dodged the keepers and disappeared. The keepers didn’t locate them again until 2 o’clock in the afternoon when they were found near the mud bath. In the evening the ex-orphans came at the stockade for water.

12 June 2014

It was a busy morning as the orphans strolled nonchalantly out from the stockade to meet Suguta and her group who had spent the night just outside and then the ex-orphans showed up. Kanjoro took some time to play with Challa as Orwa tried to play with Kibo and Vuria enjoyed a good scratch on the nearby rock. Later the herd left for browsing. At 8 o’clock in the morning, the elephant nicknamed Half Trunk came to drink water at the stockade with 30 wild elephants. At mud bath, the weather was still very chilly and thus no elephant that mud bathed. They took milk and water before proceeding back to the browsing field.

13 June 2014

Suguta and her group joined the juniors in the morning. As they were sharing lucerne, a wild herd of six elephants and a small baby, checked in and joined the orphans. The wild baby was playful and tried mounting some of the orphans and pushing others. The wild baby played with Orwa and later with Kanjoro. The herd even left for browsing with the orphans and parted ways after an hour of browsing together. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and no orphan dared to mud bath. Orwa opted to scratch on a nearby tree before joining the others in the browsing field. On the way back to the stockade in the evening the orphaned herd was joined by Lualeni and Ololoo.

14 June 2014

It was a quiet morning at the stockade today; Bomani and Orwa had a scratch on nearby rocks as they continued to feed on lucerne. Orwa and Shukuru are particularly fond of rock scratching! Shortly later, the group left for browsing. An hour after the orphans left, the ex-orphans came for water at the stockade. In the evening, Half trunk with six wild elephants came for water at the stockade water trough.

15 June 2014

A total of 18 wild elephants in the company of the ex-orphans joined the juniors in the morning. The dependent group didn’t stay for long at the stockade due to disturbance from the seniors. Led by Laragai the orphans settled at Kanziku area where they browsed till 11 o’clock in the morning when Vuria led the first group to the mud bath. The weather was chilly at mud bath time so the orphans only had their milk and then returned back to the browsing field.

16 June 2014

The ex-orphans joined the orphans in the morning. After sharing lucerne, the juniors left for browsing leaving the ex-orphans at the stockade. Shortly later, nine wild bulls came for water followed by another herd of 16 elephants. By the end of the day, 50 wild elephants had taken water at the stockade water trough. The orphans attended mud bath at 11 o’clock in the morning and since the weather was chilly, the orphans only took milk and water then returned back to the browsing field.

17 June 2014

It was a cloudy day. The orphans settled for lucerne and later left for browsing before the ex-orphans and wild elephants checked in. The orphans settled to browse at Kone area. Kainuk and Turwel are good friends and often like to browse together. It was a day without much fun for the orphans as they concentrated on browsing throughout the day. By the end of the day, 25 wild elephants that had come to take water at the stockade water trough.

18 June 2014

The orphans left the stockade early as usual. They settled for lucerne and later were led away by Mutara to browse at Kanziku area. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and only Bongo and Laragai mud bathed. The rest opted for a red soil dusting exercise before returning back to the browsing field. Shortly after the juniors left for browsing, the ex-orphans, in the company of eight wild bulls, came down to the mud bath.

19 June 2014

The orphans as usual settled for lucerne in the morning and were joined by a wild herd who came for water at the stockade. Soon after finishing lucerne, Mutara led the way to the browsing field. At mud bath time, the juniors were joined by Half Trunk, 16 wild elephants and the ex-orphans. After wallowing, everyone enjoyed some soil dusting before the orphans withdrew and returned back to the browsing field. In the evening a wild herd with a tiny baby came for water at the stockade.

20 June 2014

It was a quiet morning as the orphans left the stockade and settled for lucerne. The orphans fed calmly and later passed the water trough to get enough water for the entire morning. An hour after the orphans left for browsing, the ex-orphans came for water at the stockade. At mud bath, the orphans were joined by ten wild elephants and played together before parting ways. The orphans settled to browse at the slopes of the Ithumba Hill for the remaining part of the day.

21 June 2014

The orphans were joined by ex-orphans in the morning. Soon after finishing lucerne, the orphans left for browsing leaving the ex-orphans at the stockade. The ex-orphans were then joined by around 20 wild elephants. At 8:30am in the morning, four wild dogs came for water at the stockade and soon after quenching their thirst, the wild dogs disappeared. In the browsing field, Orwa came across a dry tree and used it to scratch against and later resumed browsing. At mud bath four wild bulls joined the orphans and shared water before joining Bongo in mud bathing.

22 June 2014

Suguta group and the other ex-orphans joined the dependent group in the morning. The orphans had a lot of competition from the ex-orphans over the lucerne so left to browse in the Kanziku area. It started to drizzle right before mud bath time and only Shukuru, Teleki, Bongo and Laragai participated in wallowing. Later, they were joined by one wild bull.

23 June 2014

After leaving the stockade, the orphans fed on lucerne. Shukuru and Garzi took some time to scratch on the nearby rocks while Orwa scratched against the only acacia tree remaining in the stockade compound. Later Shukuru had a pushing game with Mutara. As the orphans were leaving, 10 wild bulls came to for water and in the evening another 14 wild elephants came for water at the stockade.

24 June 2014

It was a day without much fun as the orphans concentrated heavily on browsing. The new babies are very happy in their new home. Bomani is very quiet but occasionally pushes Ziwa or Garzi. At the mud bath, the juniors were joined by the ex-orphans and three wild bulls. In the evening, six wild bulls came for water at the stockade.

25 June 2014

Suguta and her group reported at the stockade early in the morning. Soon after sharing lucerne with the juniors, Suguta and her group left with Mutara and Makireti. At the mud bath, the orphans were joined by ex-orphans. Teleki, Shukuru, Laragai, Garzi and Bongo joined the few ex-orphans in wallowing and later went for a soil dusting exercise. In the evening, only Mutara came back to the stockade as Makireti decided to remain with Suguta for the night.

26 June 2014

The orphans had a quiet morning. They settled on lucerne and later left for browsing. In the field the orphans concentrated on feeding up to 11 o’clock until Vuria led the first group to the mud bath whilst Orwa led the second group, Laragai the third and Turkwel led the last one. At the mud bath, the juniors were joined by Half Trunk and ten other wild elephants. After the mud bath, the wild elephants headed to Imenti while the juniors headed to the slopes of the Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse for the rest of the day.

27 June 2014

It was a busy morning as the orphans were joined by the ex-orphans and wild elephants. There was competition of the lucerne and the juniors surrendered and headed to the browsing field. The orphans settled at Kanziku area where they browsed till 11 o’clock when it was time for a mud bath. At the mud bath, the orphans were joined by Suguta group and few older ex-orphans. Soon after mud bath, the group parted ways.

28 June 2014

The orphans were joined by the ex-orphans in the morning. Since the orphans don’t like competition, they left the stockade and headed for browsing. It was a hot day and most of the time, the orphans fed under trees with shade. At mud bath time, it was quiet as none of the ex-orphans or wild elephants came to visit. Kanjoro, Bongo, Shukuru, Laragai, Sities and Narok wallowed to their hearts content before joining the others who were taking water at the mud bath water trough. When they had enough, the orphans headed to the slopes of the Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse.

29 June 2014

It was a quiet morning without the ex-orphans and wild elephants. The orphans left for browsing soon after finishing the lucerne. In the field, the orphans concentrated on browsing. It was a bit warmer today and Kanjoro, Bongo Shukuru, Laragai, Mutara, Sities and Narok enjoyed a good wallow.

30 June 2014

20 ex-orphans and four wild bulls reported at the stockade this morning. They shared lucerne with the juniors and later parted ways. The orphans settled at Kalovoto area where they browsed till mud bath time when Vuria led the first group to the mud bath. At mud bath only five wild bulls showed up.