Ithumba Reintegration Unit

June 2018

Daily updates

June 2018

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June 1st

Soon after the orphans were let out, Karisa engaged Rapa in a pushing game in an effort to take revenge for the day he fell while playing with Rapa. In the process, Wanjala happened to pass by and saved Rapa by getting in between the two boys and separating them. Shortly later, Mutara and her group, who appeared to have a hint of the impending arrival of new babies, arrived early to find out the exact time of the arrival of Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi who arrived from Nairobi. Mutara and her group escorted the juniors to the browsing field and left for a short while. At 9am, the truck carrying the three new Nursery orphans arrived. Rapa, Maramoja and Pare were the first ones to meet Mteto, Esampu and Mundusi. Upon meeting, Maramoja and Rapa recognised the three babies immediately and started walking around with them. There was excitement when the rest of the group arrived as each tried to identify itself with the new babies. Shortly afterwards, Maramoja led the way to the browsing field. At the browsing field Dupotto settled with Mteto as she tried to show her what to feed on, while Maramoja took Esampu for the same lessons. Mundusi felt like a fish out water and he bellowed like a baby from time to time. The heat was too much for him as he tried a bit of soil dusting to cool off. The soil dusting didn't help either and he resulted in drawing water from his stomach and spraying it behind his ears, which is what elephants do when they are very hot; it will take him a few days to get used to the heat! Maramoja, Pare and Rapa regrouped and tried to take Mundusi, Esampu and Mteto to some shade as the heat was becoming too much for them. The babies accepted and went to relax under a tree. Pare decided to keep himself busy by picking up a piece of stick and using it to scratch his chin. On the way to the mud bath the orphans met with Mutara, Chaimu, Kilaguni, Sities, Suguta, Kanjoro, Kainuk and Turkwel who appeared to have received the news when the new babies arrived and were on the way to receive them. Mutara and her group turned and escorted the babies to the mud bath where Kinna, baby Kama, baby Gawa, Galana with her two boys friends, Kenze, Zurura, Kibo, Melia, Naisula, Kitirua, Kalama, Chemi Chemi, Makireti, Nasalot, baby Nusu, Meibai, Bongo, Olare and the aggressive wild female were present. The wild female disrupted the mud bath activities as Kinna, Chaimu and Murka took the opportunity to snatch the new arrivals. The keepers were vigilant and managed to get their babies back. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area. Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi settled to enjoy all the delicious vegetation in the area as they slowly got acclimatized to their new home. Kauro and Galla had brief strength testing exercise that ended in a draw.

Rapa plays with Karisa

The three new babies having milk once offloaded

Zurura inspecting the new babies

June 2nd

Nasalot, baby Nusu, Naisula, Melia, Bongo, Chemi Chemi, Kalama, Ololoo, Meibai, Zurura, Kina, baby Kama, Galana, baby Gawa, Murka, Kitirua, Kibo and two wild elephants reported early in the morning to welcome the new babies out. Baby Nusu picked on Mteto and tried to push her. Mteto charged at Nusu but had second thoughts and decided not to. Shortly later, Nasalot led the group to the browsing field where the ex-orphans parted ways with the juniors. Mteto, Mundusi and Esampu's first morning was exciting as they interacted with the ex-orphans and the wild born babies. After the ex-orphans left, Pare took Mteto, Mundusi and Esampu for a brief soil dusting exercise and after went back to browsing. Mteto, Esampu and Mundusi had calmed down after finding a few individuals who they knew from Nairobi. At mud bath time, Esampu led the team to wallow and they had a swim across the water. Mundusi and Mteto got confused about which point to exit. We think that Esampu falls into the same category of Laragai and Maramoja who are very intelligent and calculating. Mundusi and Mteto circled in the water for quite some time before finally finding an exit route to link up with their friends. In the afternoon, Mteto used Mundusi as a scratching surface when she developed an itchy ear. Wanjala settled to feed with Roi as Kauro teamed up with Namalok. In the evening, the juniors were joined by Mutara and her team and shortly after they escorted the juniors back to the stockade.

Nusu plays with Mteto

Mundusi and Esampu at the mudbath

Wanjala and Roi browsing together

June 3rd

Mutara and Makireti’s groups Kibo, Chemi Chemi, Kalama, Orwa and Bomani were relaxing outside the stockade when the orphans were let out. Sities took Mteto and Mundusi aside to get to know them as Pare tried to challenge Kibo. Garzi played with Kainuk as Suguta tried to lie down to attract the young babies to play with her. The babies took no notice of Suguta which meant she got up after a short while. Makireti took a bale of lucerne and started tossing it up in the air, simply because she can get plenty of green vegetation everywhere, and she felt like she did not need to eat the lucerne! What Makireti was forgetting is that it won’t remain green forever, and one day in the not so distant future, she will come to regret her passive approach to extra food, when the dry season comes. Out in the Park all was quiet and Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi were still trying to come to terms with their new environment. They appeared to have settled down with Esampu trying to lead the way from time to time, despite the fact she hasn't mastered the area properly yet. At mud bath time, the weather was cloudy and the dependent orphans were on their own with no guest elephants present. After having their midday milk bottle, the orphans decided to have a wallowing session, and after ended up in a soil dusting exercise. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the Kone area until five o'clock in evening when Kauro led the first group back to the stockade. A wild group visited consisting of five elephants. They were busy drinking water as the orphans arrived back. Shortly later, the group left and another group of six wild elephants with a four-month-old baby visited the stockade. It's the first time since the rainy season drew to an end that two purely wild groups have visited the stockade water troughs. They probably wanted to find out if there was still water in those water troughs since soon the water holes will start to dry up.

Pare challenging Kibo

Kainuk playing with Garzi

Mteto, Mundusi and Esampu running for milk

June 5th

Soon after leaving the stockade, the orphans were briefly joined by the senior ex-orphans. The playful baby Kama, Kinna’s baby, engaged Esampu in a playful pushing game, while Nusu played with Mteto and Mundusi. One of Galana's boyfriends disrupted the peace when he started to pester Galana. Galana was not happy about it and so started running away with the bull in hot pursuit. Baby Gawa was not left behind as she also followed her mum. Kinna seemed to think it was a dangerous environment for the babies to be in, and was worried about Gawa with the hot-tempered wild bull around, so she trumpeted and alerted her friends that they should go after Gawa. Esampu tried to follow Kinna and her group on their rescue mission but the keepers intervened since Esampu is still very small and does not know the area very well yet having only just arrived! The ex-orphans met up again with the juniors at mud bath. It was funny to see Kibo standing close to the dependent orphans, hoping to get a bottle of milk! That would be impossible and he is far too old for milk. After being denied any milk, Kibo shook his head and left to catch up with his friends. The rest of the afternoon was quiet as the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area.

Wild bull chasing Gawa and Galana

Namalok drinking from his bucket

Ex orphans at the stockade

June 10th

Olare was by herself outside the stockade when the orphans were let out. Pare walked over to Olare and exchanged morning greetings by entwining their trunks. Shortly later, Olare had a game of rolling on the ground as she tried to entice the juniors to join her but no one was interested. Olare then stood up and remembered that there was Enkikwe who she was supposed to check on, to see his healing progress. Olare walked to where Enkikwe was standing and had a brief chat with him, before showing the juniors the way out to the browsing field. Mteto settled to browse with Mundusi while Esampu briefly settled to browse with Lemoyian. On the way to the mud bath, the orphans were joined by Mutara’s group, Kilaguni, Chaimu, Kandecha and Kibo. As Galla was drinking his milk, he was bumped by Ukame. Galla complained bitterly and his loud protest reached Roi, his friend. Roi was drinking water at the water trough and came down running to check what was happening to her friend Galla. Roi met Galla on mid-way and took him to the water trough as she tried to find out if he was okay. Mutara assigned herself the role of taking care of Mundusi, Mteto and Esampu at mud bath. Mutara took the three new babies aside and inspected them and communicated with them in low rumbles. Shortly later, Mutara brought her meeting with the new babies to an end by walking them to join their friends who were wallowing. Tusuja had a brief strength testing exercise with Kainuk as Kilaguni played with Kanjoro. After the herd had enough wallowing, the orphans headed to Kanziku area while Mutara’s group took her group towards Imenti area. Kamok settled to browse with Wanjala while Oltaiyoni teamed up with Olsekki.

Pare greeting Olare

Mundusi

Kandecha after a wallow

June 12th

Karisa left the stockade with a branch in his mouth that he continued to enjoy on the way out. Kauro and Maramoja decided to go and scratch their itchy bodies while Pare and Galla exchanged morning greetings by entwining their trunks. The orphans briefly settled for lucerne before Mteto and Mundusi who are close friends started rumbling as they walked away. Roi heard them and since they are just new to the area, she decided to follow and monitor them so as not to lose them. Later Esampu decided to have her own game of rolling and sitting on the ground while Rapa decided to gauge his strength by inviting Galla to a pushing game. Galla accepted and the two dueled for some time until Rapa decided that he had enough of the pushing game and opted out to continue browsing. Dupotto developed an itchy ear and decided to scratch on the nearby tree as Garzi dusted himself. Later, the rebels Kithaka, Laragai, Barsilinga, Garzi, Lemoyian and Sirimon dodged the keepers and disappeared into the thicket, only to show up late in the evening with Orwa and Bomani. At mud bath time the weather was chilly and none of the orphans dared to step into the mud bathing water. The orphans had their milk then sipped the drinking water before wandering off into the bush to browse again. Later in the afternoon Dupotto led the first group back to the stockade.

Pare scratching

Enkikwe

Garzi soil dusting

June 13th

Kilaguni, Orwa and Bomani who had spent the night outside the stockade welcomed the juniors out in the morning. Pare in particular, who these days likes to challenge his seniors, entwined his trunk with Kilaguni in morning greetings. Galla challenged Bomani after their morning greetings as Mteto and Mundusi headed straight to the browsing field. The keepers hurried to catch up with them as they are not yet very conversant with the area. The boys were in playful mood in the morning. As they reached the bush Olsekki had a challenging game with Sirimon while Orwa played with Kilaguni. Tusuja played with Pare while the street wise boy Karisa handled Wanjala. Later, Esampu settled to browse with Sirimon and Namalok while Maramoja teamed up with Mundusi and Mteto. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and the orphans only drank their milk and had some water before going back to browse, deciding to forego the cold water of the mud bath. Only Enkikwe splashed water on his wound and behind his ears before following his friends. The afternoon was still chilly and Karisa saw it wise to have a warm up exercise by initiating a pushing game with Naseku. The quiet Namalok, who still drinks his milk from a bucket, had a light pushing game with Tusuja before settling for a lone soil dusting exercise. Towards evening, the sky cleared giving way to sun shine.

Siangiki with Lucerne on her back

Namalok playing with Tusuja

Karisa playing with Naseku

June 14th

Tumaren, Melia, Chemi Chemi, Orwa, Bomani, Makireti, Murka, Naisula and Kitirua were outside the stockade when the orphans were let out. The entire herd briefly settled for lucerne and after Melia led the way out to browse. Tumaren enjoyed a game of lying down just to try and trick the young ones to come and climb on her. Mundusi, Esampu and Mteto didn't fall for Tumaren's trick but watched from a distance. Tumaren got up when she realized that she wasn’t getting any takers for her game. Mteto and Mundusi, who are close friends, settled for a soil dusting exercise while Kamok and Tusuja had a light strength testing exercise that lasted for quite some time. Wanjala played with Roi while Chemi Chemi played with Naisula. At mud bath time, the weather was fairly warm and the orphans together with the ex-orphans decided to wallow in the mud bath before heading for a soil dusting exercise. In the afternoon, Melia led the entire team to the western slope of Ithumba Hill where the orphans settled to browse. In the evening, the ex-orphans escorted the juniors back to the stockade.

Murka scratching her eye

Esampu

Tusuja plays with Kamok

June 16th

The orphans briefly settled for lucerne in the morning shortly after they were let out. Enkikwe, who is still recovering from the lion attack, was the last one to leave the stockade. This is because he has to wait to be treated every morning. Enkikwe was welcomed outside by Rapa who stopped him to communicate with him, and we can only assume Rapa wanted to find out how Enkikwe was feeling at the moment. Galla engaged Bomani in a pushing game as Karisa played with Namalok. Out in the bush Sapalan settled to browse with Pare as the rest of the morning was quiet without any major observation. At mud bath time, the weather was warm and the orphans enjoyed wallowing in the mud hole. Esampu, Mundusi and Mteto teamed up with Roi and Naseku who taught them how to wallow nicely. Tusuja and Galla enjoyed a strength testing exercise in water while Sapalan complained loudly when Karisa tried to push him out. After wallowing, the orphans had a spectacular soil dusting exercise before being led back out to browse by Maramoja. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in Kone area up to five o'clock in the afternoon, when Dupotto led the first group back to the stockades.

Sapalan and Pare

Mundusi and Mteto

Orphans soil dusting

June 19th

Olare and Mutara’s groups were relaxing outside the stockade again when the orphans were let out. Mutara settled to feed on lucerne with the new babies Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi. Mutara appeared to have been giving them some hints about real life outside the stockades. Karisa had a misunderstanding with Wanjala that resulted in strength testing exercise. Later the quiet Namalok, who is now feeling more settled and interacting more with his friends, had a fun time as he engaged Tusuja in a light strength testing exercise. Olare and Mutara’s groups browsed with the juniors up to eleven o'clock in the morning when it was time for the dependent orphans to head to mud bath for their milk bottles. Esampu led the first group while Maramoja led the second one. The third group was led by Mteto as Pare led the forth group to come in and take their milk in turns. As the younger orphans were feeding, ex-orphans Nasalot, her baby Nusu, Ishanga, Kasigau, Bongo, Sidai, Galana, baby Gawa, Loijuk, Lualeni, Kilabasi, Makireti and three wild boys who looked nervous showed up, but they left shortly after drinking water. They reappeared again later at the stockades in the evening, this time with ten wild elephants with them. The afternoon was chilly and quiet. The orphans in the company of Mutara and Olare’s groups settled to browse in the Kone area again, and later in the evening they escorted the dependent orphans back to the stockades.

Maramoja leading

Lualeni

Loijuk

June 22nd

In the bush this morning the orphans looked happy and active. Garzi was scratching on a tree. Laragai’s herd stayed with the dependent orphans the whole morning but left them just before they went to the mud bath for their milk bottles. Lemoyian and Barsilinga browsed together and so did Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi. Olsekki and Siangiki were as usual together too. The orphans had their milk and drank some water and then decided to swim in a line through the mud hole. It was lovely to see them swimming so gracefully through the water and none of them decided to play any funny games. They came out and went to the pile of soil where they covered themselves in a protective layer before going back out into the sun to browse. All the orphans were very active in the afternoon as it was not very hot. They browsed before making their way back home in the evening for their milk and bed. Laragai 's herd arrived a few minutes after the dependent orphans were in their stockades.

Garzi scratching

Orphans feeding on Lucerne

Esampu and Rapa in the bush

June 24th

This morning the dependent orphan found Mutaras’s group including Suguta, Turkwel, Kainuk, Sities and Kanjoro. Nasalot’s herd were also there including Loijuk, Sidai, Zurura, Chyulu, Ishanga, Bongo and Nasalot’s baby Nusu, with one wild female in the group too. They stayed for a short time and left. The dependent orphans enjoyed the lucerne after the ex-orphans had gone. Nusu was in a very playful mood but also felt shy with the keepers. Esampu, Kamok and Sapalan were feeding on the Lucerne together. In the bush Mundusi and Mteto were browsing together while Namalok was separate from others. Later on Mundusi went to communicate with Wanjala and they started browsing. The new three new babies then went to browse with Karisa who they like and remember from the Nursery. Karisa scratched his neck on a nearby stump. The orphans then walked to mud bath for their midday milk bottle. All the orphans had their bottles and walked straight to the water trough to drink water. Nasalot’s herd then arrived and they interacted and wallowed together, before getting out and walking to the dust bath. Wild born baby Nusu was the most playful one on the pile of loose soil, while Zurura and Kasigau were the most playful ones in the water hole. They just love swimming at the moment and playing their pushing games in the water! After the shared dust bath the ex-orphans walked away in separate direction to the dependent orphans who went back out to browse. Mundusi and Mteto were together the whole of the afternoon, but Esampu seemed to be exploring new friends. Naseku, Wanjala and Karisa were browsing together. While Siangiki and Olsekki as usual stuck together. Wanjala and Karisa are very close friends, and today Tusuja also seemed to be trying to make friends with Wanjala. In the afternoon the orphans walked back to the stockades for the night. An hour later Laragai, Barsilinga, Kithaka, Lemoyian, Garzi and Sirimon arrived back too and they were shut into their stockade.

Esampu, Kamok and Sapalan feeding on Lucerne

Namalok

Karisa scratching

June 25th

The orphans were in a happy mood today as they walked down to the lucerne feeding area for food. They met there with Olare’s herd combined of Melia, Tumaren, Kibo, Kandecha, Kilaguni, Chaimu, Murka and Makireti. They all interacted and shared lucerne and all had good manners. Some walked to drink water and then they all walked out to the bush to browse. In the bush Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi joined up with Sapalan and started browsing together. Rapa was browsing alone while other orphans hid in the shade from the sun. They later walked to the mud bath for their milk and started playing there. They relished the cool water in the hot sun! After mud bath the orphans looked happy and refreshed. Laragai's herd Kithaka, Lemoyian, Barsilinga, Garzi and Sirimon walked away from the orphans. Oltaiyoni was busy browsing with Kauro while others were resting in the shade again from the hot sun. In the afternoon as they made their way back to the stockades for the night, Laragai's herd joined up with them again and followed them back and they were locked in for the night as well.

Kibo feding on Lucerene with the orphans

Mutara's group coming to the stockade

Ukame

June 27th

The sky was clear in the morning and this was an indication of a hot day a head. The senior ex-orphans Galana, Nasalot, Lualeni, Loijuk and a hot-tempered wild female elephant in the company of Olare, Chaimu and Makireti’s groups showed up early in the morning before the orphans were let out. As soon as the orphans were let out, the ex-orphans joined them to feed on lucerne. Baby Nusu and baby Gawa had great fun as they enjoyed playing with Esampu, Mundusi and Mteto who are only slightly older than them. Mundusi, Mteto and Esampu who have completely settled in appeared to enjoy every moment they shared with the wild born babies Nusu and Gawa. An hour later, the ex-orphans parted ways with the juniors. The rebels, Kithaka, Laragai, Barsilinga, Garzi, Lemoyian and Sirimon left with the ex-orphans while the dependent orphans headed to Kone area where they settled to browse. Karisa and Oltaiyoni took a break from feeding to participate in a game of scratching against the nearby trees, while Mundusi, Mteto and Esampu had a light game of soil dusting. Shortly before eleven o'clock in the morning, the temperature rose high, prompting Esampu, Naseku, Karisa and Sapalan to seek shelter under a tree as they looked forward to a nice cooling swim at mud bath time. At eleven o'clock in the morning, the orphans met with the ex-orphans at mud bath and enjoyed wallowing followed by a soil dusting exercise. Later on, the groups again parted ways only to meet again at the stockade in the evening. The dry season is now fast approaching, water holes are drying up and we are sure the ex-orphans will be around now until the next rainy season. We are sure that soon those ex-orphans we have not seen for a while and wild elephants will start to turn up soon for water.

Chemi Chemi and Orwa

Naseku relaxing

Mteto soil dusting

June 30th

It was a quiet morning with a clear sky when the orphans were let out. No single wild elephant or former orphans showed up that morning. Namalok settled for a scratching game on the nearby rocks, a game that also attracted Rapa, Kauro, Esampu and Roi. As soon as the orphans had enough lucerne, Maramoja, who has all the characteristics of becoming a future matriarch, rumbled as she walked out southwards. This was a sign of letting everyone know that it was time to head for browsing before it got too hot. Out in the field, the orphans were joined by Orwa and Bomani who were wondering when the time will come for Laragai and her small group to join them out in the wild so that they might have some company and grow their herd. Galla seized the opportunity to have a strength testing exercise with Bomani. Their game didn't last for long as Orwa warned them by taking too much time playing it would cost them time feeding, and they needed to get enough food to eat. At mud bath time, the orphans had a spectacular wallowing session and later, Siangiki and Olsekki took their friend Enkikwe to drink water and thereafter escorted him slowly back out to browse. Galla developed an itchy chest and looking around he couldn't find a suitable rock or tree to serve him. He then picked a stick that he used to scratch himself with, and when he was satisfied he went back to browsing. Kauro and Wanjala settled under a tree to relax and when they got bored of standing under the tree, the two boys decided to keep themselves busy by scratching against the tree as they waited for the temperatures to drop. Kamok and Roi, who came together from Nairobi, embraced the spirit of sharing when they teamed up to feed on the same shrub. Maramoja spend time feeding with Esampu as Mundusi always sticks with his friend good friend Mteto. In the evening, four wild bulls in the company of the senior ex-orphans showed up at the stockade and left immediately after having enough water.

Namalok scratching

Rapa and Roi

Orwa

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