March 3rd
The sky was partly cloudy in the morning. Makireti, Kilabasi, Kilaguni and Kasigau had spent the night just outside the stockade. Kilabasi stood at the entrance and welcomed the orphans outside as they came out one by one. The first one was Narok who entwined her trunk with Kilabasi as Orwa stood patiently behind waiting for his turn. After arriving at the browsing field, the boys were apparently in a playing mood. Lemoyian played with Bomani as Garzi engaged Barsilinga in a pushing game. Teleki challenged Kilabasi while Bongo and Vuria settled their old scores by pushing one another. Shortly later Garzi quit playing with Barsilinga and joined Turkwel in a game of rolling on the ground while Kasigau engaged Orwa in a strength testing exercise that saw Orwa lose to Kasigau. An hour later, the orphans were joined by Lualeni who left shortly after saying hello to the juniors.
At mud bath time the temperature was moderate and only Kilaguni, Makireti, Bongo, Kanjoro, Teleki, Kilabasi and Garzi participated in wallowing. In the afternoon the orphans settled in Imenti area. At one point the temperature skyrocketed prompting the orphans to converge under a tree as they continuously flapped their ears. When the temperature dropped to a more favourable level, the orphans came out from their hideout and resumed browsing. In the evening, on their way back to the stockade, the orphans passed by the mud bath where they all participated in an evening cool off.
Kilabasi, Kasigau, Kilaguni & Makireti
Garzi and Turkwel soil dusting
March 6th
It was a happy and active morning as the orphans came out of their respective staples jumping here and there. They met up with the partially independent trio and Olare’s Ex Orphan herd as soon as they came out as they were waiting just outside the gate for them in the bush. They immediately started peaceful play fighting games before moving out. Orwa was actively playing with Kasigau and later with Kilabasi. Vuria was playing with Kandecha, Kilaguni with Kithaka and later Kasigau;it was so enjoyable when Mutara started playing with Kilabasi and Makireti trying to convince Mutara to join them. Naisula and Chaimu on the other side were rolling around on the ground playing and making the other elephants more active.The Ex Orphans later marched away from the orphans with Orwa trying to follow them, but later he came back to his group.
On our way to the mudbath we met up with Madiba, the slightly hard-line Ex Orphan who tries to scare the keepers and sometimes chase them, although he would never cause harm. At the mudbath some of the orphans like Bongo played vigorously with Mutara.We had also two wild bulls who were playing with Madiba arrive later.
Back in the bush it was very hot and the orphans stood under the shade; no one was playing.They later came out and started browsing. At the stockade we had Kilaguni's group of partially independent who arrived very late in the evening and gathered around the water hole for some time.
Naisula, Mutara and Chaimu
March 7th
It was an active morning as the orphan elephants came out of their stockades and met with Kilaguni’s group who they started playing with.The boys were slightly more active today than the girls as Kilaguni, Kasigau, Kandecha, Kibo and Orwa the dependent orphan were conducting the most play fighting between them. The partially independent orphans later separated themselves and walked away from the babies.
The orphans set of to browse heading to the mudbath. At a waiting area before the feeding point Lemoyian was scratching on a baobab tree with Vuria as they played before mudbath time; they looked happy as they waited for their milk bottles. Once at the mudbath the majority of them played vigorously with Vuria, rolling in the mud. Later in came Rapsu, the Ex Orphan, with another wild bull and they started playing in the water as well. Mutara came out of the water and started scratching on the visitors’ concrete seat in style. Orwa and the wild bull later scratched on different trees. The orphans later headed back to the bush to browse until evening.
In the stockade we had Wendi's group with Wiva, Mulika with Mwende and Yatta with Yetu arrive late in the evening. Wiva looks strong and good health; they drank water and left back to the bush.
March 20th
The sky was once again as clear as crystal, a sign of a hot day ahead. The orphans, led by Turkwel, passed by the water trough to arm themselves with enough water to see them through the entire morning. Barsilinga spent some time scratching against the only remaining acacia tree in the stockade compound. On the way to the browsing field, the boys developed a playing mood. Vuria played with Bongo while Lemoyian mount climbed on Laragai, who decided to lie down to play. Kithaka engaged Orwa in a pushing game but ended losing the game. Orwa later played with Turkwel as Kainuk pushed Garzi out of the way. Barsilinga, Kithaka and Narok browsed together for sometime before parting ways. Buchuma joined the juniors briefly before heading to another location.
At around nine o'clock in the morning, Sunyei, Kenze, Meibai, Kasigau, Kilaguni, Makireti and Kilabasi showed up at the stockade and left immediately after drinking water.
At the browsing field the orphans were joined by Makireti and Olare’s groups who were being accompanied by Rapsu. At mud bath time half of the herd participated in wallowing as the rest relaxed under the nearby trees. After mud bath Kilaguni and Kandecha engaged one another in a pushing game. In the afternoon, the herd settled to browse at Kanziku area and two hours later, Olare and Makireti’s groups parted ways with the juniors.
Lemoyian mount climbs on Laragai
March 24th
Soon after leaving the stockade, the orphans joined Challa, Kilaguni, Lualeni, Makireti, Kasigau and Kilabasi just outside the stockade. It appears that the group arrived late at night and decided to spend the night just outside the stockade. The herd settled to share lucerne together and a short while later Chaimu, Mutara, Sities, Kanjoro, Kainuk, Turkwel and Suguta arrived. Chaimu was happy to meet Kilaguni who for a long time had formed a group of only two members. After feeding on lucerne, Turkwel and Orwa spent some time in a strength testing exercise as Narok scratched her buttocks against the nearby rocks. Later Orwa engaged Chaimu in a pushing game that ended in a draw. Orwa, who likes a challenge, moved on and met with Kasigau who he had a play fight with. Kasigau won that fight and Orwa went on to practice more so that the next time he would be the victor.
On the way to the mud bath the herd was joined by Napasha, who had been away for several months. At mud bath time Napasha spent a long time wallowing, perhaps to compensate for the days he had been away without taking a bath. Barsilinga opted for a soil bath as Lualeni, Challa, Kasigau, Kilabasi, Bongo and Mutara joined Napasha in wallowing. Later the herd returned back to the browsing field leaving Challa and Napasha behind. Two hours later, the partially independent group parted ways with the juniors and left to an undisclosed location.
Narok scratching her buttocks
March 25th
The sky was partly cloudy as the orphans settled down to eat lucerne in the morning. A short while later the orphans were joined by Makireti, Kasigau, Kilabasi, Chaimu, Kilaguni, Suguta, Mutara, Kanjoro, Turkwel and Kainuk. Makireti and Kilabasi lay down to relax since they had been feeding the whole night. Makireti led the group to the water trough where they drank enough water to take them through the entire morning. On the way to the browsing field, Bongo and Orwa who love to challenge one another went straight into a strength testing game. The game did not go on for long as Kainuk intervened by pushing the two boys away. The herd browsed calmly throughout the entire morning.
At mud bath time only Bongo, Vuria and Teleki decided to wallow. Barsilinga led the rest of the group in a soil dusting exercise. Laragai, who prefers to have a private moment during her mud bath, walked to the far end. She took water and splashed it behind her ears, then waded through the water to join her friends that were soil dusting. In the evening as usual, the partially independent group parted ways with the juniors and left to unknown location.
Kilabasi and Makireti relaxing
Vuria and Bongo strength testing
March 30th
Mutara and her group of six joined the juniors for lucerne in the morning. Orwa and Kithaka had a brief moment of strength testing that saw Kithaka surrender to Orwa. Orwa then moved to tackle Kanjoro and their pushing game went on for a long time until it ended in a draw. Shukuru spent some time soil dusting while Vuria engaged Bongo in a pushing game. At mud bath time the juniors were joined by Napasha, Kilaguni, Chaimu and five wild bulls. Laragai played with Kilaguni for some time and after the brave Laragai walked up to the wild bulls and started sniffing at them. Barsilinga and Lemoyian decided to conduct their scratching close to the wild bulls but as they faced the opposite direction. They chose to scratch against that bench for safety and if the bulls turned aggressive towards them they would have access to an escape route. After mud bath, Napasha, Kilaguni and Chaimu joined the juniors for the afternoon and parted ways an hour later. The sun was hot and the orphans relaxed under a tree until the temperatures went down. In the evening, the orphans passed by Kone dam where they decided to go for a late wallowing session.