For our Nursery herd, March began with a sweet morning moment between Esoit and Maxwell. As the orphans emerged from their nighttime bedrooms, Esoit made a beeline for the rhino’s stockade and put his trunk through the gate. Registering this cue, Maxwell trundled over and Esoit laid his trunk on his friend’s head. It was a lovely sight.
In the early morning, the orphans emerged from their stockades to greet their friends and head out to the forest. Esoit started his day by going over to Maxwell’s gate to greet the rhino. When he put his trunk through the gate, Maxwell trundled over and Esoit laid his trunk on his friend’s head. It was a lovely sight.
Greetings over, Maxwell wandered over to his feeding area to browse on delicious green grass and pellets. Soon he was joined by his friends – this morning it was a motley crew of monkeys, baboons, warthogs and birds. They hung out together happily until one of the baboons made the mistake of slapping a baby baboon who let out a loud scream. A startled Maxwell charged at the miscreant, chasing him and all the other animals away. His grumpy mood was, however, short-lived – two hours later, he welcomed his friends back into his enclosure.
Out in the forest this morning, feisty Choka guzzled down his bottle and then started scoping out extras hiding in the wheelbarrow! He was soon joined by little Mzinga who wheedled over in the hope of an extra bottle. Meanwhile, his less greedy friends browsed peacefully in the background.
Returning to the mud bath later in the day for more milk and a wallow, water baby Kerrio was the first to plunge into the cooling mud bath. Her splashes attracted the attention of Nyambeni who soon toddled in to join her friend and nanny. They had a lovely time playing and then lying down next to each other in the mud. Rafiki was not tempted to swim, drinking his milk slowly as he held the bottle expertly with his trunk.
On another clear morning, the orphans plodded out of their stockades and gathered in groups, ready to head out to the forest. The Keepers whistled and led many of them out for a wander in the bush. Mini matriarch Olorien lingered outside the stockades. Usually, she is one of the first to head out, often leading the herd, but today was different. She darted away from a Keeper, wiggling her way between the stockades, and ending up outside the blanket babies’ stables. She stood there until Mzinga, Nyambeni, Shujaa and Muridjo toddled out of their rooms. Then, ignoring the Keepers, she led her young charges out to the forest, going in a different direction from the rest of the herd. When the Keepers shepherded the blanket babies away from her, she ran after them trumpeting her displeasure. Her behavior affected the other orphans and soon lots of elephants were darting around between the trees. It was pandemonium! The Keepers calmed everyone down by calling the orphans individually by name. Peace was restored and the herd returned to browsing.
On a hot afternoon, there was lots of wallowing in the mud bath. Mukutan and Sileita were swimming together, waving their trunks as they rolled around. Fiery Mukutan spread his ears as he sauntered out for a dust bath. Sileita, who loves to swim, clambered out slowly and then knelt down and rubbed her face against the edge. Iletilal and Rafiki were reluctant to get wet today, preferring to watch quietly from the side-lines.
Emerging from their rooms this morning, the orphans greeted each other with rumbles and trunk touches. Most of them then headed out happily to browse in the forest — but not sweet shy Latika and her friends Mageno, Kamili, Iletilal and Elerai! They were playing hide and seek with the Keepers in between the stockades, trundling off round corners instead of heading out with the herd. Their objective was food, specifically the large pile of delicious greens inside the stockade of a recent rescue (who is confined to her stable while she gets used to her new life). The mischievous gang kept putting their trunks into the stockade and then darting off when a Keeper came close. Latika’s little trunk would never have reached its objective but that did not deter her! Eventually, the five rebels were lured away by a Keeper holding a bottle up towards them. They were not to know that it was empty!
The orphans were busy in the forest. Some were browsing, some enjoying dust baths, some playing the pushing game, and Bondeni was hanging out with the Keepers! The young bull has a reputation for being naughty, but he is also unusually affectionate and loves to get close to human beings and other elephants. When a gazelle startled Iletilal by dashing past him, he took off, charging back to the safety of home. Back at the stockades, he decided to have another go at pinching lucerne from the new rescue’s stable, much to the amusement of the Keepers.
In the afternoon, Bondeni and Esoit had a great time, playing with each other in and around the mud bath. Bondeni stood on the edge with his front feet in the water pushing heads with Esoit who was in the middle of the wallow – both were trumpeting in excitement. Kitiak stood close by, meticulously dusting every part of his body.
The elephants set off to the forest soon after dawn on a clear sunny morning. They stood around quietly, doing their best to find green shoots to eat in the dry yellow landscape. Caring Olorien was looking after recent rescue Mushuru, staying close and touching her often. She has really helped the newbie settle into her new life.
Later in the morning, the orphans sprinted down the path to the mud bath for bottles of milk and some supplementary lucerne. As the others gulped down milk, good friends Kinyei and Bondeni had a noisy squabble over a bottle. They may be two of the oldest elephants in the Nairobi Nursery but today they were behaving like indulged babies. When Bondeni tried to wrest Kinyei’s bottle away from her, she gave him a shove and he charged off trumpeting loudly. In a grump, Bondeni then bumped into Taabu from behind and Taabu turned around to respond to the unwarranted push. Luckily, peacemaker Esoit was watching – he ran over, separated the young bulls, and restored the peace.
On a hot windy afternoon, many of the orphans had a paddle or a wallow. Rafiki lay almost submerged in the muddy water as cheeky Weka splashed and somersaulted next to him. This mischievous young bull charms the Keepers but often needs a firm telling off when he’s being too boisterous. As the orphans swam, Muridjo played happily on the edge, rubbing her head on the ground, and then dipping it into the water.
On a bright sunny day, the orphans headed out in a straggly line to the forest led by Olorien. They settled down to browse and play and roll around in the red soil. Shy Tingai is emerging from his shell. He used to wander off on his own but has become less of a loner. Today, he was playing the pushing game with tough guys Taabu and Choka. They clashed heads and climbed on top of each other – Taabu clambered onto Tingai and then Choka pushed Taabu off and then Tingai wrestled with Choka. Exhausted by the game, the three boys lay down on their sides to rub soothing dust onto their bodies.
Later in the afternoon, the orphans arrived at the mud bath in small groups. Most trundle silently down the path but not Kitiak! He jogs along making ear-splitting trumpets which do not stop until the bottle is in his mouth. Bottles emptied, many of the orphans wandered into the wallow as others browsed on lucerne. Esoit was the first in today, wasting no time in submerging his big body in the cooling water. He was followed by Kerrio and Tingai who played together in the water. After his swim, Tingai squatted on his bottom on the edge of the wallow, waving his trunk wildly as he sprayed himself all over with mud.
The orphans hung around the stockades for a time this morning, waiting for the blanket babies to trot out of their stables. Once the whole herd was ready, they headed out for a wander in the forest. This morning, Choka was feeding quietly until Taabu sprinted over to play with him. Taabu gave his friend a shove and Choka responded enthusiastically, shaking his head as he pushed back. Several rounds of wrestling ensued before the playful bulls ran over to Tingai, inviting him to join them. Tingai was happy to chase his friends around, darting through the trees past small groups of browsing elephants.
Many of the orphans, in contrast to brave Tingai, are less keen on playing the pushing game with Choka and Taabu. If the rowdy boys challenge Lodo, Ahmed, Kinyei or Rafiki to play with them, they react in one of two ways – they either sprint away or chase Choka and Taabu away.
Some hours later, the orphans meandered down to the mud bath on a hot dry afternoon. Most wasted no time getting into the water to cool off and relax. As the bigger orphans wallowed, little Mzinga lay on her tummy next to the pool, watching the others as she cooled down her body without actually swimming. Nearby, Muwingu was playing on the edge of the bath. She knelt in the water and rubbed her trunk happily on the edge.
This morning, the Keepers led the orphans out into the dry and dusty forest. The older orphans spread out in the bush to browse and to play. Five of the younger elephants – Mzinga, Nyambeni, Muridjo, Shujaa and Kerrio – continued to follow the Keepers, demanding attention, and refusing to head off with their friends. Wanting to hang out with members of their human family, they stuck closely to the men as if they were pushing a wheelbarrow of milk. The orphans were affectionate, greeting the Keepers with trunks aloft and touching them frequently.
Meanwhile, their less needy peers wandered around, ignoring the touchy-feely gang. Loldaiga and Muwingu were standing close together as they browsed – they sleep in adjoining stockades and have become good friends. Nearby, Weka (who also spends lots of time with Muwingu) was walking next to Sileita. On his own today, Mageno was inspecting lots of branches, touching them with his trunk before deciding which ones were worth eating.
Later in the afternoon at the mud bath, Esoit was again the first to waddle into the water. He submerged his whole body and lay quite still as he cooled down. His friends were paddling and splashing all around him as Esoit lay motionless in the middle.
The forest is becoming so dry and the wildlife are struggling. The orphans are relying on supplementary lucerne as there is not enough foliage to fill their bellies in the forest. This morning they were reluctant to head out, lingering around the stockades as the sun rose in the sky. Eventually, the Keepers whistled at them to move, and they meandered out into the bush. Latika was not tolerating any annoying boys today, telling off Kitiak and Choka firmly when they tried to play with her. She trundled over to hang out with a peaceful little gang made up of Weka, Muwingu and Iletitlal. The foursome made it quite clear that they were enjoying their walk and had no interest in messing about. Newbie Mushuru was hanging out with Tingai today. The two share mannerisms - they both lower their heads demurely when greeted by a Keeper and, although they remain alert, they tend to close their eyes when they are standing still.
In the afternoon, the older orphans were boisterous in the mud bath as the younger ones watched them from the side-lines. Nyambeni and her friends were having a lovely time being covered in shovels of red soil by the Keepers (as they are too little to dust themselves).
In the early evening, best friends Kitich, Elerai and Iletilal wandered off on their own in the forest. They were so absorbed in browsing that they walked some distance away from the herd. The three boys like hanging out together. On this occasion, one of the Keepers chased after them and shepherded them back to the stockades for the night.
On another disappointingly clear morning, many of the orphans were keen to start the day, rumbling to each other as they stood next to their doors waiting to be let out. Soon, they strolled out of their stockades and headed out to the forest.
As the time approaches for the mid-morning milk feed, the Keepers gather the elephants together in preparation for bringing them down to the mud bath. Two babies never need reminding! The Keepers joke that Muridjo and Mzinga both behave as if they have an alarm clock inside their heads. Ten minutes before it is time for the mud bath, the two babies will be found standing close to the Keepers.
Little Mzinga loves the Keepers. Rescued when she was only a few months old, when she sees a member of her human family, she often sprints towards him with her ears flapping. Sometimes she even trumpets. Nyambeni and Shujaa like to follow their little friend. In contrast to the two girls, Shujaa prefers the company of older elephants rather than human beings.
In the late afternoon in the forest, sweet Sileita was having a lovely time. She was waving her trunk and then rubbing her tummy on the ground while balancing on her knees. A girls’ girl, this shy little orphan is blossoming, and a bright friendly personality is emerging. Close friends with Latika, Kindani, Kinyei and Olorien, she loves to babysit Muridjo and Shujaa, pulling down branches for them from tall trees.
On an overcast morning, the orphans stayed around the stockades for a time. Some of the older ones greeted Maxwell at his gate as Olorien and Kerrio scooped up the blanket babies in preparation for heading out to the forest. The herd set off in small groups, settling down to browse close by. Little Shujaa was spending the morning with older females Kindani and Olorien. He was standing between the forelegs of the two budding matriarchs, lying his trunk on top of his head as he attempted to suckle them. They tolerated his behavior and were happy to keep the little boy close. Shujaa also likes to be with Ahmed and Kinyei.
Muridjo was keen to be with the big girls and boys today. She may be a baby on the outside but she is a teenager on the inside! She was tagging along behind Weka, Loldaiga, Mageno, Kerrio, Sileita and Kamili, doing her best to look like she belonged to their gang. They were content to let her browse with them but flapped their ears whenever another orphan approached. Nearby, Muwingu was wandering around on her own, lifting her trunk frequently to check for interesting smells.
The blanket babies may be small, but they already love to play the pushing game. No doubt they learnt this from big boys like Bondeni and Esoit. They play a gentle version involving minimal noise. Mzinga and Nyambeni especially enjoy pushing each other and often do so when they meet in the mornings. Shujaa is not as frequent a player but still joins in for a short time before toddling off to find some more impressive friends.
Some orphans are greedier than others, or perhaps just more assertive. Weka, Kitich and Mukutan spring to mind. All three boys, as a matter of course, will demand more milk after downing their bottles during the day. This morning at the mud bath, each of the young bulls marched towards the Keepers, trumpeting at anyone who would listen, in an attempt to secure an additional bottle. Other orphans feel thirstier at night-time. Last night, Elerai, Iletilal and Rafiki bustled around their bedrooms, pushing at the doors with their heads, as the Keepers were preparing their bottles of milk.
Kerrio and Nyambeni were having a lovely time in the forest this morning. Big sister Kerrio was lying on the ground, rolling around so as to cover her body in dust, rumbling as she rolled. Little sister Nyambeni toddled over to her. She stood next to Kerrio, trunk touching the bigger girl all over, and then she decided that it was play time! She clambered on her friend and then off and then back on again. Kerrio was loving the game, continuing to roll around as she waved her trunk and flapped her ears. Tired out, Nyambeni rested her torso and forelegs on Kerrio as she squatted on the ground.
On another disappointingly clear morning, the orphans headed out to the forest. Today, they spent their time playing rather than browsing on the sparse dried-out vegetation. Weka and Muridjo have become great friends – the two orphans often choose to hang out together in the bush. This morning, they were frolicking around, waving their trunks at they pushed each other and rolled around on the ground – at one point, Weka knelt down on her front legs and pushed his head into the earth as if preparing for a headstand. Muridjo was impressed by her friend’s antics.
In the afternoon at the mud bath, Kerrio and Mukutan were squabbling over a stick. The toddlers gripped one end each in their trunks as they twisted their heads and trumpeted their annoyance. The squabble was in danger of escalating into a proper fight until peacemaker Sileita got involved. Calmly, she walked between the two indignant orphans – they dropped the stick, whereupon she picked it up and wandered away.
Later in the afternoon, the herd returned to the bush for a last browse before bedtime. Mini matriarch Olorien was looking after Muridjo, Nyambeni and Shujaa. The three babies stood happily next to her, following her wherever she went. Until Shujaa decided that he had had enough exercise for one day! Feeling safe, he lay down on the ground for a little rest as his three friends stood peacefully around him.
This morning, the orphans were playing together in the forest on another dry sunny day. As soon as they left the stockades, best friends Kindani and Kinyei started to play the pushing game. Although reasonably well-matched, Kinyei is a little bigger and stronger. This morning, Kinyei succeeded in pushing Kindani down onto her knees, but not for long. A minute later, she bounced up, twisted around and clashed heads with her friend again. They played for so long that they had no time to browse!
Choka and Taabu were playing the wrestling game this morning in the mud bath. They tussled and pushed and mounted each other – first on the edge and then actually in the wallow. Soon, Mukutan and TIngai joined in the game – the four boys turned the large puddle into a churning whirlpool. Fed up with all the action, the gentler members of the herd climbed out to either lie relaxing on the edge or to hose themselves with dust.
In the early evening in the forest, Nyambeni was browsing all by herself. Quirky Kinyei breezed past her, rather than stopping to look after her as Olorien would have done. An enchanting girl, Kinyei marches to her own drum!
The orphans emerged from their stockades soon after dawn – some full of energy and ready for the day, others still sleepy. As Muridjo plodded out of her stable, she had a little tumble and fell onto the knees. To cover up her embarrassment, she then charged around the stockades, much to her friends’ surprise. Intrigued by this strange behavior, Mzinga, Nyambeni, and Weka wandered over to investigate.
This morning down at the mud bath, Ahmed gulped her bottle of milk and then made a bee line for a Keeper in the hope of grabbing another one. Kindani took charge of the situation, chasing Ahmed away from the wheelbarrow and ensuring that she stayed well away. Olorien and Lodo are also happy to discipline the younger or newer members of the herd when necessary, especially when bottles of milk are involved.
In the forest in the early evening, Mzinga was feeling a little weary. Feeling safe surrounded by the herd, she lay down to relax. For best friend Nyambeni and nanny Kerrio, the temptation to play was irresistible. They put their heads and then their front legs on her as they sat – meeting no resistance, Nyambeni then clambered on top of dozy Mzinga.
On a bright clear morning, the herd headed out to the forest. They browsed for a time, then played, then dusted themselves and then browsed again, almost with a kind of rhythm. Olorien and Kerrio were looking after the blanket babies, staying close to Nyambeni, Mzinga and Shujaa and touching them affectionately. The two older females often choose to be with the youngest orphans.
Mid-morning at the mud bath, Bondeni was in a boisterous mood! Looking for fun, he charged across to Mukutan (one of the noisiest boys in the herd) and accidentally knocked him over in his enthusiasm. Today, it was Lodo to the rescue! He sprinted over, chased off Bondeni and stood by as a bemused Mukutan got back on his feet. The two boys then playing a happy round of the pushing game before relenting and allowing Bondeni to join in.
In the afternoon, the orphans trundled down the path in groups of three or four for bottles of milk, a wallow and a browse. But Mushuru and Iletilal had another plan – rather than following the herd, the two friends (of recent acquaintance) wandered quietly off in the other direction. The Keepers soon rounded up the rebels and pointed them back to the mud bath to join the herd.
Today was a wonderful day because it rained. At last, it rained! On a wet gray morning, the blanket babies remained in their stables when the rest of the herd headed out to the bush. The older ones were excited about the newly-wet world – some rolled in the mud as others chased each other around in circles. Today, they were happy to be wet. Sweet Latika just lay down as the rain continued to fall, rubbing her trunk and her body against the cool wet ground.
Ahmed was a greedy girl again. While this can be trying for the Keepers, they are pleased to see Ahmed becoming assertive as she settles into her new family. This morning, she asked the Keepers for another bottle and, when her plan was unsuccessful, she trotted over to Weka and tried to grab her bottle. In a re-run of a couple of days ago, Kindani took charge, telling off naughty Ahmed and preventing her from approaching the other orphans.
Out in the wet muddy forest in the early evening, Bondeni and Choka played exuberantly together. Bondeni ran around as Choka rubbed his body on the ground and then Bondeni tried to mount his friend, but Choka wriggled out and sprinted away. Meanwhile, Kinyei squatted on her bottom nearby enjoying the mud and the rain.
The orphans, including the blanket babies as it was warmer than yesterday, emerged from their stockades in the early morning. All of them plodded around cheerfully except for one small boy – Shujaa (who used to be a reserved well-behaved little chap!). This morning, Shujaa ran over to Mzinga and gave her an unwarranted shove, knocking her off her feet. She yelled loudly. Nyambeni sprinted over and stood between her two friends to prevent any squabbling. Peace restored, the babies were best friends again and trotted off to the forest with Olorien.
This morning, something special happened. Solio and baby Savannah showed up at the Nursery – nearly five years after her last visit. The rhino used to stop by often but not since she became a mother and moved deeper into the park. As it is bone dry in the park, the Keepers have been distributing supplemental lucerne outside the nursery.
In the afternoon, Muridjo was hanging out with one of big kids - she prefers the older elephants to her age mates. Today, her partner in crime was gentle Elerai. While they browsed together peacefully, Lodo was throwing his weight around, giving Esoit and Bondeni a shove to remind them that his tusks are bigger than theirs. He likes to challenge Esoit’s dominance.
Later on, Mzinga enjoyed a little drink from the pool near the mud bath on a cloudy day. Nearby, Kerrio was content just to sit in the rain on her bottom.
The herd headed out on a sunny morning to browse in a forest that was already turning green after the rainfall two days ago. Returning for their morning bottles, they wandered down the path to the mud bath. Elerai was not being his usual gentle self today, pushing his way past Iletilal in his hurry to get there first. Rafiki responded by running over to help Iletilal, whereupon Elerai branched off in another direction. Rafiki checked on his friend and got to the mud bath first!
Later in the morning, the first group toddled into the mud bath before the second older group arrived. Muridjo, Kerrio, Nyambeni, Latika, Mzinga and Nyambeni were all swimming, rolling around and playing gently in the water. The smallest ones crawled rather than walked out of the water on their knees, with Nyambeni continuing to crawl even when she reached dry land! All were out by the time the second group of orphans had gulped down their bottles of milk. Their turn at swimming was a rowdy affair that involved lots of splashing. Mukutan was kneeling in the water as he splashed Choka who had his front legs in the water and his bottom on the side. Rafiki submerged his body in the water next to Kindani who was half in and half out. Tingai, Kinyei, Esoit and Olorien were the only ones left standing on the side-lines. An action-packed afternoon!
Out in the forest this morning, the herd settled down to browse and to play, spreading out in small friendship groups. Kitich was playing with the warthogs. He was happy to sprint after them, trumpeting as he did his best to chase them away. As soon as they turned around and stood their ground, he came to a grinding halt before dashing back to his friends, ears flapping and tail aloft.
Meanwhile, as usual, Bondeni and Esoit were playing the pushing game. After testing each other’s strength, Esoit lay down and Bondeni mounted him, refusing to get off when Esoit tried to stand up. Esoit yelled out in protest and Kindani responded. There is no messing with this young lady! Bondeni soon gave in, clambered off and stomped away. Fracas over, everyone turned their attention back to browsing.
In the late afternoon, Shujaa sauntered into the stockades with style, almost as if he knew he had an audience. A familiar fixture, the resident warthogs were pottering around the compound. When he does not have milk on his mind, Shujaa delights in chasing them. Off he ran after them, stout legs zooming as fast as they’d carry him. He does not have the speed or agility to best the warthogs but that doesn’t stop him from trying.
This morning, there was a herd of buffaloes quite close to the mud bath. They have visited regularly over the past two weeks to drink water and to eat supplementary lucerne. Today, Nyambeni and Mzinga were unhappy with the presence of the buffaloes even though they were at a distance. They ran off in random directions on their way down to the mud bath for their mid-morning bottles of milk and then kept darting around, trumpeting nervously, rather than pottering peacefully. Even Kerrio and Olorien could not calm down the two babies.
Out in the forest in the late morning, Olorien was investigating a tree with a broken branch where some water had collected. She popped her trunk into the water, sucked some up and squirted the water into her mouth. Her little entourage of blanket babies was watching. Full of curiosity, they stuck their tiny trunks into her mouth. Observing the situation, a Keeper then showed Shujaa how to put his trunk up high and suck up water.
Shujaa is an up-and-coming swimming star! He is becoming one of the first to stroll into the water as soon as he finishes his bottle. This afternoon, to everyone’s surprise as it was a cool day, he popped into the water and started swimming in style. None of the others showed any interest in joining him as he lay happily in the water. Feeling rather full of himself, he waddled out and tried to mount Nyambeni, much to her annoyance. She ran off as he pressed his trunk on her back. Mini matriarch Olorien took charge, telling off the little boy and comforting the little girl.
The orphans plodded cheerfully out of their stockades soon after dawn and headed to the forest. Mzinga stuck close to one of the Keepers this morning, demanding his attention as she scratched her front legs on a tree stump. Nearby, Kamili was scratching her bottom on a sapling that she had cleverly bent back into just the right position. Kerrio and Olorien were being maternal, standing close to Nyambeni and Muridjo.
In the afternoon at the mud bath, several orphans had a quick dip after downing their bottles. Weka was being her confident entertaining self. After her swim, she noticed that a visitor was standing next to Mzinga, stroking her head. In a protective mood, she strode over to check that her little friend was fine and to see off the stranger if necessary. The Keepers intercepted her en route. A few minutes later, she challenged Loldaiga to a game with gusto, giving the newbie quite a fright.
Later on in the forest, there was a downpour of heavy rain. The Keepers scooped up the blanket babies and took them back to their stables. Most of the others stood patiently under trees, sheltering from the worst of the rain. But not everyone! Bondeni and Esoit played yet another round of the pushing game as Mageno and Mukutan rolled around on the muddy ground nearby.
On a cool overcast morning, the herd set out to browse led by Kindani, leaving one little girl behind. Naughty Muridjo had snuck into Mzinga’s stable just before the others headed out to look for leftover dairy cubes. Much to her delight, she found some and settled down to eat every last one. Finishing her extra breakfast, she toddled out of the stable to find that no one was there. All her friends had disappeared! She trumpeted in alarm. Out in the forest, Kindani heard her, spreading her ears as she stood up taller, and trumpeted back at ear-splitting volume. Two minutes later, a small elephant could be seen charging towards the herd as fast as her little legs could carry her. Kindani, Kinyei and Olorien rumbled loudly to welcome Muridjo, surrounding her as they trunk touched her in reassurance.
Later on at the mud bath, several orphans paddled into the water after gulping down their bottles. Water baby Weka lay down happily, rolling around occasionally or rubbing her head and trunk against the edges. Mukutan and Taabu were playing next to her, wrestling with each other and splashing everyone around them. Muwingu was not keen on getting wet today – instead, she wandered along the rope greeting the visitors, before settling down to scratch her rump on a large rock. Feeling boisterous, she then gave Loldaiga an unexpected shove as he browsed peacefully on lucerne. He trumpeted his annoyance as he righted himself and returned to browsing.
It was raining heavily this morning. Maxwell woke up in a jovial mood, celebrating the downpour by running up and down his enclosure. Moments later, the orphans toddled out of their stockades to wander about in the rain. They enjoyed it too. Olorien started rolling around on the muddy ground and several friends followed her example. Mukutan and Sileita played the pushing game in the pouring rain.
Soon, the Keepers led the herd out for a wander and a browse in the surrounding bush. Olorien was determined to stay behind so she could wait for the blanket babies to be let out of their rooms (when the rain stopped). As this was not happening any time soon, the Keepers persuaded her (eventually) to join the herd. Out in the forest, no one seemed interested in browsing today – they were too excited after the rain. Mageno, Kitich, Weka and Taabu were rolling around on the soaking wet ground, creating their own mud bath in one of the largest puddles. Kamili was having a dainty paddle in a much smaller puddle. Ahmed and Rafiki were playing some slippery rounds of the pushing game as Bondeni and Esoit wrestled nearby. While everyone was busy playing, Kitiak and Loldaiga snuck off to the mud bath in the hope of an extra bottle of milk. On their way, they ran into an old bull buffalo who was blocking the path. They got such a fright! The two turned tail and sprinted back to the security of the herd, trumpeting as they went.
On a cool but sunny morning, the orphans set off for the forest enthusiastically. They browsed on the bright green shoots which have appeared in the past week and paddled in the many large puddles and pools of water.
Returning to the mud bath mid-morning, the first group of younger orphans downed their bottles of milk and tiptoed over the slippery ground to have a dip in the mud bath. The edge was too slippery for walking, but this did not pose a problem for the babies as it was perfect for sliding. Nyambeni was the first to slide on her belly into the muddy water, little legs out to the side and trunk aloft. Mzinga followed suit, rumbling with pleasure as she slipped in. Muridjo and Kerrio were close behind. Once in the wallow, they had a great time paddling up to their middles as they kicked and splashed as much as they could manage.
Out in the forest in the late afternoon, Kerrio was once again with her mini herd of Nyambeni, Mzinga and Muridjo. She is often to be found leading and looking after the three little girls. Meanwhile, Shujaa was sticking close to bigger girls Olorien, Kindani and Kinyei (he is spending less time with the other blanket babies). Mageno (who also used to spend lots of time with the blanket babies) was busy doing his best to impress Kitich, Loldaiga, Muwingu and Weka,
There was a storm in the evening after the orphans had gone to bed. Mukutan does not like thunderstorms. When the thunder rumbled, he trumpeted back. As soon as the storm was over, he fell silent.
In the morning, it was raining so heavily that every single elephant wanted to stay in their stockade! The Keepers expect the blanket babies to be wary of the weather but not the big boys and girls. When the men opened the doors this morning, they were amused to hear cries of protest. Mukutan started the trumpeting and Sileita joined in. Olorien was the next to protest and she was followed by Tingai, Kindani, Ahmed, Kitiak, Esoit, Bondeni and the rest. Sometime later, after a great deal of persuasion, the big boys and girls emerged slowly from their stables. Rafiki and Esoit were the first to brave the outdoors.
In contrast, Maxwell was loving the downpour. He ran around his stockade and then up and down his enclosure. As the rain continued to fall, he lay down and rolled his enormous body in the mud.
The blanket babies – Mzinga, Nyambeni, Shujaa and Muridjo – stayed tucked up in their rooms until midday when the sun came out. They trotted out to the field happily in the afternoon to join the herd. The orphans browsed peacefully on that day – no one showed off their wrestling or swimming prowess. Friendly Elerai stretched out his trunk to the Keepers in greeting as gentle Kamili browsed on delicious greens.
After browsing in the fresh green forest in the early morning, the orphans headed back for their milk feed at the mud bath. The first group downed their bottles and pottered over to eat some lucerne. Laidback Mageno wandered along the line, greeting the visitors with a raised trunk and allowing the children to touch his trunk. Less laidback Shujaa, meanwhile, was charging around after Nyambeni and Mzinga, doing his best to play mount them. The two little girls were having none of this behavior – they sprinted over to the safety of nanny Kerrio who put the naughty boy in his place. The second group of older orphans arrived soon after. They too emptied their bottles and got down to browsing on the supplementary lucerne. This morning, Choka and Tingai refused to share the grass with Taabu and Kitich, chasing them away and turning their backs. Clever Kitich was not going away so easily! He quietly snuck around the two older boys to the pile of lucerne, picked up a large amount and deposited it on top of his head. Quickly, he darted away to the other side of the mud bath, dropped the lucerne and enjoyed a peaceful snack.
Back out in the forest, mini matriarch Kindani was looking after little Shujaa while doing her best to prevent Olorien and Kinyei from coming close. The older female stood very close to the younger male, draping her trunk along his back in a show of affection. He was loving her attention.
In the late afternoon, the orphans returned to the stockades for another bottle of milk and to settle in their rooms for the night. Sileita has developed a quirky habit of kneeling down on her front legs while drinking her bottle, in contrast to every other orphan in the Nursery.
The herd headed out as usual in the early morning and most settled down to browse. But not the big boys! Their priority today was wrestling not eating. First up were Bondeni and Esoit who set to with their normal noisy energy. Next up were Taabu and Tingai who clashed heads and twisted around as they sparred. Last up to play the wrestling game were Choka and Mukutan. The forest was full of trumpeting young bulls having a great time pitting their strength against each other.
Later in the morning, the first younger group trundled down in threes and fours for their bottles of milk. Kitich, Weka and Muwingu were sent down together. As they sprinted in with Kitich in the lead, the other two did their best to nip past him. In response, Kitich led out an enormous trumpet and accelerated, arriving well before his two friends. After gulping down their bottles, the first group settled down to browse on lucerne.
When the orphans settled down after downing their milk and as many were browsing on the greens provided, Iletilal gently laid his trunk along his friend Elerai’s back in a touching sign of affection. Cheeky Ahmed was chasing after Kitiak, doing her best to snatch his branch of tasty greens. But Kitiak was too smart for her today. Whenever she came close, he deftly turned his backside towards her, effectively blocking her and protecting his branch. Eventually, the naughty girl gave up the game and stalked off to find her own branch. Meanwhile, Kinyei wandered around slowly – she is possibly the least greedy elephant in the herd, walking in sedately to the mud bath for her bottle and drinking it in a leisurely manner.
In contrast to recent nights, last night was a comfortable one for the orphans. The reason for the peace and quiet was the absence of rain - showers after dark upset many of the babies, including Mukutan, Mzinga, Shujaa, Mageno and Kerrio.
On a warm sunny morning, the orphans emerged happily from their bedrooms, with heads held high and trunks and tails waving. Kerrio, Nyambeni, Mzinga and Muwingu darted up and down the fence playing with Maxwell before Kinyei led the younger ones out to join the herd in the forest.
Later in the morning, Kitich led the orphans in the first group down to the mud bath for a milk feed. As he ran down the path, he encountered two buffaloes blocking the path. The brave boy did not hesitate – he stood up tall, spread his ears wide and let out an enormous trumpet. The buffaloes trundled away into the bushes and the path to the mud bath was clear. The younger ones downed their bottles and had a quiet little browse before the second older group arrived.
Lodo was in a feisty mood today, pushing Sileita for no reason – when Olorien noticed his behavior, she immediately told him off and sent him off to the other side of the mud bath. Meanwhile, Bondeni had spotted the two buffaloes on the nearby rocks, probably waiting for the orphans to leave. Off he cantered, driving them away with more trumpeting. He soon had the support of Kindani who chased them away as the herd returned to the forest.
Back in the wet woods in the late afternoon, the blanket babies found a water hole that was big enough for swimming. Mzinga, Nyambeni and Shujaa paddled in and then lay down in their own little mud bath. Some of the older elephants gathered around the pool, planning to kick out the babies so they could swim. Their plan was thwarted by Kinyei, possibly the strictest of the nannies. She was not allowing anyone in the water until the babies had finished their dip. Eventually, they toddled out and she strolled in with an entourage of older elephants.
On a cooler morning, the orphans hung around the stockades for a time before setting out to the forest. Sweet Kamili was in an exuberant mood this morning. She and Kerrio enjoyed playing the pushing game, albeit a gentle quiet version of it, around the stockades! It has taken Kamili a long time to recover from her ordeal as a baby, but she is emerging from her shell and interacting more with the herd. Usually, she likes to browse on her own in the bush but today she had a lovely time rolling around in the mud with Iletilal.
Weka has a tendency to announce her arrival at the mud bath, just in case anyone missed it, and today was no different. As she cantered down to the mud bath, she trumpeted as loudly as she could. The Keepers reassured the visitors that nothing was the matter — it was just Weka being a show-off. Weka, Muwingu and Kerrio then plunged into the water, playing as they splashed everyone around them with thick mud.
When it is time for the orphans to head home for bed, Nyambeni loves to sprint in first. Today, the Keepers sent Nyambeni, Shujaa, Mzinga, Muridjo and Loldaiga in together. She started off at the back of the line of babies - but then accelerated past her friends with a burst of speed from her little legs and sprinted into the stockades well ahead of the pack!
Most of the orphans trundled out of their rooms this morning to greet her other and stand around quietly before setting out. But not Bondeni! This naughty bull, who loves diary cubes even more than bottles of milk, was (once again) in the mood for mischief. He has worked out which orphans do not eat all of their cubes during the night and he likes to make a bee line for their stockades. As soon as his door was opened, he charged off, darting in and out of the rooms where Elerai, Iletilal, Kitiak and Mushuru sleep. This morning, he would not be stopped. The determined young bull completely ignored the younger Keepers as they tried to stop him in his tracks, being so cheeky that he mock charged them before running into the next room. Eventually, he was brought to heel by one of the most experienced Keepers and sauntered off happily (with a very full tummy) to join the herd.
After the first group headed back out to the bush, the second group ran down the path to the mud bath for their mid-morning milk feed. Slowcoaches Kinyei and Tingai arrived last, meandering down to the wallow. They accepted the bottles, held them in their trunks, and set about drinking them equally slowly. Lodo and Kitiak could not resist accosting Tingai and trying to snatch his bottle, although they did not dare to approach Kinyei. The young lady calmed finished her milk, walked over to the two boys and, with the help of Olorien, gave them a telling off. The young bulls were no match for the mini matriarchs. They stood down and stomped off.
Back out in the forest in the afternoon, Esoit had a marathon wrestle, challenging Choka first and then Taabu and then Kitich. He was having a great time underlining his position as the dominant male.
It rained early this morning just before the Keepers opened the doors of the orphans’ stockades. As soon as it started, Mukutan and Mageno reacted, trumpeting anxiously and trying to climb over the walls of their rooms. Mukutan does not like rain and cannot stand thunder. The rain only lasted for a few minutes, the Keepers opened the doors and peace was restored. Because it was a cold day, blanket babies Muridjo, Shujaa, Mzinga and Nyambeni remained in their stables for a while before joining the herd in the forest.
Olorien and Kindani were not happy about leaving the babies behind and had to be cajoled by the Keepers to head out with the herd. As the day soon warmed up, it was not long before the four little ones were allowed out. Olorien was thrilled to see Shujaa – she welcomed him and then lay down on the ground to play. Shujaa climbed all over her as she trunk touched him. Soon they were joined by Kerrio who was also happy to see the young boy.
At the mid-morning milk feed, there was more squabbling over bottles. Today, it was Kinyei’s turn to discipline the mischief-makers. First Ahmed and then Rafiki tried to prevent newbie Loldaiga from being given his milk by barging between him and the Keeper. Kinyei charged over, drove them away and gave Rafiki a reprimand in the back with her little tusks.
Many of the orphans were in an exuberant mood at the mud bath in the afternoon. Muwingu, Weka, Kerrio, Mzinga, Nyambeni and Shujaa were rolling around in the loose piles of soil around the wallow, climbing all over each other without a care in the world. Shujaa got so excited that he started running from one side to the other and then along the line with his ears flared and his trunk and tail aloft. The sensible members of the herd watched from the antics from the side-lines.