At the height of the drought, our Voi team was called to support weekly — even daily — orphan rescues. Although we got a bit of rain in November and December, this sector of Tsavo remains very dry. As a result, the orphan rescues have not entirely abated.
On a cold gray morning, the orphans waited patiently for their doors to be opened before plodding out of the stockades to greet each other and enjoy their breakfast. Suswa stretched her body (almost elegantly!) against a large rock inside the compound, waving her trunk in excitement as the lucerne arrived. Close by, Lemeki and Embu rolled around on the dust piles, hosing themselves with soothing soil as they enjoyed a morning dust bath. Mbegu was tending the youngest orphans who were snacking on range cubes at the feeding trough. As usual, Godoma was standing close to Baraka, looking after her favorite little boy.
Before long, the elephants meandered up Msinga Hill, maneuvering their way over the rocks to browse near the baobab tree water hole. During milk feeding time in the afternoon, Ashanti gulped down her bottle of milk and then ran from one friend to the next in search of an extra bottle. The Keepers ensured that she was not successful in her quest to drink someone else’s milk! As the day was too cold for swimming, the orphans wandered off into some thick bush to the south of the mud wallow to continue browsing.
On a clear bright morning, the dependent orphans emerged from the stockades, drank their milk, and settled down to enjoy some supplementary lucerne in the far corner of the compound. Ex-orphan Laikipia sauntered in from the wild to join the herd. The younger orphans clustered around their hero, excited to see the big bull but wary of getting too close. He paid them minimal attention as he wandered over to greet the older orphans.
Tamiyoi, followed by Emoli and Lemeki, led the herd out to browse in the open areas to the north of Msinga Hill. Itinyi and Epiya were hanging out together, browsing contentedly – the newcomers have settled in well with their new family. After the afternoon milk feed, the orphans wandered over to the lucerne feeding area.
Later in the evening, the Keepers received a call to rescue a young elephant who had been found on his own close to Lake Jipe and was being held in a KWS camp. They immediately packed the necessary equipment and set off to rescue the baby. On arrival, they set up a drip, administered medication, loaded the elephant into the pickup and drove back to the Voi stockades. The baby rested overnight before being airlifted to Nairobi the next day.
On another clear morning, the orphans were keen to be let out of the stockades and get going with their day. The baby rescued last night seemed well and was even nibbling on a few leaves in his stable. After drinking their milk and eating lucerne and dairy cubes, Emoli, Tamiyoi and Lemeki led the herd out to the browsing fields where they settled down under the watchful eyes of several Keepers.
Back at the stockades, the rescued baby elephant was sedated in preparation for his flight to Nairobi. The other Keepers carefully loaded him into the vehicle and drove to the airstrip. The light aircraft – carrying two Keepers from Nairobi - landed mid-morning and the orphan was lifted into the back of the plane. The pilot took off, carrying the rescued elephant to the Nairobi Nursery, as the Keepers headed back for the afternoon milk feed at the baobab water hole.
In the afternoon, Emoli led the herd to the mud wallow, followed by Godoma and Tamiyoi with Baraka, Busara, Itinyi, Kilulu and Seri trotting along behind. Suswa was the first into the mud bath – she was joined by several friends as she rolled around and splashed in the muddy water. Ndotto climbed out and had a good scratch on the tree next to the mud hole before wandering off with Ngilai to browse in the bush with the rest of the herd.
On a bright sunny morning, the orphans stood around the stockade compound in small groups, contentedly eating lucerne and dairy cubes. Soon, they headed out to Msinga Hill to browse. As the area becomes drier, the orphans are depending more on supplementary lucerne which the Keepers are giving them at the stockades and out in the bush.
In the afternoon, a Keeper came across a lion kill not far from where the orphans were browsing. A pride of lions had killed a zebra and were eating the carcass. He immediately alerted the Keepers tending the herd. To avoid a confrontation, they shepherded the elephants elsewhere for their milk feed. The orphans downed their bottles and then wandered away to browse on the southern side of Msinga Hill not far from the stockades.
Ex-orphan Laikipia paid his old home another visit in the afternoon. The impressive bull strolled over to the water trough and then settled down to feast on dairy cubes at the feeding trough. He remained outside the stockades until dusk.
The dependent orphans headed out from the stockades after breakfast in a straggly line led by Tamiyoi with Thamana and Embu bringing up the rear. They settled in the open grass fields at the foot of Msinga Hill, browsing as they meandered towards the baobab mud wallow. Lasayen and Lemeki were hanging out, touching each other regularly as they searched for green shoots to eat. Nearby, Murit and Ngilai were enjoying some light-hearted sparring. The rest of the herd ignored their excited trumpeting – heads down, they concentrated on browsing. As the orphans wandered over to the mud wallow, best friends Ndotto and Lasayen could not resist a quick bout of wrestling.
It was a hot afternoon and the wallow was soon full of elephants. Some lay peacefully in the muddy water as others rolled around, flailing their trunks and swinging their legs. Ndotto stood on the edge, paddling as he splashed himself and everything around him. Cool and relaxed, the herd clambered out of the water. Murit and Suswa scratched their bodies vigorously on the baobab tree and Lasayen hung out with Sagala. Before long, they returned to the bush for a final browse deep in the woods to the south of the wallow.
This morning, the orphans sprinted out of their stockades, gulped their bottles of milk, and settled down to eat every range cube they could find. Lasayen was not as hungry as his friends and decided that scratching was more of a priority than eating. He spent ages itching his backside and then the rest of his body on the large rock by the entrance to the stockades. Intrigued by his absorption in the task, Suswa wandered over to investigate and then stayed close by the young bull.
The herd soon headed out to the bush, settling to browse on the western side of Msinga Hill. As the area is so dry and there is minimal foraging for the elephants, the Keepers gave them some grewia branches collected in the Sagala Hills. The orphans fed on the supplementary greens and in the surrounding area for several hours. After eating as much as they could, Lasayen and Murit got stuck into a serious game of clashing heads and pushing bodies. On the other side of the herd, sweet Suswa started rolling around on the ground in a rather impressive manner. She did her best to get Kilulu, Hildana, Akina and Ashanti to join her but without success. Her young friends were intent on heading back to the mud wallow for milk and a swim.
In the early morning, the Keepers woke up to a wonderful surprise – ex-orphans Kihari, Naipoki, Mbirikani, Arruba and Mudanda were waiting outside the stockades! Although they are leading fully wild lives, the girls had decided to visit their old human-elephant family. Greeting their former carers, the elephants followed the Keepers around as they spread out lucerne and range cubes. Arruba stood outside the gate waiting for her little friend Pika Pika to be let out of her stockade. The visitors hung around as the dependent orphans downed their bottles of milk before they all ate lucerne and dairy cubes together. They mingled with the orphan herd, greeting old friends and touching the newbies. (Itinyi and Epiya were flaring their ears and backing away from the ex-orphans but calmed down after a time.) Before long, orphans and ex-orphans headed out together to browse on the northern side of Msinga Hill.
Out in the bush, newly independent Arruba browsed next to close friends Pika Pika, Tamiyoi and Embu. Naipoki tried to play the sparring game with Suswa but the younger elephant looked nervous and would not accept the challenge. Instead, she wandered off to stretch her body and roll around on the ground at the foot of the hill. Later in the afternoon, the orphans meandered down to the baobab tree for a milk feed, a mud wallow and a final browse before bed.
On a calm clear morning, the orphans finished their breakfast and headed out to browse in the open areas at the foot of Msinga Hill overlooking the baobab water hole, accompanied by several ex-orphans who had spent the night outside the compound. On the way there, Ndotto challenged best friend Lasayen to a wrestling game; Lasayen tussled with him for a time before moving on to wrestle with Murit. Ndotto stood quite still for several minutes, striking an impressive pose. Meanwhile, Suswa bounced along on her big pads, waggling her trunk happily.
Later in the day, as Ndotto and Lasayen hung out together under the baobab tree, trunk touching and pushing each other occasionally, former orphan Kihari sauntered over to join the younger babies at the water trough. Soon, the orphans were swimming and playing in the mud wallow, except for Thamana and Mudanda who stood together on the sidelines watching the antics of the herd. Suswa was being boisterous, trumpeting with joy as she splashed around in the water. Ex-orphan Naipoki clambered in to join her as the rest of the herd wandered off for an early evening browse. After dark when the orphans had settled in their stockades for the night, the group of former orphans returned to spend the night outside the stockade compound. One or two lent against large trees and the others lay down together on the ground to sleep - they knew that they were in a safe place.
The ex-orphans were still outside the stockades this morning, waiting patiently for dairy cubes and lucerne. The still-dependent orphans trundled out of their stockades for their bottles of milk. Thereafter, they joined up with the older visitors in the lucerne feeding area. Ashanti, who is still finding it difficult to eat with her damaged trunk, had the confidence to stand close to Kihari at the feeding trough.
The herd headed out to the area around Msinga Hill to enjoy more supplementary lucerne and to browse on whatever they could find in the dry dusty bush. After the afternoon milk feed, the orphans either stood around the baobab tree or meandered into the mud wallow. When a wild elephant family showed up, Sagala rushed over to welcome them. They greeted and mingled with the orphans for a short time before heading back out into the bush. Newbies Itinyi and Epiya were prevented from following the wild herd by Mbegu and the Keepers. Mbegu calmed the newcomers with rumbles and trunk touches after the Keepers whistled for the little runaways and shepherded them back to the mud wallow.
Meanwhile, the swimmers clambered out of the wallow for a soothing dust bath. Embu and Rorogoi lay close together back-to-back after rolling around in the dust. On the other side of the wallow, Ndotto rolled over and over, covering himself with red earth. Pika Pika trotted over to the big bull and climbed onto his back as he lay relaxing. She playfully climbed all over him, waving her trunk and waggling her head. Suswa contentedly scratched her backside on the baobab tree as Naipoki drank deeply from the trough. With dusk approaching, the orphans enjoyed a final browse before returning to the stockades for the night.
The Voi visitors continue to pour in! Following the arrival of Kihari, Naipoki, Mbirikani, Arruba and Mudanda a few days ago, more ex-orphans arrived at the stockades this morning, returning to their former family in these dry days. Matriarchs Edie and Mweya, their calves Eden, Eco, Enzo and Mwitu, and nannies Kenia, Panda, Lentili and Tahri wandered in just after dawn accompanied by a wild young bull (who did not stay for long). The former orphans joined the herd for a breakfast of dairy pellets and lucerne and then spent the day browsing with them at the foot of Msinga Hill.
In the early evening, the dependent orphans were tucked up in their dormitories for the night. The visitors remained outside in the compound, relaxing and playing as they made themselves at home. Mweya had a nap on the earth pile as baby Mwitu hung out with Lentili. The long-suffering nanny was prevented from sleeping by a little elephant climbing all over her, full of affection and fun! Nearby, Edie had another snack as baby Enzo cavorted around. Eventually, the well-fed visitors also settled down to sleep.
The former orphans who had spent the night outside the compound awoke to another clear dry morning. Doors open, the dependent orphans wandered out to join the visitors. Ex-orphan Panda was browsing on supplementary lucerne before the live-in orphans had had their morning bottles of milk. Mweya and baby Mwitu were eating dairy cubes at the feeding trough. They were not keen to share and tried to chase away any elephant who approached the trough.
Before long, former and current orphans wandered out together to browse in areas around Msinga Hill. As their friends searched for green shoots in small groups, Ndotto and Lasayen played the pushing game.
On a cool afternoon, the orphans were reluctant to get into the mud wallow, with only Suswa splashing herself in a desultory manner on the edge. Ndotto stood completely still next to the trough until the herd had gathered together in preparation for a final browse. At the last minute, he set off, strolling along behind his friends.
After emerging from their stockades and filling their tummies, the dependent orphans set out from the stockades for their daily bush walk. Former orphans Edie and Mweya stayed behind with their entourage to eat up every last piece of lucerne. Many ex-orphans had again spent the night outside the stockades.
The herd settled down to browse at the foot of Msinga Hill quite close to the baobab feeding area and mud wallow. At milk feeding time, the orphans were already around the tree, waiting eagerly for the truck. Ashanti had been trying to sneak away to the feeding area from the Keepers all morning. The orphans gulped down their milk in seconds (they tend to drink with greater urgency when it is dry) and wandered over to the wallow.
On a dull gray afternoon with promising clouds in the distance, most of the herd were not tempted to swim. Itinyi, Pika Pika, Suswa, Embu, Rorogoi and Seri were the only ones paddling and splashing on the edge, but even the water babies did not submerge their big bodies. Before long, the orphans gathered together and headed out to browse in the bush before returning to the stockades for more supplementary lucerne.
On a bright sunny morning, the orphans emerged cheerfully from their rooms and settled down to drink milk and eat lucerne with the ex-orphans who had rested outside the stockades overnight. Ngilai and Murit got stuck into yet another round of the pushing game. Ex-orphan Edie and babies Eco and Enzo darted between the lucerne and the dairy cubes, unable to decide which to eat first. Mweya was being protective of Mwitu, allowing only Lentili near her baby.
Soon, Lemeki led the dependent herd out to the browsing fields leaving the ex-orphans behind to finish all the lucerne grass. The orphans climbed up Msinga Hill, with the big ones plodding up at the pace of the little ones. They spent several hours browsing and foraging for foliage before returning to the baobab tree area for a milk feed, a long drink of water and a wallow in the mud bath.
This morning, the orphans emerged from the stockades to find no friends waiting for them. The ex-orphans had wandered off during the previous evening - but the Keepers felt sure that they would be back soon. The herd soon headed out for their daily bush walk, settling down to browse in the open grassy areas towards Msinga Hill.
In the afternoon, after emptying their bottles, the orphans wandered down to the baobab tree wallow. Suswa and Godoma were having fun rolling around and splashing in the mud bath. Water babies Embu and Pika Pika were also submerged in the muddy water, alternately floating and playing. When the herd meandered off into the bush for a browse, Sagala remained behind with Godoma on the edge of the wallow. A gazelle tiptoed in to drink from the water hole.
In the afternoon, ex-orphan Edie and her herd returned to the stockades, driven by hunger during this dry period. They strolled in and waited patiently around the piles of earth. As soon as they saw the Keepers bringing out the lucerne, they trumpeted in excitement and ran towards the men. After eating their fill, they walked back leisurely to the water trough for a long drink and to hang out with their young friends.
On a disappointingly clear morning, the orphans set out early to browse on supplementary lucerne at the foot of Msinga Hill. Ashanti was adapted to eat with her damaged trunk by using her front foot to anchor the branches.
In the afternoon as the orphans walked to the milk feeding area, Lasayen kept challenging Murit to wrestling matches. At the baobab tree wallow, many of the orphans plunged in for a swim. Big brave Ndotto chased away a wild buffalo who was drinking from the wallow as Suswa, Pika Pika, Embu, Godoma and Rorogoi rolled around in the cooling water. Emoli had a brief dip before clambering out and enjoying a lengthy scratch on a tree.
Some of the orphans headed out again to browse, leaving behind Suswa, Pika Pika, Embu, Rorogoi and Ndotto. They were having too much fun in the wallow to be bothered to forage in the sparse vegetation. Later in the evening, many ex-orphans returned to the stockades to drink from the water trough after a long hot day in the bush.
On another sunny morning, the dependent orphans trotted happily out of their stockades to eat lucerne and dairy cubes with the many ex-orphans who had spent the night outside the compound. Nanny Pika Pika was being sweetly protective of little Busara – the two orphans walked together to the lucerne feeding area from the dairy cube trough. Pika Pika then stepped in to stop Thamana from pushing her young charge around.
Tummies filled, the orphans headed off to the east of Msinga Hill, leaving the ex-orphans behind to finish up every last pellet. Later in the day after the afternoon milk feed, the orphans meandered down to the baobab mud hole. Ngilai and Embu paused first to drink from the water trough before continuing on to the wallow. Ngilai stood quietly as Embu plunged into the water to swim with several friends. The elephants stretched and wallowed and rolled around exuberantly in the mud wallow. Clambering out of the water, Sagala felt itchy – first she scratched her backside on a nearby flowering tree and then she rubbed her whole body against the baobab. Meanwhile, Juni led the herd out for an evening browse.
Ex-orphan Mweya and her herd were awake before the orphans emerged from their stockades this morning, having spent the night outside the compound again. The live-in elephants greeted their live-out friends enthusiastically as the two groups settled down to enjoy dairy cubes and lucerne together. Juni joined ex-orphans Kihari and Naipoki at the feeding trough as Edie hung out nearby with baby Enzo. Tahri and Lentili browsed on dairy cubes on the terraces with Thamana, Embu and Godoma.
Before long, the dependent orphans headed out to browse to the north of Msinga Hill quite close to the baobab mud wallow. Several strong young bulls were sparring with each other today. Emoli challenged Ngilai and, a few minutes later, Murit and Lasayen joined in the wrestling game. Their excited trumpeting as they clashed heads and twisted and turned attracted an audience of smaller orphans.
In the afternoon, the orphans enjoyed a brief paddle or dip in the mud wallow before browsing in the surrounding plains. They wandered peacefully but found very little to eat in the dry dusty wilderness. Returning to the stockade compound, the orphans found that their older friends were still there. They were hanging around the water trough, the lucerne feeding area and the dust pile, showing no signs of leaving.
On another clear sunny morning, the orphans wandered off into the bush as soon as they had finished eating dairy cubes and lucerne, leaving the ex-orphans outside the compound. Newbies Itinyi and Epiya tried to stay behind with the older elephants, but the Keepers whistled at them to follow the dependent herd. They could not risk the independent herd setting off with two recent rescues who are too young to survive in the wild.
In the afternoon, the orphans gulped down their bottles and headed for the mud wallow. Mbegu and Suswa stopped to drink from the water trough. Then, Suswa joined Pika Pika and Embu in the wallow as Ngilai sauntered over to join Mbegu at the trough. After a vigorous splash in the water, Lemeki joined the two orphans for a drink. Many of the others continued to float and roll around in the wallow. Swimming over, Ndotto and Rorogoi covered themselves in dust from the earth pile and then caught up with the herd browsing in the surrounding area.
The dependent and independent orphans ate breakfast together again today, all muddled up rather than in two distinct groups. Pika Pika hovered protectively next to Busara, preventing Thamana (who is reluctant to relinquish her role of spoilt baby) from approaching her.
After finishing the lucerne, Emoli and Tamiyoi led the orphans out to the daily browsing fields. Most settled in the open grasslands although Ngilai set off on his own up Msinga Hill. Murit and Lasayen started sparring and were soon joined by Ndotto. Seeking distance from the rowdy bulls, Emoli climbed up the hill to browse followed by Godoma and Baraka.
In the afternoon, the orphans drank their bottles of milk near the baobab tree water hole. Tagwa, Lemeki, Juni and Kilulu lined up to drink from the trough as Suswa cavorted around in the mud bath and Ndotto hosed himself with soothing dust on the edge of the wallow. Pika Pika and Embu were left alone in the water as Suswa got out to scratch her body on the baobab tree. The rest of the herd headed out for a final browse.
This morning, Emoli, Lemeki and Tamiyoi led some of the herd out to the browsing fields. Akina and Kilulu tagged along at the end, undecided as to whether to stay or go. Others remained behind with the ex-orphans, finishing up the lucerne and dairy cubes. When Mbegu decided it was time to join Emoli, many of the young orphans trotted along behind her, excepting Itinyi and Epiya who were hanging out with wild-born babies Eco, Mwitu and Enzo. The Keepers allowed the two newbies some time with their new friends and then shepherded them out to browse with the herd.
On a hot dry afternoon, the orphans sprinted down to the mud wallow. Suswa, Tagwa and Ngilai stopped at the water trough to quench their thirst on their way. Godoma, Embu, Pika Pika, Suswa and Rorogoi had a fabulous time playing in the water, splashing each other as they wallowed. Ndotto and Ngilai watched from the sidelines, occasionally putting a large foot in the water but going no further.
Later in the evening, the dependent orphans settled in their stockades for the night and the independent ones rested outside the compound. Before he lay down to sleep, Edie’s last-born baby Enzo put his whole face in the water trough, drinking water using his mouth as his trunk floated on the top.
After an early-morning wander in search of shoots to eat, the orphans plodded back to the stockades for more milk and a wallow on another hot dry day. Sometimes, Ashanti and Hildana try to grab other elephants’ bottles – when they tried this tactic today, Kilulu immediately stopped them. Bottles emptied, many of the orphans hung around the stockades, feeding on range cubes. Tagwa, Pika Pika, Itinyi and Busara plunged into the wallow, rumbling with pleasure as they submerged their bodies in the cooling water. Lasayen, Embu, Ngilai, Ndotto, Hildana and Dabida stood next to the water trough, drinking and trunk touching.
Later in the afternoon, the dependent herd headed back out to browse deep in the woods. Mbegu, Godoma and Pika Pika tended the youngest orphans, keeping them together by standing around them, as Sagala and Tagwa snuck away on their own with Juni. As dusk approached, the Keepers shepherded the herd back to the stockades for the night.
Early on a bright clear morning, the ex-orphans lined up at the feeding trough before the dairy pellets had arrived. The visitors were especially hungry this morning. The dependent orphans trotted out of their bedrooms to gulp down their bottles and join their wilder friends to eat dairy pellets and lucerne.
The dependent herd then headed out to browse at the foot of Msinga Hill. Some were content to stay at the bottom as others picked their way over the rocks to climb up the hill. The youngest two orphans in the herd – Busara and Baraka – were not left alone by their responsible nannies for a moment. Mbegu browsed with Busara and Godoma did the same with Baraka.
After the afternoon mud bath, Rorogoi and Ndotto lay down on the piles of red earth, relaxing and then rolling around and playing. Ndotto remained there after Rorogoi had headed out with the herd, eventually clambering to his feet and following the others as they wandered around to the south of the water hole.
The dependent and independent orphans mingled in the early morning as they fed in small groups. When ex-orphan Mweya gave Hildana a push at the feeding trough, Hildana took out her frustration on Mweya’s baby Mwitu, giving the little boy such a shove that he sprinted away to the lucerne feeding area. Today, nanny Pika Pika was again looking after Busara, chasing away naughty boys Thamana and Kilulu when they tried to be rough with her as she nibbled on range cubes.
Today, the dependent herd headed out as always towards Msinga Hill as the independent orphans wandered out in a straggly line in a different direction. Mweya was not going far – she and her baby stayed close by so that she could pop back during the day to the stockades for any supplementary food on offer.
In the afternoon, the orphans meandered to the milk feeding area and on to the wallow. Some paddled as a couple swam on a quiet calm afternoon. After a brief dip, Tagwa and Tamiyoi scratched their backsides on large rocks and then covered themselves in soothing red soil.
The orphans emerged from their stockades on a bright sunny morning to greet the many ex-orphans who had spent the night once again. Bottles emptied, the elephants browsed on range cubes and lucerne together before setting out into the bush. The dependent and independent herds spread out over and around Msinga Hill, searching for foliage in the arid landscape. Many of the older orphans climbed up to the top of the hill while Mbegu looked after the younger ones at the foot - except for little Baraka who followed Godoma up the rocky hill.
In the afternoon, Mbegu led the herd down to the milk feeding area next to the baobab mud wallow while Rorogoi, Ngilai, Murit and Embu stayed behind on the hill. Suswa, Thamana and Lasayen were the first to plunge into the wallow but were soon joined by Godoma – the friends waved their trunks enthusiastically as they splashed around together. Ngilai arrived and drank deeply from the water trough. He was followed by Embu, Rorogoi, and Murit who sprinted to the wallow and clambered in to cool down and play. As the herd set out for a final browse, Pika Pika was left scratching her bottom on the baobab tree.
Awake before dawn, many of the visiting ex-orphans were already lined up at the feeding trough eating range cubes when the resident orphans plodded out of their stockades in dribs and drabs. After downing their bottles, they joined the older elephants on the terraces and at the trough.
The visitors set out first this morning in the direction of Msinga Hill with Edie at the front followed by baby Enzo, Tahri, Kihari, Lentili and Kenia. The dependent herd lingered for a short time before heading out along the same path.
After the afternoon milk feed, the orphans wandered down to the mud wallow, pausing for a drink from the trough before plunging into the water on another hot day. Ndotto decided to rub and roll his big body on the earth piles before joining Embu and Godoma in the wallow. Mbegu swam first and then clambered out to roll around on the earth and spray herself with the red soil. Tired out by her energetic swimming, Embu lay down on the edge of the wallow for a nap. Ndotto leant up against her as Godoma continued to splash herself nearby. Lemeki, Juni and Tagwa led the herd out for a final browse, leaving Murit behind to scratch his body against the baobab tree.
Before dawn, many of the orphans were waiting patiently by the doors of their stockades, watching the Keepers prepare their bottles of milk and bring out the range cubes and lucerne. Babies Baraka and Busara were the first to toddle out this morning, gulping down their milk and sprinting over to the range cubes. Ex-orphans Mweya and Edie (who had not spent the night) strolled into the compound with their herds.
The dependent elephants soon headed out to browse in the bush, leaving Mweya and her herd to continue eating lucerne. Most of the orphans settled at the foot of Msinga Hill, browsing as they meandered towards the mud wallow. Only Sagala, Juni and Tagwa had the energy to climb up to the top of the hill today.
On a hot and windy afternoon, most of the orphans swam in the mud wallow and then either lay around relaxing on the edges or covered themselves in dust. Usually, Tamiyoi prefers to tiptoe on the edge, gracefully siphoning trunkfuls of water onto herself. Today, however, she was the runaway star of the mud bath. She and her best friend Tagwa enjoyed a long dramatic swim full of flailing trunks and swinging legs.
On a cool clear morning, the dependent orphans emerged contentedly from their bedrooms to drink milk and eat range cubes. Little Dabida was sticking close to Sagala, enjoying the warmth of the older elephant. Whenever Sagala took a few steps, Dabida did too, leaning into her friend and rubbing her head against Sagala’s neck. Meanwhile, Ndotto was chilling by the water trough, putting one large foot in the trough as he stood there with his eyes closed. Ere long, the herd set off for a peaceful morning of browsing in the bush.
In the afternoon, the orphans sprinted in for their milk feed, led by Emoli with Kilulu, Hildana, Ashanti, Kenderi, Dabida and Juni in hot pursuit. The babies were full of energy – Kenderi and Dabida even left a little milk in their bottles in their hurry to charge down to the baobab mud wallow with their friends. Kilulu is an outgoing young bull – today he swam happily with the older elephants in the mud bath as some of his less confident friends watched from the sidelines. As Ngilai was reluctant to get wet, he hung out at the water trough before heading out with the herd for an evening browse.
Having downed their bottles of milk and range cubes, the orphan elephants gathered in the lucerne feeding area. A few were feeling greedy this morning. Instead of just eating the grass, Murit picked up a table-shaped amount and deposited it on top of his head, just in case the food ran out before he was full. Opposite him, Pika Pika did exactly the same thing, putting such a huge amount of lucerne on her head that it covered her eyes. Sensible nanny Godoma stood next to baby Baraka watching her friends – the peaceful pair were soon joined by Hildana.
The herd then headed out for their usual meander, browsing towards forested areas to the north of the stockades. They moved slowly today, arriving at the water hole later in the afternoon of a hot day. They perked up in the cooling mud bath, splashing and rolling around happily. After his swim, Murit walked out to welcome a wild male elephant to the water hole. The teenager was too shy to swim but had a drink from the water trough after the herd had headed out for an evening browse.
On another cloudless morning, the orphans finished their breakfast and gathered to head out for the far side of Msinga Hill. Ndotto and Lasayen (with his back legs crossed) stood still, waiting for a signal from the Keepers. Usually, Tamiyoi, Lemeki or Emoli lead the orphans out to the browsing fields - today, all three were absorbed in eating range cubes. Eventually, one of the Keepers took the lead and whistled to the orphans to get going.
They settled at the foot of Msinga Hill, browsing in the direction of the baobab tree water hole. As they approached the milk feeding area some hours later, Lasayen and Murit started sparring and wrestling with each other. Feeling left out, Ndotto interrupted the game and Murit marched off in disgust. Bottles emptied, Ndotto, Ngilai and Murit stopped off to drink at the water trough as the rest of the herd enjoyed a swim in the mud wallow. Afterwards, Itinyi, Mbegu, Ngilai and Murit squirted soothing red soil all over their bodies. The herd headed out into the bush, with Ndotto bringing up the rear.
Early in the morning, ex-orphans Kenia, Mbirikani, Naipoki, Panda, Lentili, Kihari, Arruba and Mudanda strolled in, arriving at the stockade compound after not being seen for a few days. Today, Edie, Mweya and their babies were not with them. The visitors joined the dependent orphans for a breakfast of dairy cubes and lucerne, mingling with their friends for some time before heading back out into the bush.
As the orphans finished up every piece of lucerne, Ngilai and Murit were playing the pushing game, clashing heads as they trumpeted in excitement. When Ngilai tired of the contest and wandered off, Murit immediately challenged Lasayen to a wrestling match. Nearby, Ndotto was standing quietly by the terrace wall as Tagwa scratched himself on the large rock by the entrance. Eventually, the herd headed out to wander and browse around Msinga Hill.
In the afternoon, Emoli led the first group of orphans - Busara, Akina, Kilulu, Ashanti and Hildana – to the milk feeding area and then down to the mud wallow. After the herd wandered out in the early evening, a group of wild elephants, who had been patiently waiting, strolled in to drink from the wallow.
This morning, former orphan Kenia and her herd were the first visitors to arrive at the stockades followed soon after by Edie, Mweya and their calves. The ex-orphans were so hungry that they hogged the area around the range cubes, preventing the dependent orphans from eating. The Keepers intervened, spreading out the food so that everyone could eat in peace.
Leaving the ex-orphans in the lucerne feeding area, Mbegu, Tamiyoi and Tagwa led the herd out to browse in the bush. They were aware that the youngest babies had been a little overwhelmed by the visitors and so shepherded them off to browse in peace.
In the afternoon, the orphans made their way as usual at the baobab water hole. The first group was escorted in by Emoli. Kilulu, Akina, Seri, Dabida, Ashanti, Itinyi, Epiya and Hildana charged in towards the water hole, trumpeting loudly and kicking up clouds of red soil with tails and trunks aloft.
Startled by the charge, around 40 wild elephants hanging out at the wallow ran away but then wandered back after observing the orphans at a distance. A wonderful meeting of wild and dependent elephants ensued – with the wild ones greeting the orphans and the orphans responding. A couple of the babies went rather close to the wild cows – when Seri tried to suckle one of the largest females, she was pushed firmly away. The wild elephants drank their fill before heading back out, leaving the orphans to play with their friends in the wallow.