The month began, predictably, with baboon drama. It started when a baboon crossed over to Murera and Mwana’s breakfast corner. Mwana saw the baboon quickly snatch some of their pellets, which made her very, very angry. Ears spread wide, she attempted to chase him away, but the baboon was unfazed and taunted her, trying to scare her.
This was the baboon’s big mistake. Mwana stood firm and showed the baboon that she was not afraid. Seeing a threat to their original princess, all the nannies teamed up, trumpeted, and banished all the baboons from their sight. Mwashoti did a sweep of the area to make sure that Mwana was safe from the rogue monkeys, who were now chattering from the treetops.
In January, Kiombo joined Ziwa’s wild herd. During his safari, he continued to visit his Umani Keepers and the other orphans periodically. Murera seemed to hold a grudge against him during this time; she is always leery of wild herds and was not pleased that Kiombo brought so many visitors in their midst.
Perhaps swayed by the chilly reception from his matriarch, Kiombo decided to end his wild safari and instead join the nightclubbers. Mid-month, he ditched his adopted herd and linked back up with the Umani ex-orphans. Everyone seemed pleased about this decision: It brought Kiombo back into the mix and kept too many wild visitors away!
Murera may be suspicious of wild elephants, but the truth is, the rest of the Umani are suspicious of any other wild animals. One afternoon, a full slate of interlopers kept the herd busy. First, Mwashoti, Lima Lima, and Maktao formed a coordinated front to chase off several buffaloes. Then, on their way back to the herd, they came across some warthogs. Amali joined the chase, bringing little Lenny along. Lenny attempted to blow his trunk in warning and managed to produce a small, squeaky trumpet.
While Jasiri and Ziwa didn’t visit this month, we had a lovely reunion with Alamaya and Faraja. Mwashoti — the only older boy who reliably visits the Keepers and dependent herd nearly every day — was happy to have his peers back in the mix. He and Faraja hugged each other, interlocking tusks as they played around.
We thought that March would be the month Zongoloni gave birth, but she is holding us in suspense a while longer! However, she must be in the final stages of her pregnancy — she is very large and very moody. Interestingly, she has adopted Mwashoti as her sidekick. They have never been the closest of friends, but at this stage of her pregnancy, Zongoloni seems to appreciate his company. Perhaps she remembers how diligently Mwashoti looked after Murera when she was expecting Mwana.
One afternoon, gentle Maktao tried to walk close to Zongoloni, but she warned him to stay away. Mwashoti even threw some playful back-kicks to make sure Maktao maintained a respectful distance. He takes his role of bodyguard very seriously.
We always marvel at how considerate the orphans are towards one another. One morning, Quanza and Kiasa were browsing along the Chyulu Hills when they came across an acacia tree that wild elephants had pulled down the night prior. Kiasa rumbled loudly to alert the rest of the herd, who were browsing at the bottom of the hill. The message reached Lima Lima and Sonje, who led everyone to the tree. The bigger elephants pulled down higher branches to make sure the babies could enjoy the feast, too.
It seems that Sonje and Lima Lima are forming two groups of new mothers. Sonje has teamed up with Zongoloni, Kiasa, and her baby, Sulwe, while Lima Lima formed an alliance with her baby, Lenny, and Murera, Mwana, and Mwashoti. Poor Amali is feeling torn, unsure which team to join. Amali loves all the babies and dislikes the separation, as she does not want to choose between Sulwe and Lenny. Quanza and Enkesha go between the groups.
We often joke that the orphans are our weathervanes. One afternoon, the wind picked up and all the elephants put their trunks atop their heads, smelling the incoming storm. Sure enough, a squall blew through a few minutes later, sending the Keepers running beneath a tree to avoid the rain. Most of the orphans scattered to find their own shelter, but Lima Lima loyally remained by her human family. Baby Lenny, who was unbothered by the storm, happily suckled a Keeper’s finger while his mother kept watch over everyone.
Sulwe is a bold little girl — sometimes, too bold for her own good! She often roughhouses with Lenny, who is a baby just like her, and thought this made her qualified to take on a much bigger opponent: Kapei. Kapei relished the opportunity to teach Sulwe a lesson and pushed her to the ground. The baby rumbled in complaint, which sent Sonje and reinforcements rushing over. By the time they arrived, however, Kapei had already disappeared into the forest.
Murera is usually a kind and generous leader, but she is notorious for her temper. If someone steps out of place, it takes her a long time to forgive and forget. Such was the case one morning, when Sonje and Mwashoti greedily gobbled up a tasty branch before Murera could reach them. By the time she arrived, her friends had already eaten everything.
This put Murera in a very bad mood — and it was the babies who paid for it. She usually allows Lenny and Sulwe to breastfeed, but this morning, she denied both of them. None of the other leading females dared to approach Murera, as they fear her when she is in one of her moods. Only Mwana and Amali were allowed to be near Murera; the rest were banished until her anger subsided. Our matriarch reigns supreme!