As we are always reminded, rewilding is sometimes a winding journey — one that unfolds entirely at an orphan’s chosen pace. Some orphans go wild for a bit, then become nostalgic for home and return for a spell, before venturing back out again. Such was the case with Tamiyoi this month.
On a wonderful morning, the dependent orphans walked out of their nighttime stockades and down to the feeding area. They drank their milk in groups of four or five and spread out over the area. After being pushed around at the range cubes trough, Serenget and Sileita walked straight to the lucerne with Mushuru and Sholumai following almost immediately. Losoito picked up more pellets before moving on to browse on lucerne between Rokka and Busara while Juni remained at the trough with Baraka.
After filling their bellies, best friends Hildana and Kilulu played a sparring match on the lower terrace while Akina and Epiya hosed themselves with red dust.
The herd soon headed out and settled to browse on delicious acacia branches over Msinga Hill. Seri, Akina and Ushindi climbed up to the summit to pull down branches of acacia trees while Rokka browsed at the foot of the hill with adopted baby Serenget.
After visiting the mud bath, the orphans resumed browsing on their afternoon lucerne treat. Later in the evening, Itinyi rolled in the dust by a large boulder while Epiya, Hildana and Akina ambled over the open grass fields.
This morning, the orphans were pushing and shoving each other at the feeding trough even though there were plenty for all as they did not have to share with any ex-orphans. Serenget and Sileita were first to move on to the lucerne, avoiding the scramble at the trough. Kenderi also moved away and sat on his backside in the sunshine. Thamana, Hildana and Kilulu stood on the upper terrace while Busara and Baraka had an early morning dust bath.
Rokka and Serenget led the orphans out to the browsing fields. Rokka is looking after Serenget on most days and the two girls are developing a strong bond. The others followed in a long straggly line with Juni bringing up the rear. The herd spent the morning browsing over the hill.
In the afternoon, the orphans had their usual milk feed and padded on to the mud wallow. Ashanti and Kenderi played a mud sparring game while Thamana rubbed his backside against the wall of the wallow. After splashing in the mud, Kenderi massaged himself on the peacock tree and Akina lay down to cover her body with dry soil.
Ex-orphans Mbegu, Tagwa, Ngilai and Godoma joined the dependent herd at the wallow for a short time and then the two groups headed out in different directions. On his way back to the stockades later in the afternoon, Kenderi climbed onto a boulder and stretched high to pull down branches from a tree.
On an overcast morning, the orphans (except for Lumo) walked out of their stockades for the morning milk feed. Lemeki, Thamana, Rokka, Baraka and Dabida lined up at the feeding trough for range cubes. Losoito was pushing Serenget away from the trough – she did not want to share either pellets or attention with the new member of the herd. Sileita, Mushuru and Sholumai went straight to the pile of lucerne, avoiding the drama at the trough.
The orphans soon left the stockades and settled to browse on the slopes of Msinga Hill, climbing over the boulders in search of fresh foliage. Lemeki led the herd to the top of the hill and then down to the feeding area in the afternoon.
Rokka sprinted down in the first group followed by Busara, Sileita, Mushuru and Losoito – who was complaining about being last once again! They gulped their milk and the second group took their place.
The sun was shining and most of the herd cooled off in the mud. Some stood on the edge slapping water along their sides, some paddled along the edges, and some lay down in the middle. Afterwards, Kenderi, Seri and Akina drank from the water trough while the others hosed themselves with dry soil.
This morning, Itinyi and most of the herd lined up at the feeding trough for breakfast while Juni, Epiya and Baraka scooped up range cubes on the terraces, and Lemeki, Losoito, Thamana and Busara drank from the water trough.
Rokka led the herd out from the stockades and the orphans spread out to browse in small groups over the open savannah. Lemeki wandered from one group to the next while Juni, Busara and Baraka stayed together for most of the morning.
In the afternoon, the orphans returned to the stockades for their milk feed. Kenderi and Itinyi had a serious wrestling match while Seri and Kilulu drank from the the trough. When they padded into the wallow Serenget, Busara and Lemeki took their place at the trough. Rokka scratched herself on the terrace wall while keeping watch over Serenget, just in case anyone tried to bully her.
Later in the afternoon, the elephants browsed on shrubs at the foot of the hill before returning to the stockades for the night.
On a wonderful morning at the Voi stockades, the dependent orphans were feeding and playing at the trough full of range cubes and around the pile of lucerne. Lemeki and Rokka stood on either side of Serenget at the trough – both older girls kept trunk touching the younger one while she scooped up cubes. Mushuru and Sileita were digging down and splashing on the dust pile and Lumo was enjoying breakfast in his stockade.
Rokka and Losoito led the herd out for their daily browsing adventures. They spread over the open savannah, browsing towards the northern plains for the morning. In the afternoon, they returned to the stockades for their milk feed.
After emptying their bottles, Akina, Ashanti, Dabida and Sholumai stopped off at the water trough on their way to the mud wallow. The orphans cooled off in the muddy water and then rolled around in the dust. Kenderi and Hildana dug into the earth with their growing tusks while Mushuru rubbed her belly on the dust and Ashanti climbed up to the terraces, hoping to find extra range cubes.
On a bright sunny morning, the dependent orphans spent a short time in the feeding area before heading out to the bush. Juni, Baraka and Busara led the herd out from the stockades to Msinga Hill. They settled to browse in small groups. Seri was hanging out with temperamental Dabida, Itinyi was with Kenderi, and Lemeki was with adopted baby Losoito. Ashanti climbed all the way to the summit with Rokka and Sileita following in her wake.
Later in the morning Dr Limo came to check on Serenget who had a swelling on the underside of her belly. He treated her and then she joined the herd in the bush.
In the afternoon, the orphans had their usual milk feed, but at the stockades rather than the baobab mud wallow. Ushindi and Itinyi had a strength contest, Lemeki showed off her stretches to Rokka and Busara, Seri posed at the water trough, and Ashanti and Baraka stood close with trunks entwined.
The orphans wandered out for a final browsing session before returning to the stockades for the night.
This morning, Seri, Serenget, Itinyi, Busara, Ashanti, Baraka, Juni and Kilulu headed straight to the lucerne feeding area while Lemeki, Rokka, Losoito and the rest of the herd lined up at the feeding trough for range cubes. As the others continued browsing, Busara and Kenderi played the pushing game.
Led by Rokka, the herd soon headed out to the browsing fields on the northern side of Msinga Hill. Mid-morning, we came across a pride of lions on the route we were taking to the baobab water hole. Avoiding any risk of a confrontation, we shepherded the elephants back towards the stockades.
After gulping down their bottles, Lemeki was trunk hugging Serenget, Kilulu laid his trunk over Dabida at the water trough, and Busara draped her trunk over Kenderi at the feeding trough. While Baraka showed off her poses, Busara and Kenderi challenged each other to a sparring match.
The orphans returned to the bush to browse some more on the lower slopes of the hill overlooking the river circuit.
Early in the morning, ex-orphan Tamiyoi arrived alone and rumbled to alert the herd of her arrival. Tamiyoi has been away for almost a month. She was last seen with Rorogoi and Naipoki a few weeks ago. Our dependent orphans welcomed their big sister with rumbles and trunk touches and Tamiyoi was surrounded by Seri, Busara, Akina and Hildana.
The herd soon ambled out to the bush for their daily browsing adventures. Tamiyoi came along with them and spent the morning browsing with the orphans over the grasslands.
In the afternoon, the elephants – and Tamiyoi – visited the baobab mud wallow for another milk feed. After cooling off in the mud, Itinyi, Baraka, Sileita, Lemeki and Serenget massaged their bottoms on the baobab tree. Meanwhile, Dabida was still squatting in the wallow while Ashanti lay on her side on the edge, Akina slapped water along her back, and Sholumai dug into the earth with her tusks.
The orphans spent the early evening browsing on the slopes of the hill.
In the morning, Thamana, Ushindi, Ashanti, Kilulu, Epiya and Lemeki lined up belly to belly at the range cubes feeding trough. Seri was scratching her backside against the rock next to the gate as the other orphans gathered around the pile of lucerne.
Today, Lumo finally accepted a bottle! The newbie has been drinking milk from a bucket in his stockade but, after several more tries in the morning, he allowed a Keeper to pour milk into his mouth. This brings him a step closer to joining the herd out in the field.
Rokka led the orphans out to the browsing fields and Lemeki wandered along behind the others with Serenget and Losoito. After browsing for a time, Kilulu and Itinyi played yet another sparring up game until a left-out Kenderi interrupted the game. He pushed away Itinyi and took his place opposite Kilulu.
After the afternoon milk feed, the orphans spent a short time around the mud wallow. Rather than play in the mud, they headed back out to browse in the woods close to the northern plains.
In the morning, Rokka and Lemeki stood on either side of Serenget while she scooped up range cubes. The protective big sisters were also making sure that no one bothered Ashanti, who was kneeling at the trough to push the cubes straight into her mouth.
Sileita was standing in the walkway to the bush waiting for the rest of the herd. She began ambling towards the hill with the others following along in a long line. The herd settled to browse over the slopes of the hill, walking peacefully towards the baobab wallow.
After the milk feed in the afternoon, Rokka led the orphans down to the wallow and many climbed into the muddy water. Ushindi and Losoito tumbled together while Mushuru climbed on and off a submerged Kilulu and Dabida paddled on the edge, digging with her tiny tusks. Then Kilulu and Losoito began a water wrestling game while Dabida and Itinyi played the pushing game outside the wallow. Busara scratched herself against the peacock tree and Sileita, who does not like crowds, rolled on the pile of dry soil and Seri squatted on her backside with trunk twirling.
The remainder of the day was peaceful – the herd browsed over the summit of the hill and ambled back to the stockades.
After breakfast, the orphans left the stockades for the browsing fields. Arriving at the stockades soon after dawn, ex-orphan Tamiyoi spent most of the day with our dependent herd. She was hanging out with little sisters Baraka and Sileita in the morning. The three elephants browsed side by side on acacia branches on Msinga Hill. Ashanti interrupted her browsing to greet the Keepers and then went back to twisting up clumps of grasses.
In the afternoon, Rokka and Serenget led the others down to the milk feeding area and on to the wallow. Lemeki, Serenget, Thamana, Rokka and Tamiyoi splashed around in the muddy water while Kenderi scratched himself on the famous rock, and Epiya and Baraka showboated on the mound of dry soil. Akina, Itinyi, Losoito and Dabida joined the dust bathing party but, when Itinyi made the mistake of play mounting Losoito, he was pushed away.
Sholumai, Mushuru and Sileita massaged their backsides against a tree trunk and then wandered back out to browse. When the rest of the herd walked off to resume browsing, Losoito was left behind. Trumpeting, she sprinted to catch up with her friends.
In the morning, Ashanti sprinted out of her shared stockade and down the path to the milk feeding area. Losoito, Busara and Mushuru ran along in her wake. The elephants drank their milk and lay down on the pile of earth for an early morning dust bath. In contrast, Rokka and Sileita walked out to browse on green delicious shrubs as soon as they had finished their milk.
When the rest of the herd joined Rokka and Sileita, the two girls led them on a long browsing walk around Msinga Hill. Juni was looking after Epiya and Ashanti while Lemeki stuck close to Losoito. After filling their bellies, Hildana and Thamana played the pushing game.
In the afternoon, Rokka, Busara, Losoito, Serenget and Mushuru ran down to the feeding area in the first group. The rest of the herd followed in groups of three or four and all padded on to the wallow where they were joined by ex-orphan Tamiyoi. Losoito, Epiya and Akina drank from the water trough, Kilulu and Tamiyoi stood close with trunks entwined, Dabida, Ashanti and Itinyi tumbled around on the dry soil, Losoito wallowed in the thick mud, Rokka scratched her bottoms on the wall, Baraka and Dabida pushed each other around in the mini mud wallow, and Lemeki trunk hugged Serenget.
After mud and dust bathing, the orphans walked off to resume browsing on their way back to the stockades for the night.
On a cool and cloudy morning, the orphans padded out of their stockades and down the path to the feeding area. Ashanti knelt at the trough to push pellets into her mouth while Epiya, Losoito, Akina and Rokka sucked up trunkfuls of cubes on the lower terrace.
Sileita led her mini herd of Mushuru and Sholumai out from the stockades first. Not long after, Lemeki led the rest of the herd out to Msinga Hill. The elephants spread out to browse on shrubs and acacia trees while remaining quite close to the stockades.
In the afternoon, Rokka led the herd back to the stockades for the milk feed. Lemeki stayed on the hill, browsing with ex-orphan Tamiyoi, while the others ambled back in a long line. After drinking their milk and covering themselves with dust, the orphans returned to the hill to browse some more.
In the early evening, the dependent elephants, including Lemeki, came down the hill and wandered into their shared stockades for the night.
After breakfast, the elephants headed out from the stockades as usual. They settled to browse over the grasslands on the northern circuit, ambling towards the baobab water hole. Serenget was browsing with Rokka and Lemeki. The two older girls sandwiched the younger girl, protecting her from Busara, Losoito and Baraka who have been ousted from their positions of the babies of the herd.
In the afternoon, the orphans ran down in groups to the feeding area led by Rokka. The Keepers stood holding bottles for each group of elephants who ran in, drank their milk and continued on to the wallow. Serenget took her time. She positioned her trunk in the air, a Keeper poured milk into the tip, filling it to the brim, and she poured the milk into her mouth. It’s a slow process but it works. After drinking both bottles, she walked calmly on to join the other orphans.
Dabida stood on the edge of the wallow making splashes with her trunk, Seri scratched her bottoms against the water trough, Busara and Mushuru stood close with trunks entwined, and Hildana, Thamana and Kilulu rolled around together in the mini mud hole.
On another wonderful morning, the elephants drank their milk in groups (except for Lemeki who is no longer milk dependent) and settled to browse on pellets. They split up into two groups. Mini matriarch Lemeki was at the feeding trough with Ashanti, Serenget, Losoito, Busara, Baraka, Dabida and Thamana. Deputy mini matriarch Juni was on the terraces with Seri, Akina, Epiya, Itinyi and Mushuru.
The orphans headed out from the stockades and settled to browse on delicious soft greens and sprouting shrubs following the recent rains. Along the way, Kenderi and Busara played the pushing game and then Busara challenged Mushuru to another sparring contest while Kenderi walked over to browse next to Serenget, Lemeki and Thamana.
In the afternoon, the orphans gathered at the baobab tree mud wallow. Rokka lay on the ground with trunk twirling, Losoito scratched her belly on a rock in the wallow, Busara squatted on her backside in the water, and Kilulu posed with Lemeki on the edge of the wallow. The orphans were cooling off - and also showing off.
Tamiyoi visited again on her own this morning. She arrived in the early morning and spent the whole day with our herd. After breakfast of lucerne and range cubes, the dependent orphans spent the morning browsing over Msinga Hill. While Juni and Sholumai sheltered in the shade of acacia trees at the bottom, Epiya wandered over the summit, and Thamana and Hildana played in an erosion trench.
In the afternoon, many elephants cooled off in the mud wallow. Water baby Itinyi was amazing. He squatted on the raised area in the wallow and then dived into the muddy water, splashing water everywhere and submerging his body. Lemeki wallowed next to him with Losoito lying on her stomach while Juni and Ashanti stood on the edge splashing.
After wallowing in the mud, some orphans rolled in the dust and others drank from the trough. As her friends sucked up trunkfuls of water or rubbed their sides against the walls, cheeky Baraka squatted on her bottoms in the trough.
Later in the afternoon, the herd ambled out in a long line. They walked around the hill and back to the safety of the stockades for the night. We allowed Tamiyoi back into her old stockade as we could see that she did not want to head out on her own.
Tamiyoi walked out of her old stockade in the morning and down the path with her old friends. Everyone was happy to have her back – with the possible exception of Lemeki. Since Tagwa and Tamiyoi and Mbegu left, Lemeki has stepped into the role of mini matriarch. Tamiyoi’s return changes the dynamics as she is an older female and thus the role should be hers.
The herd lined up at the feeding trough with Tamiyoi at one end and Lemeki at the other. While Lemeki did her best to hide from Tamiyoi, Baraka and Busara stood close to the older girl, enjoying her attention and protection.
The elephants later left for the field at the beginning of a busy browsing day. Serenget was enjoying lots of attention from both Rokka and Lemeki. First one girl looked after her and then the other. Rokka browsed with her in the morning and then Lemeki wallowed with her in the afternoon. The little girl was not left alone for the whole day.
Tamiyoi stayed with the herd for the day and returned to the stockades with them in the evening. She strolled into the largest stockade as if she had never been away!
The orphaned elephants, including Tamiyoi, came out of their stockades in happy moods, gulping down their morning milk bottles and lining up at the range cubes feeding trough. Losoito was not being nice to Serenget. She was pushing the younger girl away from the trough and from Lemeki. Naughty Losoito is jealous of Serenget and does not like sharing big sister Lemeki. We intervened to tell off Losoito and protect Serenget from more shoving.
The herd headed out from the stockades and settled to browse around Msinga Hill. While the boys played pushing and wrestling games, the girls continued to shower attention on Serenget, the youngest orphan in the herd. Rokka and Busara spent a long time browsing with her. Busara was happy to share Serenget with big sister Rokka and so was more relaxed than feisty Losoito.
At the water hole in the afternoon, Serenget was playing it safe. She chose to play with new friend Busara in the mud and did not risk getting close to Lemeki and Rokka and upsetting Losoito again. Only when Lemeki and Losoito moved away did Serenget walk over to be with Rokka.
The orphans stopped off for their afternoon lucerne treat on the way back to the stockades from the baobab mud wallow. Arriving at the stockades, they ambled up the path and into their shared enclosure to enjoy piles of pellets.
The morning was peaceful with the dependent elephants gulping their milk in seconds and moving on to the feeding trough. Epiya and Losoito did their best to disrupt the peace by hanging back in the hope of pinching Serenget’s milk. Her special way of drinking by pouring milk from her trunk to her mouth means that it takes her longer to finish two bottles. We kept guard over Serenget and pushed the two greedy elephants on to the trough.
After feeding on range cubes, the orphans left the stockades for the field. Lemeki has a soft spot for Serenget. Today it was Busara who was jealous of the mini matriarch’s attention to the newbie. Busara tried to push Serenget’s bottoms but Lemeki nudged her away with her head. Feeling left out, Rokka walked over to browse close to Lemeki and Serenget.
The elephants visited the baobab tree water hole after the morning browsing session and had a lot of fun mud bathing. Thamana and Juni rolled around together in the mud, climbing on and off each other.
Kilulu was first to massage his sides and backside against the big baobab tree. When he walked away, Hildana took his place and then Dabida and then Seri and finally Ushindi. Once the herd was ready, we whistled and the elephants walked out for another browsing session.
After breakfast, Tamiyoi led the dependent elephants out to the field and they settled to browse over the western side of Msinga Hill. Baraka found a patch of dry ground and lay down on the soft sand relaxing. Browsing next to her, Akina was worried that something was wrong with her friend and so she pushed Baraka with her fore foot trying to wake her up. On realising that Baraka was only playing, Akina lay down next to her and joined the game. Meanwhile, Lemeki carried on trunk hugging little sister Losoito, pretending she was also playing.
Following a peaceful morning browsing session, the orphaned elephants returned to the stockades for the afternoon milk feed. Itinyi took advantage of the short size of Losoito to climb onto her back and remain there. Clever Kenderi then rushed over to rescue Losoito. He pushed Itinyi away and challenged him to a sparring match. The two bulls pushed backwards and forwards before catching up with their friends who were leaving for the field.
On another wonderful morning, the orphaned elephants were playing a hide-and-seek game with baboons who were trying to steal their range cubes. They chased them away, the baboons hid and sneaked back, and the elephants chased them again. Serenget was waving her trunk and shaking her head at the baboons as the Keepers intervened to drive them away. The games continued all the way out to the field.
Eventually, the baboons disappeared and the orphans settled to browse on the slopes of Msinga Hill. Tamiyoi stayed close to Juni, Busara and Baraka while Sileita browsed with Mushuru, Sholumai, Serenget and Rokka. Thamana, Hildana and Kilulu walked away from the others to explore the bush but returned in time for the next milk feed.
After the afternoon milk feed, the orphaned elephants drank from the baobab tree water trough and went for mud bathing in the mini-water holes which were warmer than the main wallow. Itinyi and Kenderi squatted on the walls, somehow having a wrestling match and a wallow at the same time. Thamana and Hildana lay down together in another patch of muddy water while Epiya and Akina massaged themselves against the baobab.
This morning, Serenget remained in her stockade so that an infected wound on her belly could be treated by the vet. We opened the gates of the other stockades and the rest of the herd padded down the path for breakfast. Lemeki and Rokka soon noticed that their darling Serenget was missing and headed back up the path to find her. They stood outside her gate rumbling in protest until it was time to leave for the field.
At last, we persuaded them to leave Serenget and the herd walked out on their daily browsing adventures. The elephants spread out to browse over the hill – although our two mamas kept trying to sneak back to the stockades to see their baby. Occasionally, Rokka burst out trumpeting before going back to browsing. Meanwhile, the vet arrived at the stockades and treated Serenget’s wound but said she should remain in her stable for the day.
After browsing for the morning, the orphans visited the mud wallow in the afternoon where they drank from the trough, wallowed in the mud and covered their bodies in dry soil. Afterwards, they headed back out to browse on their way back to the stockades. Rokka was very happy to be united with Serenget in the evening.
Serenget stayed at the stockades again this morning but Rokka accepted the situation and was more relaxed today. She probably understood that the younger girl’s wound had been treated and so there was a reason for her absence. While Serenget browsed in her stable, the herd, led by Tamiyoi, ambled out to browse in the bush.
The elephants wandered all over the hill. They browsed for a time and played in the dust or erosion trenches and browsed some more. When Hildana found Baraka lying on a mound of dry soil, the bull stepped on her head whereupon she climbed to her feet and shoved him away. Rokka also found a patch of ground that was perfect for relaxing while Lemeki stood guard over her. A jealous Busara tried to push Rokka away but Lemeki would not let her.
Later in the day, Rokka and Lemeki and friends came back to the stockades to pick up Serenget and take her out to join the herd. Serenget was happy to be with the herd again. Thoughtful Lemeki made sure that the browsing pace was slow as she knew that Serengeti was recuperating.
Soon after dawn, ex-orphans Mbegu, Godoma, Tagwa and Ngilai wandered into the stockades after not visiting for several weeks. Baraka and Busara were happy to see them but Tamiyoi seemed not to have missed them as much. The two groups shared range cubes and lucerne and then headed out in different directions. Tamiyoi went with Mbegu’s herd.
The dependent orphans browsed in single file towards Msinga Hill and over the grasslands beyond. Serenget was with the others for the morning but returned to the stockades to rest in the afternoon.
The rest of the herd visited the baobab tree mud wallow as usual. Ushindi and Losoito were playing together in the muddy water. They climbed on and off each other and then stout Losoito rested her front legs on Ushindi’s back.
In the evening, Tamiyoi sneaked away from Mbegu’s herd and came to the stockades alone. She rested outside under the tree at the entrance. Possibly she was waiting for the other ex-orphans but they did not arrive.
On another sunny morning, the dependent orphans gathered in the feeding area for the morning milk feed. Rokka, Losoito, Busara and Mushuru were the first orphans to get their bottles and move on to the range cubes. Ex-orphans Mbegu, Godoma, Ngilai and Tagwa did not turn up but Tamiyoi joined our herd for breakfast.
After browsing for more than two hours, Seri lay down in a sand trench and rubbed her head on the ground. Kilulu joined in playfully and rested his leg on a tree log. On turning around, thinking Seri was close to him, he hit the tree with his trunk instead of Seri. He walked away to browse and she carried on playing.
In the afternoon, the orphans were in playful moods. Itinyi took advantage of a lying-down Kilulu to climb onto his back. Juni then took Busara out of the water, guarding her as she scratched her backside against a tree. Tamiyoi was embracing Baraka and Ashanti, while Lemeki and Losoito rolled around together on a patch of dry soil.
The herd ambled back out to browse on their way back to the stockades for the night. Tamiyoi spent the night with her old family again.
Ex-orphans Mbegu, Tagwa, Godoma and Ngilai did not visit this morning but Tamiyoi, who spent the night in her old stockade, joined the orphans for breakfast. The elephants emptied their bottles and lined up at the range cubes feeding trough. When Baraka tried to bully little Serenget by pushing her away from the trough, the Keepers intervened so she could feed in peace.
Sileita and Sholumai led the herd out from the stockades on their daily browsing adventures. In the field, Lemeki stayed close to little sister Losoito while Busara and Rokka browsed on either side of Serenget and Baraka followed behind Tamiyoi for the morning.
In the afternoon, Kilulu and Seri drank their bottles and then stood side by side next to the milk truck with mouths open and trunks lifted, asking for extra bottles. We pushed them on down to the mud wallow.
Most of the herd plunged into the wallow. Dabida did her best to sit on Epiya’s back while she lay in the mud but could not get a grip. She kept sliding off the slippery back of her friend.
On another wonderful morning, the orphans spread out at the trough and over the terraces to scoop up pellets in the sunshine. Epiya tried to clamber down the terrace wall but gave up after several attempts and walked down the normal way. Lemeki and others stayed on the upper terrace while Tamiyoi, Juni, Hildana, Ashanti and Kilulu stood belly to belly at the trough.
The orphaned elephants then left the stockades at the beginning of a busy browsing day. As the others continued browsing, Thamana and Kilulu moved away from their friends for a sparring match. The growing bulls pushed one way and the other, clinking their little tusks together. They are well matched and neither was victorious. The contest came to an abrupt end when the snorting of zebras gave them a big fright and both ran for the Keepers. Realising that it was only zebras, brave Thamana then turned back to chase them away!
After the morning feed, the dependent orphans played in the compound in front of the stockades. Ushindi rubbed her itching bottoms on one of the terraces. Itinyi walked over to watch and stood stroking Ushindi’s back with his trunk. Suspecting that Itinyi might try to play mount her, Ushindi soon moved away. Serenget was squatting on the boulders outside the big stockade massaging her bottoms.
The herd then headed out on their daily bush walk, going over the rocky Msinga Hill to the open grass plains beyond. They browsed in small groups and then took shelter under the shade of a large acacia tree.
In the afternoon, the orphans walked down to the milk feeding area and on to the mud wallow. Rokka, Ushindi and Serenget drank from the water trough and cooled off in a mini mud wallow while most of the others opted for the main wallow. Serenget has settled in so well to the herd and is loved by almost all the older females.
Later in the afternoon, the orphaned elephants browsed to the summit of the hill before returning to the safety of the stockades for the night.
It was a peaceful beginning to the day. The orphaned elephants ran out of their stockades, drank their milk and settled at the range cubes feeding trough.
Lemeki and Tamiyoi led the herd out to the browsing grounds. They took the herd up the eastern side of Msinga Hill which was covered in lush green grass and creepers. Ushindi was showing interest in adopting Serenget but was respectful of Rokka when she walked over. She knows that Rokka as the older female should be respected.
In the afternoon at the mud bath, Losoito was enjoying a solitary wallow until Itinyi joined him and rested his bulk against her. Losoito did not seem to mind and so the two friends wallowed together. Kilulu and Kenderi engaged in a tough contest of strength under the baobab tree. They pushed backwards and forwards while competing for dominance.
The orphans soon headed back out to browse - with Kilulu and Kenderi running to catch up with the herd.
The elephants sprinted out of their stockades, gulped down their milk and settled for supplement feeding. After filling their bellies, several rolled around playing dust bathing games while others drank from the troughs or massaged themselves against the famous rock. Lumo is still confined to his stockade – but he is doing well and taking milk from a bottle.
Sileita and Mushuru led the elephants out to the browsing grounds on the slopes of Msinga Hill. The orphans spread out and settled to browse in groups. This morning, Lemeki, Rokka and also Ushindi stayed close to Serenget while Sileita, Mushuru and Sholumai browsed together and Juni looked after Busara and Baraka.
The orphans ran down the hill for their afternoon milk feed. Stocky Losoito started in front but was then overtaken. Predicably, she began trumpeting to the others, daring anyone to take her bottles even if they did get there before her. As always, she calmed down once she had drunk her milk and padded on to the wallow.
The dependent orphans walked out of their stockades as usual soon after dawn and settled to browse at the feeding trough and around the pile of lucerne. Mbegu’s herd of ex-orphans, including Ngilai, Tagwa, and Godoma, soon arrived to join our orphans. Having spent the night at the stockades, Tamiyoi moved to the middle of the dependent herd, seemingly in a bid to hide herself from Mbegu’s herd. We encouraged her to join the ex-orphans, but she sneaked away from them later in the day and returned to the stockades alone in the evening.
The two herds set out together but headed off in different directions. Our herd browsed over the hill and around the water hole on the hill before wandering towards the baobab tree mud wallow in the afternoon.
It was another hot day and many elephants cooled off and played in the muddy water. When Itinyi was lying in the water playing, daring Losoito engaged him in a sparring match. The two elephants pushed and splashed and then Losoito climbed out for a dust bath.