01 May 2000

Emily's group left as usual heading towards the fenced perimeter when they were scared by something, and showed nervousness for almost an hour. At the mudwallow Emily and Imenti played for about 30 minutes, after which they went to shade, but Emily and Aitong continued feeding. In the afternoon Emily and Imenti played and upon arrival at the stockades in the evening, they all met up with Malaika with a very jovial reunion.

02 May 2000

Emily's group left as usual, but were frightened by 4 waterbucks en route which caused them to run away. Meanwhile Imenti left Emily's group at the Spring Gate and went with a Keeper to try and find Malaika, but there was no sign of her, and he met up with 4 buffaloes instead near Daniel's house. He yelled at them to chase them off and rejoined Emily's group at the mudbath.

03 May 2000

Emily's group was frightened by 2 waterbucks on their way out this morning. Aitong got very excited, charging about and kicking the bushes, whilst Emily and Mweiga had their ears out. At mudbath Loisaba and Mweiga played together when Malaika appeared to join the group. She spent the rest of the day with them and they all returned to the Stockades together.

04 May 2000

Emily, Aitong and Loisaba were rolling side by side in the mudbath today which lasted for one full hour. Meanwhile Imenti had left with Malaika and Edo with whom he spent the day below the Research Centre. When they wallowed Imenti played with Edo for 10 minutes before leaving to feed. They returned to the Stockades just after 6 p.m.

05 May 2000

Emily's group were again frightened by 2 waterbucks on their way out, and Emily and Aitong charged them, kicking the bushes. Imenti spent the day with a Keeper and went to the wallow alone. Malaika returned to the stockades at noon.

06 May 2000

Today Emily played with a tyre in the mudwallow, but Mweiga, Loisaba and Aitong enjoyed the wallow. Meanwhile Imenti spent the day with Malaika and they came across a group of wild elephants with whom they spent 20 minutes. Imenti received a very warm welcome from Emily when he arrived back at the Stockades in the evening.

07 May 2000

Today Emily's group was frightened by a dikdik and as usual Aitong started charging and kicking the bushes! Imenti was with Malaika and returned to the Stockades at 5.30 a.m.

08 May 2000

Today it was the baboons that frightened Emily's group and which Aitong dealt with in the usual manner. Imenti spent the day with Malaika and Edo.

09 May 2000

The normal routine for Emily's group. Imenti received a very warm welcome when he returned in the evening.

10 May 2000

Once again Emily's group met up with the waterbucks which resulted in a charge and trumpeting from both Emily and Aitong. Imenti spent the day up the hill with Edo and again received a very warm welcome from Emily when he came back to the Stockades in the evening. Malaika turned up at 8 p.m.

11 May 2000

Aitong found nothing to charge today, so began kicking the bushes. Today they were joined by Imenti.

12 May 2000

Imenti spent the day with Malaika. Edo joined them later, but there was no trace of Lewa.

13 May 2000

Again waterbucks provided the motive for charging and kicking bushes. Imenti spent the day with Malaika and took water at the campsite reporting back at 5.45 p.m.

14 May 2000

Loisaba and Mweiga had a marvellous time in the mudwallow today at 11.30 a.m. and wallowed again at 2 p.m. when Aitong refused to go in. Again Imenti spent the day with Malaika.

15 May 2000

Today the 8 young elephants from the Nairobi Nursery arrived at noon, namely Natumi, Ilingwezi, Edie, Salama, Laikipia, Icholta, Lolokwe and Nyiro. The little ones were very frightened when Emily's group joined them soon after they were unloaded. Aitong was very excited and uncontrollable, moving around the new elephants, moving backwards, throwing kicks with her hind legs. The bigger elephants trumpeted and the new arrivals screamed, so the young ones were separated from the larger orphans, leaving only Emily with them. She was very calm, but Aitong continued to be restless, so Emily was separated from the new babies, having spent some time with them, and led her group off to feed as usual. Meanwhile Imenti spent the day with Malaika at Lion Hill.

16 May 2000

Emily's group left as usual with Imenti in tow and Malaika accompanied the new babies up the hill. The response of Malaika to them was very friendly. The babies took milk at 10 a.m., wallowed at noon, took milk again at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. That night Dika and Ndume arrived at the Stockade. Dika had a wire snare around the back leg and an abscess on his head. The snare was removed and the abscess syringed out. Ndume spent the night mounting on Malaika.

17 May 2000

Emily's group left as usual. At the mudbath Loisaba was the most active. The young ones spent the day up the hill, whilst Ndume continued mounting Malaika. Imenti was escorted by a Keeper to go and join Lisa and her baby who had arrived at the Stockade at 9 a.m.

18 May 2000

Emily's group were joined by Natumi's group (the little ones) at 7.30 a. m. Aitong was very excited, walking backwards towards them and touching them with her hind legs whilst trumpeting. They were all excited and spent the day together, wallowing together and reporting back to the Stockades at 6 p.m. Meanwhile Ndume and Malaika spent the day at the Stockades together, Ndume still mounting her.

19 May 2000

Emily's group with Edo, Ndume and Lewa left together heading towards the E. side of the hill. Imenti, Lewa and Ndume left the group but joined them again at the mudwallow. Malaika left with Natumi's group to the fenced area and spent the morning with them, giving them motherly attention. She wallowed with them, and in the afternoon remained close to them.

20 May 2000

Emily's group, with Imenti, Ndume, Dika and Edo left for the E. side of the hill, but Dika and Ndume separated from the others, leaving Edo and Imenti with Emily's group at the mudwallow. They played together. After the wallow they all headed East where they met up with 3 wild elephants with whom they spent 20 minutes. They returned to the Stockades at 6 p.m. where they met Dika and Ndume. Malaika spent the day with the babies, and joined them in the Stockade for the night in order to get peace from the Big Boys.

21 May 2000

Edo and Ndume and Imenti left with Emily's group and wallowed with them, whilst Malaika accompanied the babies.

22 May 2000

Emily's group left with Malaika and Imenti but at 8.30 a.m. Malaika, Edo and Imenti headed East, but joined the group again at mudbath where they were joined by 3 wild bulls with whom they spent half an hour. Natumi's group spent the day inside the fenced area.

23 May 2000

Emily's group left with Imenti, Malaika, Ndume and Edo. Emily and Imenti spent time playing, together. The babies spent the day inside the fenced area where they took their milk, wallowed and rested in the shade with their Keepers.

24 May 2000

Emily's group with Malaika, Ndume and Edo headed to the East side of the hill. Mweiga and Loisaba played in the wallow, and Emily played with Imenti after the wallow, when they headed towards the back of the hill. There they met up with 5 wild elephants with whom they spent 45 minutes. The babies spent the day as usual within the fence and were very playful with each other.

25 May 2000

Ndume and Malaika left together on their own. Imenti played with Emily at 10.30 a.m. and today Mweiga and Loisaba seemed to be very friendly all day. Natumi's group spent the day playing and leaning on their Keepers. Edo returned alone to the Stockades at 3 p.m.

26 May 2000

Emily's group left with Edo to graze on the E. side of the hill where they met up with 2 bulls at 10 a.m. with whom they spent time before heading for the mudbath. Meanwhile at 2 p.m. Dika returned to the Stockade with Lewa and just stayed around. Natumi's group spent the day as usual, but were frightened and ran to their Keepers for protection when they met a waterbuck near the mudwallow. At 7 p.m. Malaika and Ndume came to the Stockades.

27 May 2000

Emily's group headed for the E. side of the hill where Mweiga had a marvellous game chasing a butterfly with her ears out. Lewa was very playful with Dika near the Stockades. The babies followed the usual routine.

28 May 2000

Emily's group grazed on the E. side of the Hill whilst Dika, Lewa, Malaika and Imenti headed southwards at 9 a.m., wallowed and 10 p.m. and then headed South again. Emily's group wallowed at 11.30 p.m. and then also headed South. Malaika's group reported back at 6.30 p.m. and Natumi's group spent the day as usual.

29 May 2000

Malaika, Edo and Lewa left before the others heading in a westerly direction. Emily took her group along with Imenti in an easterly direction and wallowed at 11.30 a.m. When they returned to the Stockades at 6 p.m. they met up with Dika and Ndume who had returned in the afternoon and spent the day close by. Natumi's group spent the day as usual, playing amongst each other and leaning on their Keepers.

30 May 2000

Emily's group headed Eastwards, passing a herd of wild elephants, but not interacting with them. Malaika, Lewa and Edo returned to the Stockades at 6.30 p. m.

31 May 2000

Emily's group left with Edo and Malaika. Imenti played with Edo at 11 a.m. and they all wallowed at 11.30 a.m. Afterwards they met up with a wild group and Aitong was pushed away by a mother when she tried to approach its young calf. Dika and Ndume spent most of the day feeding at the bottom of the hill.