Choose your region

Mutara and her group joined the orphans early in the morning and escorted the juniors to the browsing field. Garzi had a brief strength testing exercise with Kanjoro while Maramoja settled to browse with Mutara as she seemed to like to spend time with this older female and learn from her. Shortly later, Maramoja walked away, seemingly content as she was swaying her head and trunk. As usual, Barsilinga, Garzi and Sirimon split from the rest of the herd and left to browse a short distance away. Kauro and Dupotto scratched against nearby trees while Mutara decided to have fun by rolling on the ground. Her game attracted Lemoyian, Karisa, Namalok, Kithaka and Pare who joined her in rolling on the ground. Tusuja teamed up with Kainuk in an effort to learn some new pushing tactics. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse and returned back to the safely of the stockade at five o'clock in the evening. At around six o'clock in the evening, some of Olare’s group showed up at the stockade after being away for a long time. Those who showed up were Melia, Tumaren, Kibo, Kandecha, Kitirua, Kalama, Chemi Chemi and Kilaguni who belong to Chaimu’s group. Narok’s group is suspected to be with Siangiki and Olsekki who still haven’t shown up.

The sky was crystal clear in the morning when the orphans were let out. Mutara, Suguta, Kainuk, Turkwel, Sities, Kanjoro and Kilaguni welcomed the juniors out and walked with them to the bush. Kanjoro as usual met with Garzi and they had a strength testing exercise that ended again in a draw. Kauro started his day's activities by performing a soil dusting exercise using his versatile trunk. Shortly later, his game attracted Suguta who joined him, and then forced him out from where he was performing the soil dusting exercise. Kauro wasn't pleased but he had no choice other than to respect his elders wish. The orphans settled to browse and Kilaguni and Kanjoro visited a nearby dam and had an early wallowing session while engaging in strength testing exercise. The orphans were visited briefly by Yatta’s herd including baby Yoyo, Mulika, Mwende, Kinna, baby Kama, Galana, baby Gawa, Ithumbah, Loijuk, Makena, Lenana, Narok, Yetu, Lualeni, Kilabasi, Makireti, Zurura, Wendi, baby Wiva and Rapsu. After mud bath, the orphans headed to the lower kalovoto area where they settled to browse for the rest of the day. Mutara’s group parted ways with juniors and left. In the evening, a few minutes to seven o'clock, Siangiki and Olsekki who had been missing for nine days, arrived in the company of Mutara’s group Orwa, Bomani, Vuria and Kilaguni. Though darkness was approaching, the wounds that were as a result of an attempted lion attack on Siangiki’s back and tail were now clearly visible. The two were bundled into the stockade to join their friends and application of green clay to the wounds was to commence the following day. Laragai’s group is almost complete; now we are just waiting for Boromoko to show up since he has joined the senior ex-orphans.

The orphans left the stockade early as usual. Enkikwe and Siangiki's wounds were cleaned and treated. Olsekki, who is a great friend of Siangiki, stood close by watching and waiting for her. Olsekki, Enkikwe and Siangiki came to Ithumba in May 2016 and have maintained their friendship ever since. In their group of three, Olsekki counts himself lucky he too has not been attacked by the lions and stays close to his friends at this hour of need. The orphans were joined by Mutara’s group, Rapsu and Kilaguni. Kauro settled to browse with Mutara while Olsekki settled to browse with his friend Siangiki. At mud bath time, the orphans were briefly joined by a lone wild bull while Mutara’s group travelled to pay a visit to Enkikwe who was feeding close to the stockade. Kainuk touched Enkikwe’s bad leg as she tried to comfort him. In the evening Barsilinga, Lemoyian, Sirimon, Garzi and Laragai dodged the keepers on the way back to the stockade and returned at 7pm after they felt that the day had come to an end and it was dangerous to hang out in the dark on their own

Mutara’s group in the company of Vuria and Kilaguni, who appear not to stick to one group in particular, reported at the stockade early in the morning. Sities, Mutara, Turkwel and Kainuk watched as Enkikwe and Siangiki received their morning treatment and after led them to the browsing field where Kilaguni played a pushing game with Suguta. Their game attracted Kanjoro and Garzi who started their own. Tusuja settled to browse with Lemoyian and they had a lengthy chat. Perhaps Tusuja was interrogating Lemoyian about what happens in life outside the stockade. Sapalan settled to browse with Naseku while Karisa browsed with Oltaiyoni. At mud bath time the herd was joined by Orwa, Kalama and Bomani bringing the ex-orphans to eleven that attended the mud bath. Shortly after mud bath time was over, Vuria had a disagreement with Kalama that was settled through pushing each other. Vuria lost the fight to Kalama and decided not to pursue the matter. Mutara took the entire herd to the western slopes of Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse throughout the remaining part of the day.

It has been over a week now since the lions were heard. The orphans strolled nonchalantly out from the stockade led by the street wise boy Karisa, the herd slowly but surely made their way to the browsing field. It was a quiet morning and the orphans had no news to share among themselves and so it was browsing all the time. Enkikwe, though still limping, is now able to keep up with his friends. Later in the day, the orphans were joined by Mutara, Kanjoro, Kainuk, Turkwel, Sities, Suguta and Kilaguni, Kibo, Chaimu, Tumaren, Melia and Chemi Chemi. On the way to the mud bath Enkikwe tried to compete in running for milk with Rapa and Pare but he didn't succeed getting to the milk point first because he was limping. Enkikwe just hoped that a time will come when he will be able to beat the juniors. After having their milk, Pare and Naseku had a disagreement that ended in a pushing game. Naseku, who is older, was determined to win under all circumstances since by being defeated by the junior Pare would look ridiculous and show him up! At mud bath time, the orphans participated fully in the wallowing exercise. Enkikwe decided not have a mud bath. Mutara, Sities, Kainuk and Turkwel went to Enkikwe and held a brief chat, we thought to express solidarity and love to him. Enkikwe seemed very happy they had taken the time to come and check on him and rumbled with delight. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse up to five o'clock in the evening when Dupotto led the first group back to the stockades.

The orphans came out of their stockades this morning and met with ex-orphans from Mutara's herd who were waiting for them. They were with Kilaguni and Chaimu as well. Kilaguni and Kanjoro started play-fighting while Kainuk rolled on the ground as she played happily, lying on the lucerne like it was a mattress. Siangiki and Enkikwe had their wounds washed and treated as usual. Then they walked as a group out to the bush to browse. They all stayed together for the whole day browsing in the bush. They played in a dam of water and had a drink there too. They all then walked together to the mud bath for milk. After milk they all went into the mud bath to swim. They had a fun time which we could tell from all the trumpeting that went on. After swimming they got out to go and dust themselves to seal in the mud layer. Later Rapsu and Kenze arrived accompanied by a wild bull who was quite aggressive. The three ex-orphan bulls walked to the mud hole and started playing in it. The wild bull play-fought with Rapsu and then with Kenze. This afternoon all the orphans were very active and happy to be in one big family. They browsed together the whole day and were taken back towards the mud bath when it became quite hot, so they could cool-down. They swam from one end to the other. Sities, Mutara, Kainuk, Turkwel, Kilaguni and Kanjoro were the most playful ones today. They got out and went to the dust bath and hyperactively rolled around trumpeting. The whole group later walked back home with Barsilinga, Lemoyian, Garzi and Sirimon among them, which was nice as we wanted them to stay close to the stockades. Mutara's group escorted them to the stockade and stayed around for a while after the orphans were all locked in.

It was a very busy morning today as we were visited by Mutara's herd with Kilaguni among them. He is always with Chaimu but today he appeared alone with Mutara's herd. He was very active and he started play-fighting with Kanjoro. Enkikwe and Siangiki were washed and treated as usual and follow their group to the bush. There were no games this morning as all the orphans were busy browsing separately. Maramoja was up on the top rocks browsing, enjoying the breeze up there. The orphans had their milk and walked straight to the mud wallow to swim. They played vigorously and swam from one end to the other. Back in the bush it was very hot and all of the orphans concentrated on browsing again. As it was so hot they later circled back to the mud bath for a second time to cool down again. They enjoyed it very much as it was very hot and clammy. They later walked back to the stockades in the with the four boys Barsilinga, Lemoyian, Garzi and Sirimon among them. They were locked in as well and Laragai was trying to open the gate to let them out as usual but she didn’t manage as it was locked with a padlock to Laragai-proof it! Mutara's group later arrived and they started playing outside the stockades.

Shortly before the 6am milk feed time, Kauro couldn't wait for his milk any longer. He picked up a piece of stick and put it in his mouth and pretended that he was now having his milk by suckling on the stick. The gentle boy was happy to see the keepers approaching him with the real thing. He dropped the stick and enjoyed taking his milk. After the morning milk, the orphans settled to feed on lucerne before heading to the browsing field. Karisa had brief strength testing exercise with Galla and then Karisa attempted to ride on Galla. This is the same Karisa who used to be quiet and shy. These days the street-wise boy has gained confidence and is more interactive with his herd. Out in the field Siangiki and Olsekki who are great friends settled to feed together. The two played the same game of competing who could kneel and use their mouths to uproot the grass. Out in the field, the juniors were joined by Mutara, Suguta, Kainuk, Turkwel, Sities, Kanjoro and Kilaguni. The ex-orphans browsed with the juniors until mud bath time when they escorted them for a cool-off exercise at mud bath. The herd had a prolonged mud-bath given that the sun was so hot. Kilaguni and Kanjoro stole the show by pairing up as the tailless team who were left wallowing even after the rest of the herd had quit and left. In the afternoon, Mutara’s group parted ways with the juniors and met them again in the evening on the way back to the stockade.