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Tiny Musiara has a unique character that isn’t shared with any of the other orphans in the Nursery at the moment. He is an orphan that never seems to be very greedy for his milk, unlike many of the others who do not like to waste a second getting to the milk, and then never like to waste a drop while they are drinking! When it comes time for their milk, he acts as if he has no idea what time it is or how delicious the formula is. Sometimes when he is released by the keepers in the forest to run down for his milk feed, he just turns back to his keepers as if wondering what to do next! When he arrives at the feeding area he just saunters in, patiently waiting for a keeper to approach him with a bottle. This is very different behaviour to so many of the other orphans in the Nursery, especially those like Esampu who come running in so fast for their bottles shouting and yelling.

We have decided that ‘naughtiness’ is almost like an untreated disease amongst the orphans, in that if it is not addressed it can certainly get worse! Esampu’s degree of arrogance and mischievous behavior is certainly maturing with time. This was also witnessed this morning when the orphans were walking out to the forest for the day. As soon as her gate was opened, the cheeky girl rushed over to Maxwell’s gate where Sagala, Tamiyoi and Malima where enjoying some left over Lucerne pellets. Without warning Esampu pushed Malima hard into the gate to clear the way for her to have some of the pellets too. She then bit Tamiyoi’s tail which made her cry out. The trio ran off to avoid the naughty girl, leaving Esampu to enjoy the Lucerne pellets all to herself. We are wondering if perhaps she would benefit from the discipline of the older orphans in Tsavo than some of the others currently planned for the move! As the rest of the orphans made their way out to the forest, Luggard followed slowly behind them with him keeper. The poor limping boy made several stops before catching up with his friends who were dusting themselves in a clearing in the forest.

Mteto and Esampu are naughty girls and such bullies at times. It doesn’t even matter if it is one of the small babies involved, Mteto will have her way no matter what. Esampu is a bit different in that is will depend on her mood whether or not she is concerned with the younger ones. Sometimes she can be very caring of them, but sometimes her naughty character gets in the way. Today a fight ensued between the two just because they were fighting over the spilt milk on the ground. Esampu had got there first and was sucking up the milk from the ground using her trunk, but then Mteto saw her doing it and started pushing everyone out of the way so she could reach Esampu and do the same. She tried to shove Esampu out of the way, but she pushed her back. It ended up in a fight with Mteto almost overpowering Esampu who nearly fell into the keepers trying to break up the fight. Jotto on the other hand can be so sweet to his peers. When he was browsing little Luggard was following behind, because he wanted to share the vegetation Jotto was eating. Jotto was tearing grass and putting it in his mouth and Luggard was just standing and waiting to see if there was any he could take from Jotto’s mouth. Jotto just let him carry on and even ripped up more grass so he and Luggard could share.