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The sky was clear as crystal clear this morning with not a single cloud to be seen. This was worrying because even though we have received a little rain around the Ithumba area, there are some areas further south which have not received a single drop of rain. The orphans settled for their supplement pellets. Roi and Dupotto settled to scratch on the only remaining acacia tree in the stockade compound before following their friends who had started walking towards the browsing field. Kauro went to fetch Enkikwe who had received his daily treatment, but to his surprise, Enkikwe warned him not to come any closer but instead wait until he finished his pellets. Kauro didn't heed the warning and continued to walk towards Enkikwe. Enkikwe did not want Kauro near his pellets and mock-charged at Kauro. Kauro was disappointed but since there was nothing he could do, he walked away feeling sad.

Out in the bush, Rapa engaged Galla in a strength testing exercise which lasted for quite some time, but ended when Rapa surrendered. At mud bath time, Esampu led the first group while Maramoja led the second one. Namalok had a fight with Rapa when Rapa tried to dip his trunk in his milk bucket. Namalok would not allow this to happen since Rapa had already had his share. Namalok decided to teach him a lesson by driving him away at high speed. Siangiki escorted her friend Enkikwe to drink water before following their friends who had already left for afternoon browsing. Namalok settled to browse with Sapalan but all over sudden the quiet Sapalan attempted to ride on Namalok. Namalok turned quickly and tackled Sapalan in a pushing game that ended in a draw. This is the same Sapalan who in the past was quiet, slow and wouldn’t hurt a fly! It's good now to see him lively and competing with his fellow bull age-mates. 

Only one wild bull was at the stockade water trough when the orphans were let out this morning. The sky was crystal clear and this was an indication of a hot day a head. The orphans were not bothered by the weather but settled for lucerne as soon as they were let out. Shortly later, the Keepers directed the orphans towards the east where they settled to browse calmly without any major distractions. 

By mud bath time, the weather had changed a little and it was quite cloudy, but this soon passed. The orphans had their milk then Esampu, Mteto and Sapalan settled for soil dusting before walking off to browse. Karisa opted for a scratching session which he did against a nearby tree. In the afternoon, the orphans settled south of Kalovoto. The orphans spent the whole afternoon quietly browsing. In the evening, Sana Sana led the way back to the stockade for the night. 

Mteto and Mundusi led the way out in the morning. Three wild bulls were busy drinking water at the stockade water troughs as the orphans settled for lucerne. Esampu bravely walked down and joined the bulls briefly before returning to feed on lucerne with her friends. Shortly later, the orphans were through with the lucerne and occupied one water trough as the wild bulls occupied the other. Rapa and Galla had a brief strength testing exercise that ended when Roi passed between them. Karisa and Garzi were the last to leave the water trough as they tried to drink enough water that see them through the entire morning. 

This morning the bulls seemed to be in a playful mood. Sapalan played with Namalok while Garzi settled to play with Barsilinga. At mud bath time, sixteen wild bulls were present. The weather again was cloudy and this prompted the orphans to avoid the mud bath. The Keepers requested the wild bulls who had occupied the water trough to give room to the juniors to drink water. The wild bulls accepted by stepping aside. Tusuja walked over to the wild bulls and seemed to thank them by raising his trunk towards them. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill. Ndiwa played with Olsekki before going back to browsing. In the evening, the clouds cleared giving way to sunshine and we are still left waiting for more rain. Though she is feeding and keeping up with her friends Dupotto is still not putting on weight so we will look into that. On the way back to the stockade, the orphans had a roadside mud bath followed by dust bathing before heading back to the stockade. 

Three wild bulls were drinking water at the stockade water trough when the orphans were let out. Kitirua, Naisula, Kalama, Mutara, Kanjoro, Kainuk, Suguta, Kasigau and Sities who were relaxing outside the stockade, joined the juniors for lucerne as well. Turkwel took her share and settled a distance away from the rest. Sapalan tried to join her but Turkwel denied him access to her pile of lucerne. The daring Esampu walked down to the water trough and joined the bulls drinking water without even asking for permission. The wild bulls didn't bother about Esampu since they understood that she was only a small baby. 

On the way out to browse, Karia went in a different direction but later turned and followed his friends. The orphans were briefly joined by passing bulls. Ukame settled to browse with Garzi while Oltaiyoni teamed up with Mteto. Shortly later Garzi engaged Kanjoro in a light strength testing exercise as Sana Sana picked a stick from the ground to use it to scratch her chest. The ex-orphans stayed with orphans the whole day. At mud bath time, Roi led the way. The weather was chilly and the orphans returned back to the browsing field soon after milk and have some water. 

In the afternoon, Garzi engaged Kalama in a pushing game that lasted for quite some time before Kasigau intervened by moving between them and separating them. In the evening, twenty five wild bulls reported to the stockades to have some water and after having enough, they left again. 

Sunyei, baby Siku, Kibo, Loijuk, Ishanga, Meibai and Makena, who have been away for one month, showed up at the stockade with a wild bull plus Olare, Tumaren, Melia and Kandecha. Makena stood where the orphans come out as if welcoming the orphans outside. Kauro and Esampu walked down to the water trough and joined the wild bull to drink water while Olsekki had a morning stretching exercise by standing at the edge of the other water trough. Roi and Mundusi interacted with baby Siku for a while before Siku ran to her mum. Ndiwa decided to have her own game of rolling on the ground. Galla, who was standing close by, took advantage of Ndiwa lying down and came to climb on her. 

On the way out to browse, Olsekki played with Garzi as Ishanga played with Olare. Sunyei led the orphans to Kone area and shortly later parted ways. Wanjala took a break from feeding to scratch against a tree while Naseku engaged Rapa in a pushing game. 

At mud bath time, the temperature was moderate and the orphans only took their milk bottles and some water before going back out to browse. Kauro, Roi and Ndiwa spent some time soil dusting while Esampu, Mundusi and Galla scratched against the nearby trees. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse south of the Kalovoto area where they had a quiet time up to five o'clock in the evening, when Esampu led the way back to the stockades. 

The orphans left the stockades early as usual. Kilaguni was the only ex-orphan to join the orphans and he left a short while later, after having a sparing contest with Barsilinga. Esampu appeared to be in an excitable mood this morning, which she displayed through acrobatics of nose diving and doing headstands on the ground, and then, after spotting a bird, charging towards it and then continuing her run right out into the bush. Her friends followed her in a hurry to catch up and find what was happening with Esampu. 

The orphans settled to browse not very far away from the stockades due to the anticipated arrival of new babies from Nairobi. At 10:45 in the morning, lorry carrying Mapia, Malima and Kuishi arrived at Ithumba. The new babies were welcomed first by Malkia, Sana Sana and Ndiwa who they knew from the Nairobi Nursery. The other Ithumba orphans followed after. Mapia tried to challenge Sana Sana but Sana Sana would not stand for that so pushed Mapia away. Rapa tried to bully Mapia but was told off by the Keepers. Sana Sana and Malkia spent most of their time feeding with the three new babies. 

At mud bath time, twenty four wild bulls were present. The orphans decided not to have a mud bath again, but instead had a soil dusting exercise. In the afternoon Mapia, Kuishi and Malima took a break from feeding and relaxed under a tree. Kuishi and Mapia kept themselves busy by engaging in a light pushing game. Namalok had a lengthy conversation with Dupotto not knowing that this was the last chat since Dupotto was to be taken to Nairobi for further treatment. At 11:20 at night, Dupotto was loaded into the translocation and left for Nairobi. This was to make sure we could monitor more closely considering her drop in weight and so we could run the relevant tests to treat her accordingly at the Nairobi Nursery. Dupotto is fine and still eating her playing, but we just want to monitor her in Nairobi further, before her condition does deteriorate.