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The sky was clear in the morning as the orphans left the stockade to start another day. Led by Ndiwa, the orphans headed north east of the stockade. Dololo decided to start his day by rolling on the ground. Ambo joined Dololo and had a game of pushing each other for some time. Sapalan decided to play with Karisa but suddenly brought their game to an abrupt end when he realised that they were just wasting time and hadn’t started feeding yet. The two boys suddenly started concentrating on their browsing session because they didn't want the day to end without getting enough food.

 At mud bath time the orphans had their milk bottles but decided not to wallow. Ambo decided to team up with one of his big sisters Kamok, and they both walked a short distance away from the rest. 

Later the orphans enjoyed a roadside mud bath on their way back to the stockades. Kamok and Ambo deviated and took a different route from their friends, and as they were all walking back the Keepers realized Kamok and Ambo weren’t with them. Some of the Keepers turned back to look for them, but they met Kamok and Ambo on the way, as they were walking along the road to return to the stockades too. 

The bulls were in a playful mood in the morning. It all started with Dololo challenging Karisa. Karisa couldn't understand why a small boy like Dololo would challenge him. Karisa took time to warm up by kicking bushes and running around before finally showing Dololo that he was a force to reckon with. After defeat, Dololo moved to play with Musiara who is his age-mate and therefore in his mind, more his equal. Enkikwe settled to play with Barsilinga while Wanjala played with Mapia. Mapia decided to quit their game however when Wanjala attempted to ride on him. 

Later, Barsilinga, Kauro, Siangiki, Galla and Sapalan came across some loose soil that they rolled on. At mud bath time, it was all quiet as the orphans had their milk and some water, before walking back out to browse without wallowing in the main mud bath. In the afternoon, the dependent orphans were joined by ex-orphans Kandecha, Melia, Kalama and Chemi Chemi. The weather changed as clouds gathered and gave way to rain later this evening. The ex-orphans Melia, Kandecha and Chemi Chemi parted ways with the orphans but Kalama decided to accompany the orphans back to the stockades. 

Kalama was there in the morning to welcome the orphans out for another day. When the orphans were out, Barsilinga, who is the oldest boy at the stockades at the moment, tackled Kalama in a strength testing exercise that lasted for quite some time. Their game put the other bulls in a playing mood as they also started emulating what the two elders were doing. 

First was Dololo who decided to challenge Jotto. When the going got tough for him, Dololo called upon Karisa who came to his rescue by coming in between them. Dololo got a chance to flee from Jotto when Karisa arrived. Musiara gauged himself against Mapia but he couldn't withstand Mapia's strength. Luckily for him Pare was close by and when Mapia saw him approaching, he smelled trouble and decided to quit the game before his arrival. Musiara stretched his trunk to reach out to Pare to say thank you for intervening because if it wasn’t for him, Musiara certainly wouldn’t have won the game and things might have got quite tough for him! Pare perhaps assured him not to worry as he will always be there for him, but perhaps suggested not to start fights or try to gauge his strength with anyone he comes across or that happens to pass by! Enkikwe settled to play with his long time friend Olsekki as Pare decided to have his own game of rolling on the ground. Kauro settled to play with Mundusi too. 

At mud bath time just before noon, the orphans had their milk and some water before Kalama escorted them to the western slopes of Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse for the remaining part of the day. 

In the evening, the orphans passed by the roadside mud bath and cooled their feet briefly before proceeding back home. 

Kalama wasn’t there in the morning to greet the dependent orphans. The orphans settled for lucerne as they wondered where their big sister might have gone, as they had grown quite accustomed to her being there to greet them in the morning. With or without Kalama, the orphans had to continue with their daily activities hoping to meet her in the course of the day or some other time. 

Out in the bush, Ambo teamed up with his big sisters Kamok and Oltaiyoni and each time the rest of the herd moved forward, the three would always lag behind. This was an indication that they were planning something and the Keepers knew that if they were not careful then they might end up spending a lot of time looking for them if they succeeded in dodging them! They kept a keen eye on the three of them. Sapalan and Karisa took some time off from feeding to have a pushing game because they believe in the saying that ‘work without play made Jack a dull boy!’ 

At mud bath time, a few of the orphans led by Barsilinga participated fully in a wallowing session while others opted for a soil dusting exercise. In the afternoon Dololo, who wants to establish a position amongst the elder boys, tried to challenge Pare. Pare understood what the small boy wanted and handled him lightly, instead teaching him a few techniques. 

In the evening Ambo, Oltaiyoni, Kamok, Kuishi and Enkikwe almost succeeded in dodging the Keepers, but a quick intervention saved the day, although they arrived back at the stockades forty-five minutes later after the others in the dependent herd had already arrived and gone to their rooms; nevertheless the Keepers were happy to have all the orphans back and none missing out in the bush in the dark to worry about. 

Two wild elephants visited the stockade this morning for water, as the dependent orphans enjoyed their usual morning routine of enjoying their milk bottles and feeding on the lucerne supplements.

Out in the bush, Sities, Mutara, Kalama and Kanjoro came to join the babies while browsing. Jotto rolled on the ground while playing, while Musiara and Dololo were busy play fighting. Musiara later went to climb on Mapia’s back, as Jotto got up and started patting Sapalan with his trunk. The babies later walk to the mud bath for their noon milk bottles, with Sities, Kanjoro, Kalama and Mutara among them.

When the orphans went to the mud bath for their noon milk bottle, after finishing, a few of the orphans decided to go into the mud bath. Olsekki, Ndiwa, Malkia, Barsilinga and Kanjoro all went into the water but they didn't stay in the water for long, and came out to join their friends who were walking back out to the bush.

Two wild male elephants accompanied the orphans together with Mutara's herd. They found a small water pool and started playing in it. They really enjoyed their mud bath in the bush! Tusuja scratched his bottom after finishing his wallowing game. They later made their way back home in the evening for their milk bottles and to go to bed. There was no sign of rain today and we didn’t come across any other elephants besides the two wild bulls and Mutara’s herd.

It was a wet and cold morning today as we awoke to drizzle this morning. The babies had their milk and rushed out to feed on lucerne. As it was drizzling they didn’t stay for long feeding on lucerne but walked straight to the bush to browse.

It was very muddy everywhere so it was quite slippery. Tusuja and Galla started play fighting as they patted each other with their trunks and they had to be careful not to slip over! Olsekki and Malkia were rolling in some mud while playing. Malkia always enjoys rolling on the wet soil after it rains! Mteto was scratching her bottom while Rapa scratched his head on the same tree. Some of the other orphans were playing in the wet soil too. Malkia and Mteto started play fighting and later the herd walked to the mud bath for their milk.

It was very cold so after having their milk bottles none of the orphans felt like mud bathing!

Out in the bush the orphans enjoyed browsing on green grass. Karisa started playing and then tried to climb on Dololo. Kauro was very busy playing and rolling on the ground and Mapia was playing with Musiara. The herd later walked back home in the evening. No ex-orphans were seen today. We recorded 10mm of rain today.

Usually Barsilinga, Olsekki and Tusuja come out of their stockade in the morning and walk straight out to the bush, bypassing the lucerne supplements. However today was different and they actually came over to feed on lucerne, and were the last ones to leave the stockades as well when the others had already left. When they did leave, they walked in the opposite direction to the others. 

The rest of the dependent orphans enjoyed their morning of browsing. Wanjala and Karisa paused their browsing to engage in a play fight and when they were done, all the orphans slowly made their way for their noon milk feed.

It was hot today and after having their milk bottles all of the orphans decided to go wallowing. Sattao led the herd into the water and they all enjoyed splashing about there. Enkikwe and Kauro even started a play fight while in the mud hole. The babies came out of the water in an excitable mood and some of them trumpeted as they ran back out into the bush. Barsilinga, Olsekki and Tusuja did not appear at the mud bath today.

The orphans carried on browsing for the rest of the afternoon. Sapalan and Dololo started playing while the others walked to the small pool of water they all enjoy playing in; it helps to cool them down when they’re feeling hot as they browse. 

Eventually the orphans made their way back home in the evening. On the way they met with their three friends, Barsilinga, Olsekki and Tusuja, who joined them on the walk home. Shortly before reaching the compound however they diverted and walked away. The three bulls arrived 30 minutes later and were safely shut in their stockade for the night as well.

We watched a beautiful sunrise over the compound today, which faces east. The orphans had their milk bottles as usual and then went to feed on the lucerne supplements. A wild elephant bull visited this morning but he wasn’t very friendly to the Keepers so he might have been a stranger to the area. Later the orphans and the Keepers walked out to the bush.

Pare and Dololo enjoyed browsing together this morning. Mutara's herd later arrived to join the babies along with Kithaka, Orwa, Turkwel and Kibo among them. 

Mutara, Sities, Suguta and Turkwel usually have one ambition when they join the dependent babies, and that is to steal their favourite Dololo and walk away to spend the day with him. This habit is well-known to the Keepers however and they always have an eye on them.

Just before 11am, all the orphans walked towards the mud bath so the dependent babies could have their milk bottles. Dololo was escorted there by Mutara’s group. Kalama joined in as well as the orphans walked to the mud bath, and when they arrived she started playing in the water with Kanjoro who they found already there, and Mutara. Kalama later came out and started playing on the soil mounds. The rest of the ex-orphans, led by Suguta, led the dependent orphans back out to browse. 

Back out in the bush all the orphans concentrated on browsing, but the Keepers remained very alert and kept an eye on Dololo as it only takes a moment for him to walk off with Mutara’s herd! Suguta watched over Dololo as he browsed, and as it turned out the Keepers didn’t need to worry today as Mutara and her herd were well behaved. 

Mutara’s herd consisting of Suguta, Sities, Turkwel, Kibo, Kanjoro, Kithaka, Lemoyian, Garzi and Orwa joined the orphans as they browsed in the Kone area this morning. As always, Dololo was happy to have his big sisters around and this gave him courage to challenge the other boys too, as he knew he was under the protection of the older girls in Mutara’s herd! 

The orphans browsed calmly up to mud bath time when the ex-orphans escorted the dependent babies to the mud bath. It wasn’t very hot, so the orphans decided to boycott the wallowing exercise apart from Garzi, Kalama and Kanjoro who decided to have fun in the water.  

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill and in the evening they all returned back safely to the stockades. 

The orphans started their day by scratching against the wall in the stockade compound. As soon as they were done, Sana Sana led the way out to browse. 

Out in the bush, the orphans were joined by Mutara and her herd again. The three girls Suguta, Sities and Turkwel walked up to Dololo to find out how he was doing and how his night was. To this day, we are not sure why Mutara and her herd are so infatuated with little Dololo as opposed to his age mates Musiara and Sattao, and we are just not sure why they give this little boy, who was quite naughty in the Nursery, quite so much attention over any of the others! We look forward to seeing how as Dololo grows up, how his relationship will develop with these females.  

Rapa and Ambo lagged behind drinking water and ran to catch up with their friends. As soon as they caught up with the herd, Rapa decided to challenge Wanjala to a pushing game, but it didn't last for long. Olsekki was feeding close by and for some reason, whether they were disturbing him or perhaps he was jealous of their game, he came over and disrupted them by pushing the two boys away. 

At mud bath time only Kanjoro decided to go for a swim. The rest of the herd left immediately after drinking water. The afternoon was a quiet one as the orphans and Mutara’s herd browsed peacefully throughout the rest of the day. 

Barsilinga, who sometimes has the tendency of arriving back early to the stockades to have a big share of the lucerne pellets inside, arrived five minutes early before the rest of the orphans. He started helping himself to the pellets before any of the others arrived!

Chemi Chemi, Melia, Kilaguni and Kandecha joined Mutara’s herd in welcoming the orphans out in the morning. As soon as the orphans were out, Sities and Suguta whisked Dololo away to find out how he was doing and to ask about his night. The jovial Ambo decided to lead the group out soon after he had some water from the water troughs. Ambo headed north east rumbling in a low tone which was requesting everyone to follow him. The orphans responded by following Ambo and they settled to browse in the Kone area. 

Olsekki decided to test his strength by engaging 11 year old Chemi Chemi to a pushing game. Obviously seven year old Olsekki was no match for Chemi Chemi and he couldn’t keep up, so he ended up running away. Kauro, who was limping this the morning due to a sprained front leg, walked behind the rest of the herd but later his leg felt better and he was able to catch up with the rest. 

Again only Kanjoro decided to wallow in the mud bath when the orphans went there just before noon so the babies could have their milk feed. In the afternoon, the herd settled to browse west of the Ithumba Hill but later they chose to pass by the mud bath again as it suddenly warmed up. After cooling off, the orphans started to make their way home for the night. 

The orphans left the stockades early as usual. Musiara apparently woke up in a playful mood and started his day by challenging Rapa. Their game went on for quite some time before Olsekki stopped them by pushing the two out of his way. Dololo wanted to have a pushing game with Pare, but Pare wasn’t interested. Dololo kept on pushing him from the side but Pare had other important issues to attend to, the main one being filling his stomach and he wanted to concentrate on browsing. 

Later the orphans were joined by Mutara and her herd. Kithaka, who appears to be taking on the same character as Wendi and is sometimes rude to the Keepers, tried to charge at them. It’s not clear why these elephants from the Imenti area seem to be naughty when they grow up! 

At mud bath time, the herd was joined by three wild bulls. One of the bulls was quite aggressive and kept on charging at whoever he spotted, but later they walked away. The orphans had some water from the water trough, as Olsekki kept himself busy by playing with Lemoyian and later Dololo. 

It warmed up in the afternoon and the orphans decided to cool down in the roadside mud bath. On the way back to the stockades, Rapa and Ndiwa lagged behind and dodged the Keepers. The Keepers realized the two were missing when preparing the orphans to go into their rooms for their milk, but they turned up a little while later and were shut safely into their stockade for the night too.

It was a cold and quiet morning. The orphans left the stockades soon after the morning milk feed and headed straight out to browse. Kamok settled to feed with Ambo and Musiara and perhaps was guiding them on how to be good babies, because although she is quite naughty she is very good with younger elephants! Ambo and Musiara have been chosen to keep the new babies, which will be coming from Nairobi soon, company. We are so excited to receive more babies from the Nursery, and they will remember Musiara, Ambo, Jotto, Sattao, Dololo and others from the Nursery too! 

Maramoja and Mundusi were engaged in a deep conversation; perhaps as Mundusi wanted to know from Maramoja why she and Enkikwe had been moved up to the next class. The Keepers know the move was both to make room for the new arrivals and also because Mundusi has been a trouble maker recently, and has been verbally warned by the Keepers several times! Maramoja didn’t want to stay talking with Mundusi for long as they were supposed to be seriously tucking into browsing to avoid going back home without enough to eat. Later, Musiara joined his friend Maramoja and they walked slowly together as they concentrated on browsing. 

Mutara, Kainuk, Suguta, Sities, Turkwel, Orwa, Kithaka, Garzi, Lemoyian, Kalama, Melia, Chemi Chemi and Kibo joined the dependent orphans shortly before mud bath time. The herd walked to the mud bath together where Lemoyian engaged Tusuja in a pushing game while Wanjala played with Kuishi. Garzi couldn’t stand seeing Wanjala pushing the little girl Kuishi. Garzi confronted Wanjala and demanded an explanation why he would pick on someone like Kuishi instead of someone his own size. Wanjala sensed trouble and decided the best thing to do was to turn and run away from Garzi. In the evening, two wild bulls joined Mutara’s herd at the stockade water troughs. Later, Kilaguni emerged from the south east and joined his friends. 

The ex-orphans joined the orphans in the morning. Dololo as usual had his big sisters waiting to take him out. The orphans headed north east of the stockade. Barsilinga and Tusuja, who have become great friends these days, parted ways with the main herd and left to an undisclosed location, only to show up again at the mud bath when their friends were preparing to leave. 

Out in the bush, Esampu and Mapia had an argument that ended in a fight. Mapia and Esampu used to fight in their stockade at night so Mapia graduated to the next class. Something Esampu did seemed to anger Mapia so he decided to fight the naughty girl this morning, and when the going got tough for Esampu she surrendered and ran away. Enkikwe engaged Lemoyian in a pushing game to let Lemoyian know that despite his bad leg, he can handle any pushing game with any age mates. 

At mud bath time, Enkikwe decided to stay and stand in the spot where he had his milk bottles. This was so he could wait for the Keepers to leave so he could root through the crates to confirm that all the milk bottles really were finished, or perhaps the Keepers were hiding a few extra bottles. He was making a mess of the bottles so one of the Keepers went back to push him away from the crates to carry on and join his friends. 

Although the sun was shining there was a slight breeze, so all the orphans except for Kanjoro decided not to mud bath. Kanjoro is a little water boy these days and loves wallowing no matter the weather. In the afternoon, the herd headed to the slopes of the Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse. Olsekki had a strength testing exercise with Kilaguni but ended up losing the game. In the evening, Mutara and her herd escorted the dependent orphans back to the stockades. 

The orphans stayed to feed close to stockade compound as today is the day Nabulu and Maisha are arriving from the Nairobi Nursery to come and start a new life at Ithumba. Shortly before eight o'clock in the morning, the truck carrying the two girls arrived. After being offloaded, Nabulu saw Musiara, Dololo, Ambo and Sattao approaching. These were the boys that had been sent by the Keepers to first welcome the girls. Nabulu took a bold move of walking to meet the boys and there was evident joy amongst them as Sattao, Dololo and Musiara reunited again with the two girls they remembered. The girls entwined their trunks with the boys in greetings and later walked to the water trough with them. The rest of the herd arrived later. Kilaguni was the only ex-orphan who came to witness the arrival of the new babies. Some of the boys like Mundusi, Galla and Enkikwe were a bit naughty and were pushing the girls around whenever they came close to them. Surprisingly little girl Esampu was being naughty and pushing them as well, but the two girls were clever and learned how to avoid the trouble makers. Nabulu didn't like the way Galla welcomed her either. Instead of welcoming the two girls nicely, Galla decided to climb on Nabulu and Nabulu wasn't happy about that. Since there was nothing she could do, Nabulu just moved on and avoided Galla.  

Maisha and Nabulu certainly felt the change in temperature and were feeling the heat of Ithumba, and so couldn't wait to get into the mud bath to cool themselves down after having their noon milk bottle. After swimming, Jotto came out and enjoyed whipping a tree stump using his tail as he waited for the decision to be made about which direction they were going to go in. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse south of the mud bath and Nabulu and Maisha continued to settle into their new surroundings and life at Ithumba. Having friends there certainly made it all easier. In the evening, Mutara and her team joined the orphans on their way back to the stockades. In their stockade, Nabulu and Maisha looked content and fed on the branches as if they had already been around for a long time. 

Nabulu and Maisha awoke to their first morning at Ithumba. The two girls followed their friends out from the stockades and were ready and willing to learn the ways of their new environment. The girls settled for lucerne with rest of the group and later followed them out to browse. Mutara and her herd were present but funnily enough they didn't show much interest in Maisha and Nabulu really! Their true focus remains on their little boy Dololo.

After feeding on lucerne, Karisa and Musiara led the way to the browsing field where the orphans had a quiet day. Sities, Turkwel and Suguta concentrated on their Dololo. At mud bath time the orphans were hesitant to go into the water as it was quite chilly, but Maisha and Nabulu were happy and quick to go in and were later followed by Kanjoro, Ndiwa and Dololo. Suguta and Sities had no other option than to follow their Dololo to make sure that he was alright in the water. In the afternoon the orphans settled to browse in Kone area and browsed calmly throughout the rest of the day. 

Maisha and Nabulu didn't stop at the lucerne feeding venue when they left their stockade this morning. The two girls, with their trunks raised high in the air smelling something, walked off to the east of the stockade. Maisha and Nabulu had got wind of some elephants coming and wanted to find out who the elephants were. Soon, ex-orphan Zurura and a wild friend emerged, walking west. The Keepers tried to block Maisha and Nabulu from walking away further as they were scared that the two girls might run away with the bull! Zurura understood what the Keepers were worried about, and so turned to meet the girls and perhaps encourage them to go back to the Keepers. The girls were happy and excited to meet big Zurura and followed him to the water trough as the wild bull followed from a distance. Zurura didn't want to upset the girls by moving away quickly, but waited until all the other orphans had surrounded the water trough and then slowly slipped away with his wild friend. Maisha and Nabulu realized later that Zurura had left. All this time, Malkia had been watching intently and as she watched Zurura leave with his friend, she came close to the two girls to lead them out to the bush.

Out in the bush, Sapalan engaged Dololo in a strength testing exercise that lasted for quite some time and ended when Dololo couldn't take it anymore and ran away to seek protection from Suguta and Sities, who were around with the rest of Mutara’s herd. The rest of the morning was quiet. 

As the orphans were browsing in the afternoon, a wild elephant herd of ten members arrived at the mud bath and had some water. In the evening, the same wild herd turned up at the stockades and few of the members decided to feed on the leftover lucerne grass they found there. The number of wild elephants slowly grew to thirty after more groups arrived for water. It’s the first time this year that we have seen this many wild elephants visiting the stockade at the same time. Once they were satisfied the wild elephants left at their own pleasure and we couldn’t help but ponder how this dry season will go.