A highlight of last month was Sagala’s protracted courtship with Laikipia. After mating with the wild-living bull, she disappeared for a spell. More than ten days later, she returned just after dawn, accompanied by girlfriends Mudanda and Arruba. The others warmly received Sagala with rumbles and trunk touches. (It is far too soon to know, but we hope that she might be pregnant.)

The consistent presence of the ex-orphans inspired some orphans to progress in their own reintegration journeys. Pika Pika started spending lots of time with her adopted big sister, Arruba, who is now living wild. By mid-month, she stopped returning to the stockades at night, preferring instead to remain with Arruba and the other ex-orphans.

Interestingly, the day after Pika Pika joined the ex-orphans, they stopped returning to the stockades each morning. It was as if they had achieved the goal of their recruitment drive and decided it was time to move on! 

Only ex-orphan Rorogoi continued to visit the stockades in the morning. Perhaps she feels that she still has some catching up to do: She only returned to the fold late last month, following a five-month absence. Rorogoi has taken a real shine to Ashanti and singles her out for private browsing sessions, much to the youngster’s delight. 

Rokka is emerging as Voi’s little leader. She marches out first in the morning, while the rest of the herd follows in a straggly line. The exercise repeats in reverse in the evening, as Rokka leads the way home. 

Rokka’s fellow graduate, Manda, is a leader in his own right. One afternoon, a wild bull joined the orphans at the mud bath. Manda was the first to greet him, exiting the water and confidently walking to him with his trunk outstretched. In contrast, the other youngsters gave the visitor a wide berth. After a few minutes, Mbegu gathered up Manda, lest he be tempted to stay behind with the stranger.

Some days, the orphans wake up with a bee in their bonnet. Such was the case one morning, when they impatiently started banging on the gates before the Keepers had even finished preparing the milk bottles. To avoid a huge cacophony, the gates were opened, and Dabida, Busara, and Baraka dashed out in a blur of elephant bodies. They continued rumbling as they jogged down the path. 

As one of the youngest members of the Voi herd, little Losoito enjoys constant attention from the old girls. Godoma, Tamiyoi, and Tagwa are particularly vigilant, protecting her from feisty boys. Lemeki can usually be found standing close by, hoping to whisk Losoito away if the older girls turn their backs. Lemeki isn’t the most nurturing elephant, but she has really taken a shine to Losoito. 

The ‘Voi Kids’ — orphans rescued during the drought, who went directly to Voi — are a constant source of entertainment. Emoli and Thamana, who never turn down a game, love to play with the more energetic kids, including Kenderi, Kilulu, and Hildana. Epiya, Ushindi, Juni, Dabida, Ashanti, and Seri tend to be quieter, while coddled babies Busara and Baraka do as they please. 

Thamana and Emoli are our uncontested wrestling stars. While most of the orphans have bursts of energy, they are indefatigable! The two friends can often be found sparring across the grass, clashing heads and tusks, while the herd peacefully browses around them. 

Meanwhile, the elder boys — Ndotto, Ngilai, Lasayen, and Murit — lay claim to the mud bath. Ndotto prefers splashing on the sidelines, while the other boys hold court in the deepest part of the water.

Ngilai has a morning hat trick, much to the envy of his friends: When the orphans are feeding on lucerne, he strolls over, picks up a large pile of the hay, and plops it atop his head for snacking on the go. Ndotto does his best to sneak up on his friend and steal his secret stash, but Ngilai is too quick for him. 

The month ended in high spirits: Emerging from this nighttime stockade, Ngilai ran up and down the compound, trumpeting and attracting lots of attention. His enthusiasm was infectious, and before long, Lemeki and Godoma were also charging around. Before the party expanded to the whole herd, the Keepers led their little charges into the bush.