A new month began in Umani with Lima Lima entertaining suitors. She has always been a famous flirt — even as a younger elephant, she enjoyed meeting and flirting with wild bulls — but we were surprised to see her considering admirers so soon after having Lenny. Still, nature knows when it is time.
It was very interesting to witness all this unfold. For several days, it seemed that Lima Lima and her suitors were in negotiation before any actual activity could happen. Lima Lima knew that she could be choosy; she has never struggled to attract the attention of handsome bulls and she can be quite fickle, entertaining one suitor one day and another the next. The Keepers wondered if she would consult Sonje — another female who has always been popular with bulls — for much-needed advice on how to go about the negotiations.
Murera was very unhappy about all these wild bulls. Not so long ago, she went through the same courtship process — but unlike Lima Lima, she has never enjoyed the attention of bulls. She clearly felt that she had paid her dues, and she did not want to be involved in any of Lima Lima's intrigues. One morning, she even refused to leave her stockade until Lima Lima and the bulls had vacated the area. We fed her her bottle in her room, while Mwana and dependent girls Kerrio, Latika, Kamili, and Amali stood by. They weren't so bothered by the bulls, but they trusted their matriarch's instincts.
Unfortunately for the whole herd's peace, the month's romances were just beginning. Just a few days later, more bulls arrived — this time in pursuit of Zongoloni. We all sympathised with poor little Zigi, who did not understand what was happening with his mother. He tried his best to keep up with her as she ran through the forest, but he had little time to rest or nurse. He looked miserable, which made everyone else miserable. We could tell that Enkesha and Kiasa were particularly upset about the situation.
Several days into the torrid courtship, the girls found a solution to the problem. The day started on a worrying note when Zongoloni passed by with five huge bulls, but Zigi was notably missing. Just as we were making a plan, the Nightclubbers showed up — with little Zigi sandwiched between Kiasa, Enkesha, and Quanza!
Zongoloni, intelligent and ingenious as ever, had clearly organised for the nannies to take custody of her baby while she sorted out matters with the bulls. Periodically, the nannies took Zigi to his mother for breastfeeding breaks, then quickly shepherded him away from the scene. In all our years, we had never seen elephants execute such a brilliant plan to care for their babies during the mating ritual.
And then, just as suddenly as the romance drama began, it came to a stop. The forest that had so recently been full of high drama and amorous bulls became quiet and peaceful again. In about 22 months, we hope to meet Zongoloni and Lima Lima's second babies.
Otherwise, the month was filled with the usual adventures and dramas. As her pregnancy progresses, Murera is increasingly reluctant to breastfeed Mwana. When she isn't in the mood, she denies her daughter access by closing her front legs. This sends Mwana into histrionics, screaming loudly like a small baby. Murera did not seem to care; depending on her mood swings, she has little patience or sympathy for her daughter when she demands too much. Mwana is now old enough to eat greens and milk is just a bonus.
Kapei and Maktao are now fully fledged members of the Nightclubbers, spending their nights out in the forest. True to Nightclubber form, they continue to link up with the dependent herd most days. One morning, Mwana was excited to receive them and immediately lifted her trunk for hugs. Kapei thought this was beneath him and instead pulled Mwana's tail. The nannies reacted in a flash: Amali raced over to defend her, followed by Kiasa, Quanza, and Enkesha. A cowed Kapei slunk away.
Aside from Kiombo, who seems to be thoroughly enjoying his independence, all the other bulls visited this month. Ziwa popped by several times, as did Jasiri, Faraja, Alamaya, and Mwashoti. Traditionally, Mwashoti has always hung out with the older girls, but recently he has been spending more time with Alamaya. It's good for him to spend more time with other bulls as he grows up, although he continues to be very devoted to his Umani family, especially Murera.
Life in the Kibwezi Forest continues to revolve around our precious babies and their antics. One day, Sulwe and Zigi gave the Keepers a free show that brought everything to a standstill. Zigi was the instigator; because he is the youngest, he felt he had something to prove and gave Sulwe a shove. Sulwe could not let this go unchecked. The pushing escalated into a real test of strength and wits.
In the end, wits won out. Zigi is more powerful than Sulwe, but she is wiser. She manoeuvred him towards a small rock and pushed him into the bushes, catching Zigi unawares and sending him tumbling to the ground. Kiasa and the other nannies rushed over to rescue him, only to find that he had already run back to his mother. Thus ended the test between Sulwe and Zigi.
Kamili was a bit off-colour towards the end of the month, so we called the vet to assess her. The main group walked away, but Kerrio refused to leave Kamili's side. This made all the difference for Kamili, who was clearly uneasy about seeing a stranger approach. Kerrio calmed her down and gave her confidence. She clearly knew that her friend was getting help, because she calmly observed the vet as he administered antibiotics to Kamili, but did not intervene. Afterwards, she escorted her friend into the forest and spent the rest of the day with her.
By the next morning, Kamili was back to her bright self. She came first to the bottle feeding point and joined in all the rest of the day's activities, including the mud bath. Latika and Kerrio kept a keen eye on her, but all was well.