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Jotto is the oldest boy in the Nursery now and is having to test is strength and gauge himself against the older females in the Nursery. He is always seen trying to play fight with Tagwa, Sana Sana, Kuishi and Malkia, although Malkia is always a tough play mate and is not always willing to tolerate his nonsense. Malkia is always a difficult option for Jotto, but Sana Sana, Tagwa and Kuishi are always ready to welcome him, albeit with caution. 

Today out in the forest when the orphans had finished their milk feed, Jotto was busy trying to engage Tagwa in a fun pushing game. He tried for several minutes, but in the end gave up when he had been warned by Tagwa several times that she did not want to play, but rather wanted to go and browse. Jotto then went to try and engage Sana Sana, but Sana Sana was not in the mood either and roughly pushing him away. Just as Jotto was feeling a bit hopeless, he spotted his play mate Luggard who was enjoying a dusting session. Jotto approached Luggard and the two had a happy time wrestling with each other, although Jotto was gentle with Luggard as he is aware that his friend has a bad leg and cannot play rough pushing games.

Tamiyoi, Malima, Emoli, Ambo, Mapia, Kuishi, Sagala and Ndiwa seem to have formed their own group in the morning, and as soon as all of them are out they head out to the forest under the leadership of Tamiyoi, who knows all the routes and ways out to the Park. Today we watched as they all followed Tamiyoi, with Ndiwa second behind and within a few minutes they had disappeared into the thicket to browse, right up until the 9am feed. The Keepers found them all busy browsing with Tamiyoi in the lead, and without any concern that it was nearly their milk bottle time. This little group seem more wild and independent than the others in the Nursery, although it contains some young members too.

During our public visit today down by the mud bath, the weather was not very conducive for a swim and many of the orphans shied away from the cold water. Musiara and little Kiasa however decided to brave the weather and went wallowing in the mud pool. As they enjoyed their mud bath, Sattao, Maktao and Emoli just stood along the edge of the mud wallow, watching and deciding whether or not to join in. At one point Maktao put his front feet into the mud, but when he felt the temperature he quickly backed out again.

Mapia and Ambo are becoming quite good playmates these days and often during the day we find them engaged in some pushing or wrestling game, testing their strength and judging their dominance against each other. This is common between young bulls and is good for their development, as they begin to learn about hierarchy and strength in their society. As soon as the orphans settled out in the forest today to browse, Mapia and Ambo busied themselves with a wrestling game. Their game went on for quite some time and neither one wanted to surrender. Eventually jealous Jotto came over and demanded to join in their game, but his arrival ended the game between Ambo and Mapia as neither one was interest in playing with Jotto who is bigger than them. Unhappy with Mapia and Ambo’s reaction, Jotto kept chasing them around in the bushes, wanting to climb on them. The two boys were clever enough however to run deep into the bushes where it was hard for Jotto to chase them. Eventually Jotto settled on inviting Kuishi to a pushing game, and she was happy to oblige, so the two enjoying playing right up until the 9 o’clock milk feed.

Emoli has developed a strong love for his milk bottle, and so today decided to follow the trio of older girls who are practicing to enter the translocation lorry. It seemed he wanted to try his luck in getting an extra milk bottle if he followed them to where he knows they have theirs these days. Although the Keepers decided not to stop him and let him accompany the girls, they were sure that he would not get any extra bottles! As the three girls were having their bottles on the lorry, Emoli moved from one Keeper to the next to try and get just a drop of milk, but of course he was denied. When the exercise was over and Sana Sana, Ndiwa and Malkia had finished their milk, Emoli was the first one back to the forest, racing back out into the bush to where he knows his own feeding still takes place. When he got there he was surprised to find that there was no Keeper there and no milk wheelbarrow. This annoyed Emoli and he trumpeted loudly before running to where the others were standing. His reaction gave some members of the herd a fright as they did not understand why he was trumpeting and being so hyperactive. Malima, Jotto, Tamiyoi and Ambo also trumpeted but others like Kuishi, Sagala and Tagwa charged at him, unhappy with the way he was causing a commotion!