Due to the drought, our Voi orphan herd has grown a lot this year. Mbegu continues to be the most welcoming to the new arrivals, offering them reassurance and guidance. She always makes a point to stay by their side and show them where to go. Mbegu is often assisted by Tagwa, Sagala, Godoma, Tamiyoi, and Juni, who is a relative newcomer herself.
It was a bright and sunny morning today as the orphans came out of their night stockades. Mbegu was in the lucerne feeding area with the new stockade graduates Hildana, Dabida, Kenderi and Akina. Kilulu was hanging out with Tamiyoi while Juni was with Godoma, Tagwa and Sagala. Mudanda and Thamana decided to go for an early morning mud wallow, rolling and splashing in the stockade mud hole, while Ndotto and Arruba enjoyed a wrestling game.
Tamiyoi and Lemeki led all the dependent orphans out to the bush to browse. Along the way the orphans were joined by a wild elephant family, and they browsed together nicely all through the mid-morning up until the orphans went for their midday milk feed. When they were done, they returned to the stockade compound for more lucerne supplements as this drought continues. Mbegu continues to be the most welcoming and reassuring to the new arrivals, offering them comfort and guidance as she stays by their side and shows them where to go. The orphans then decided to spend the afternoon maneuvering their way along the side of Msinga Hill in search of whatever vegetation they could find, before returning to the stockades for the night.
As usual there wasn’t a cloud in the sky today as the orphans left their stockades. After their usual breakfast routine, they left the compound and settled on the northern side of Msinga Hill to browse, overlooking the baobab tree water hole.
At around 8am, we received a call from Rukinga ranch to rescue an orphaned calf whose mother had been killed in human-wildlife conflict. We rescued the traumatised orphan, who we named Itinyi. We drove him back to the compound, where he was so nicely received by the other dependent orphans.
Murit and Lasayen were in one of their playful moods today, which was interesting timing considering the dry weather and the need to focus more on browsing these days! Ndotto saw their wrestling match and came over to intervene, but the two boys just took their game elsewhere; Ndotto can’t be involved in all the games amongst the orphans! Instead Ndotto went to look for his friend Mudanda to play with instead. Lemeki decided to try and spend a bit of time with her old friend Thamana today and went in search of the little boy in the afternoon.
The orphans were in an excitable mood this morning, playing and bonding in the compound as they enjoyed the morning breakfast routine including their milk feed, lucerne pellets and lucerne grass too. Dabida decided to stay with Mbegu and Godoma, as Juni spent time with Tagwa and Sagala. Ndotto and Mudanda started a sparring match, while Ngilai invited Murit to wrestle. Murit turned down the request, so Ngilai walked over to Lasayen who was enjoying rolling on the loose soil all by himself. Arruba was having an early morning mud wallow and after a short while she was joined by her adopted baby Pika Pika.
Tamiyoi, Lemeki and Emoli led the way out to the bush, where the orphans made their way along the slope of Msinga Hill, maneuvering their way among the boulders in search of scarce vegetation.
In the afternoon the orphans walked down for the midday milk feed and joined the wild family that had just finished drinking at the baobab tree water trough. They interacted for a short while together, playing and bonding. As usual, Tamiyoi was the most interested in meeting the wild elephants and went straight up to introduce herself and see if there were any babies in among the herd.
Suswa and Lemeki were busy rolling on the loose soil next to the main waterhole. Ndotto and Mudanda were enjoying their usual sparring game and were the last to leave the baobab tree area, having to run to catch up with their friends who had already resumed browsing.
Lemeki, Thamana, Kenderi and Dabida were waiting impatiently by their stockade door for it to be opened. They were banging on the gate, so the Keepers went to let them out early. As soon as the Keepers came to open the door Hildana and Kilulu squeezed their way to the front. The pellets and the lucerne were already being distributed by the Keepers and the orphans decided to go straight there as the milk bottles weren’t ready yet and they didn’t want to wait a moment longer for their breakfast.
After they had their milk bottles, the orphans went back to the lucerne pellets. Rorogoi and Embu in particular seem to favour the lucerne grass over the pellets and were spotted feasting on it as fast as they could. Suswa is very clever - she carried a trunk full of lucerne grass over to where the pellets are put out, so she can feed on both at the same time! Mudanda notoriously steals the grass from her, and she must keep going back for more. Lemeki stood atop the pile of soil looking confused after being bullied by Pika Pika, who seems to get away with doing whatever she wants at the moment because she is protected by Arruba. Not even Mudanda, who most of the orphans still fear, would dare to rough-house with Pika Pika! Embu teamed up with Mudanda and Arruba to share lucerne and played with the lucerne even throwing some on top of her head like a crown.
The orphans had a peaceful day of browsing out in the bush.
It is an incredibly sad morning at the Voi Unit today. For some reason, Mweya arrived but without her newborn baby Mojo. The Keepers are devastated and full of surprise, as Mweya would never be without a calf so young unless the very worst had happened. We are not sure why Mweya chose to take her family from Voi, where they had everything they needed, or what happened to Mojo along the way. Although we will never know for certain, we can only assume that Mojo is a victim of the drought. This is an extraordinarily difficult period to be an elephant, particularly one so young. Infant calves are fragile at the best of times, but a drought leaves them particularly vulnerable.
At around 8:30 in the morning we received a call from Angela Sheldrick regarding a two-year-old elephant that had been spotted near the Galdessa camp and needed rescuing as there were no signs of her family. The Keepers left the Voi stockade immediately enroute to Galdessa for the rescue mission. When we arrived at Galdessa we found one of the Trust’s de-snaring team ready and waiting to help us in the rescue mission. The recue was a success and the orphan was taken to Lugard airstrip and was later airlifted to our Umani Reintegration Unit, to help try and spread some of these poor orphans out amongst our units a bit.
For the rest of the dependent orphans the day carried on much as usual. Mbegu continues to look after the new arrivals alongside Godoma and even Tamiyoi sometimes. Ndotto decided to spend much of the day playing with Mudanda, as if trying to cheer her up. She had woken up ‘on the wrong side of her stockade’ today and was being a bit of a bully in the morning to some of the youngsters, apart from Thamana and Pika Pika, of course.
After their morning breakfast, the orphans left the stockades for their daily browsing routine. Arruba and Pika Pika went up Msinga Hill in search of fresh foliage and vegetation. Mbegu and Dabida browsed at the foot of the hill and were joined by Juni and Tagwa. Mudanda went to collect Thamana and Godoma and browsed with them towards the baobab tree area. Ndotto chose to browse side by side with his best friend from Nursery days, Lasayen. They are quite different in character as Lasayen is a lot quieter than Ndotto, but they will always have the connection of having grown up together.
After the midday milk feed, the orphans immediately returned to the stockade compound for the lucerne pellet and lucerne grass supplement feeding session. Murit, Ngilai, Pika Pika and Thamana all lined up along the terrace enjoying the pellets, while new arrival Kilulu charged about and played by the water trough. It is wonderful to see how he is settling into our Voi Unit and becoming one of the family.
Ex-orphan Mweya, her baby Mwitu, and Edie’s daughter, Eden, joined Pika Pika below the terrace for some lucerne pellets. Pika Pika took her time interacting with Eden before walking away. Suswa scratched against the rock all the orphans favour, while Ndotto decided to roll about in the mud wallow on his own, splashing everyone nearby. Later the orphans left the compound to continue browsing for the rest of the day.
It was another bright and warm morning today. Lemeki, Thamana, Kenderi, Akina and Kilulu waited impatiently to be let out of their stockade to have their milk bottles. They were banging on the gates as the Keepers were still distributing the lucerne grass and making up the milk bottles! When they came out, little Kenderi was bullying poor Dabida in the milk feeding area, but they both walked off together when they were done to have some lucerne pellets. Ndotto and Ngilai had a wrestling match inside the mud wallow, fighting over the best spot in the middle of the water. Ndotto ended up winning and Ngilai walked off, leaving the mud wallow in what looked like a bit of a sulk. Ndotto was left alone dominating the mud bath for the morning. Ngilai decided to cheer himself up by going over to the pile of loose soil and enjoying a dust bath, rolling around and throwing soil in the air.
As the orphans left the stockades for the browsing fields, Ngilai came back around and invited Ndotto for another sparring game, as if to try and have a re-match of the morning.
The orphans settled to browse on the open grasslands, with some of them later choosing to relax under the tree to wait for the milk vehicle bearing their midday milk feed.
Hildana, Dabida, Akina, Kenderi and Kilulu all lined up along the feeding area in front of the milk mixing room, scrambling to be the first to get the milk bottles. As soon as they had guzzled down their two bottles, they walked over to the area where the lucerne pellets are distributed, making way for another group which happened to be Lemeki, Thamana, Juni and Tamiyoi. After taking a few steps, Kenderi, who seems to be a bit of a foodie and a bit greedy, turned around and started bullying Juni who was still having her bottle, and even tried to snatch her bottle away. Kenderi might be this way having been rescued during the drought, so it is no wonder really that she is slightly greedy about food.
The orphans left the Voi compound when they were done with their supplement food, walking straight out to begin their day of browsing without playing any games this morning. They settled at the foot of Msinga Hill overlooking the baobab tree mud hole.
Later in the morning Ndotto started a sparring game with his favourite playmate Mudanda at the foot of the hill. Just before 11am the orphans walked down to the milk feeding area and later to the mud wallow. Suswa played in her favourite wallowing spot on the edge of the mud bath, while the rest of the orphans chose to wallow right in the water. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful as the orphans browsed until the end of the day when they returned to the stockades for the night.
After their usual morning breakfast routine, the orphans left the compound and started to make their way round the slope of the hill in search of vegetation to eat. Arruba and Pika Pika decided to go up the hill, where they were joined by Ngilai and Embu. Mudanda kept Thamana and Godoma company, browsing at the foot of the hill, while Mbegu looked after all the young rescues, with the help of Tagwa, Sagala,and Juni.
After the noon milk feed, the orphans went to drink from the water trough beside the big baobab tree, before going to enjoy some lucerne supplements the Keepers put out for them.
It wasn’t long into the afternoon when we received a rescue call from Mwatate sisal estate about a young elephant that had been found collapsed. We quickly prepared the rescue gear and rushed to the scene. When we arrived, we found the baby elephant in a very bad state. We quickly administered some drips with the help of the SWT/KWS Vet Dr Limo, before loading the elephant into the vehicle and driving it back to the Voi stockade.
Ex-orphan Mweya was already at the stockade compound very early in the morning at 6am with her baby Mwitu as well as Eden, who is Edie’s first-born baby, to join the orphans for their breakfast. They set about eating the tasty dairy cubes as the dependent orphans were still having their morning milk bottles.
The dependent orphans didn’t stay in the compound for long and left to begin their day of browsing, with Tamiyoi and Sagala leading the way. Tagwa was helping Mbegu look after some of the new arrivals. Murit and Emoli were at the back of the herd as they had been enjoying the supplements of lucerne and lucerne grass along with Thamana, Lemeki and Embu.
Later in the day we received two rescue calls, one from Galana and another from Rukinga ranch. The call from Galana was regarding a baby elephant that had been spotted all alone and was possibly an orphan, while the one from Rukinga was about a collapsed elephant due to the drought and current food crisis in the area. We left for Rukinga to rescue the collapsed elephant baby, while one of our Anti-Poaching Teams rescued the orphan at Galana and delivered it safely to the Voi Unit.
This morning while most of the orphans were enjoying their usual breakfast routine and dairy cubes, Lemeki and Tamiyoi were idling on top of the earth piles. Mudanda teamed up with Thamana and Godoma and went over to the lucerne feeding area with them. Ex-orphan Mweya arrived once again with her baby Mwitu and the nanny Eden, and they settled down to enjoy some breakfast with the dependent orphans too. Ngilai was spotted walking about looking for a playmate to engage in a sparring game with. Murit turned him down, so he walked over to Emoli who responded instantly.
Hildana, Kenderi, Akina, Dabida and Kilulu have formed a bond amongst themselves, as the new arrivals, and are always together either in the stockade compound or out in the bush browsing.
Tamiyoi and Lemeki took the lead today as the orphans embarked on their browsing mission, starting the day on the slopes of Msinga Hill where they spent the entire morning up to the noon milk feeding time, when they made their way to the big baobab tree.
After the morning milk feed the orphans left the stockade compound almost straight away and headed west of Msinga Hill for their day’s browsing. Ndotto picked up Mudanda for a sparring game along the way, while Pika Pika, Arruba, Ngilai, Rorogoi, Embu and Sagala decided to venture further up the hill than the others to browse. While Mudanda was busy sparring with Ndotto, Suswa took the opportunity and the time to play and bond with Thamana, which she never gets to do if Mudanda is around. Emoli was being very friendly and interacting with Kilulu, while Tagwa kept Juni, Kenderi and Dabida company.
In the afternoon, the orphans rushed down the hill for their noon milk feed. The new orphans Kenderi, Dabida, Akina, Hildana and Kilulu are still quite new to the routine and can be a little confused and aggressive at this feeding time; they need time to fully grasp the concept of coming down in groups for the milk bottles!
Ngilai went to stand by the baobab tree water trough where Juni was drinking next to Mbegu. Rorogoi posed with her foot on the trough while drinking. Suswa, Arruba, Pika Pika and Embu swam in the mud hole thoroughly enjoying the water, but the most playful was certainly Godoma who was splashing water everywhere. Rorogoi went for a dust bath by herself as the rest orphans resumed browsing.
The orphans were hanging out in the stockade compound playing and bonding. Suswa was playing on the ground and was pulling what the Keepers call ‘yoga poses’ – stretching and putting her head on the ground and her bottom in the air showing off, while Ndotto and Mudanda were sparring over by the water trough. Ngilai and Lasayen were enjoying an early morning mud wallow, before Ngilai engaged Lasayen in a wrestling game right there in the water. Lasayen accepted the challenge and the two boys played for quite some time. Mbegu went to sit on a rock to scratch her bottom on the side of the mud wallow before going for a dust bath, while Suswa splashed in the water.
Ex-orphan Mweya’s herd joined the dependent orphans just as they were leaving the compound to head out into the Park for the day, and they spent the morning browsing together.
Later the dependent orphans went back to the compound for their noon milk feed and some lucerne grass supplements. In the afternoon at around 2pm, some of the Keepers were doing their usual patrol when they encountered a very tiny baby in the Kanderi area. It was very skinny no herd or mother could be found in the area, so they immediately mounted a rescue, and the baby was taken to Voi airstrip and was then flown by helicopter to the Nairobi Nursery.
Very sadly, the orphans rescued from Galana and Rukinga on the 10th died, as they were too far gone due to the drought, and their condition was irretrievable.
It was a busy morning today as the orphans were out having their breakfast as the Keepers prepared for yet another rescue operation. We had received a call about two elephants – the first was regarding an adult bull about 30 years of age that needed assistance, as it had collapsed a few miles from Aruba lodge next to Aruba dam. We arrived and administered the drips right away, but unfortunately, he passed away. The Keepers then proceeded to the next call out which was on Mgeno Ranch, to rescue a young elephant that had collapsed. We immediately loaded the elephant onto the vehicle and administered a drip and drove it back to the stockade, but the poor elephant was also too far gone and died the following morning.
It was business as usual for the orphans, however. Lemeki decided to lead the herd the entire morning, under the guidance of the experienced Tamiyoi. Murit and Emoli enjoyed a sparring session which they had missed in the morning as they had decided to head out to browse so early, while Ndotto chose to spar with his good friend Mudanda. The orphans had a quiet afternoon as they chose to concentrate on browsing in these prevailing dry conditions, and we can only pray that rain arrives soon – for all the elephants and wildlife in the area.
It was a chilly morning today, perhaps signaling that rain might be on the way, but we remain ever hopeful. The dependent orphans were out having breakfast. Ex-orphan Mweya somehow managed to sneak off with Hildana, with her baby Mwitu and Eden. Hildana spent some time with them and then the Keepers had to bring him back to the stockades as he still needs milk and had to have his breakfast.
Ngilai enjoyed an early morning dust bath and scratch against the twin tree. Ndotto came to join him on the pile of loose soil, throwing soil on his back and getting it everywhere. Ngilai then decided to go on to the mud wallow and invited Murit, who was already there, to a sparring game. Murit accepted the invitation and the two wrestled inside the mud wallow until it was time for the orphans to leave to begin their day. Arruba was sliding on the edge of the mud wallow at the same time.
Lemeki and Tamiyoi took the lead of the herd out to the browsing grounds, settling to munch on the vegetation at the foot of Msinga Hill overlooking the baobab tree water hole. Ndotto and Mudanda decided to start their sparring match as the orphans were walking out, so they walked and pushed each other at the same time.
Later at the noon milk feed, it was funny to watch Suswa request a milk bottle. At 10 years old, she is far too old for a bottle; perhaps she was just randomly trying her luck!
Ex-orphan Mweya was hanging around the stockade compound with her bay Mwitu early this morning. Tamiyoi and Emoli were playing in the stockade mud wallow, but minutes later Tamiyoi walked away leaving Emoli sitting on the edge of the mud bath, scratching his bottom. Emoli then left too and walked to the red earth piles for a dust bath to dry off. Sagala attempted to get in the mud bath, but she decided to get out as she found the water too cold at that time in the morning.
The orphans left the compound for their daily browsing bush walks, browsing and walking along the side of Msinga Hill. Pika Pika and Arruba decided to walk up the hill together, accompanied by Embu, Rorogoi and Suswa. Mudanda and Thamana browsed together and Godoma came over to join them.
Hildana, Dabida, Kenderi and Akina still like to stick together. Today, Juni, Tagwa, Sagala and Mbegu kept this little group company, browsing together with them at the foot of the hill. Lasayen and Murit enjoyed a sparring game across the open grasslands until it was time for the noon milk feed. They led the way for that feeding, as they were evidently feeling peckish!
The orphans left the compound for the browsing fields and along the way they met up with ex-orphan Mweya and her baby. Arruba decided to spent time with Mweya babysitting Mwitu, while the rest of the orphans went a different route to browse. Later Mweya, Mwitu, and Arruba returned, with Arruba still acting as a nanny towards Mwitu. They rejoined the dependent orphans to browse with them throughout the mid-morning.
At the foot of Msinga Hill, Ngilai and Murit had a wrestling game on the open grasslands. After a short while, when the sparring game ended, Ngilai went to spend time with Ndotto while Murit rolled on the ground and dug at the ground with his tusks.
After the noon milk feed the orphans decided not to go to the mud wallow as the weather was quite chilly, and instead they immediately left to the lucerne feeding area, before resuming browsing on the slopes of Msinga Hill for the rest of the day.
We finally received some rain last night, which we were overjoyed about. For once, the orphans waited patiently to be let out of their stockades, as the milk bottles were still being prepared and the dairy cubes, lucerne pellets, and grass distributed.
The first group to come out to the milk feeding area was Dabida, Thamana, Kenderi, Akina, and Kilulu. They quickly drank up and proceeded over to where some dairy cubes had been put out by the Keepers. Ndotto was having an early morning mud wallow where he was joined by his best friend Lasayen, who was standing just outside. Suswa enjoyed a pile of lucerne pellets all to herself. Later Ngilai walked up to Lasayen who had left the mud bath and was posing over by the terraces where Ngilai greeted him sweetly by patting him with his trunk. Ndotto scratched against the twin trees. When he was done, he walked off to join the rest of the Voi orphans who were done with their breakfast and who were following Tamiyoi, Emoli and Lemeki out to the bush.
It was a very calm morning today as the orphans were out having their morning breakfast routine. Ndotto and Mudanda enjoyed their usual sparring game while Arruba and Pika Pika cuddled over on the loose soil pile. Mbegu fed on some lucerne pellets together with Kenderi and Akina, while Kilulu stayed close to Tamiyoi. Hildana and Dabida are always together these days, and today was no different, as they were enjoying some dairy cubes together over by the feeding trough.
Lemeki set off for the browsing fields with the others following, and they all settled to play and roll around in the erosion gulley at the foot of Msinga Hill. Embu and Mudanda played together in some loose soil, while Lasayen rolled around just by himself in the erosion gulley. Rorogoi, Embu and Tamiyoi were also playing in the same erosion gulley nearby, until Tamiyoi got up and walked off to join Ngilai, leaving Rorogoi and Embu by themselves. Suswa soon joined the herd in the erosion gulley too, while Godoma, Sagala, Hildana and Kenderi kept watch over everyone. While all these orphans had fun playing, Ndotto, Murit and Emoli busied themselves with browsing close by.
The Voi orphans left the stockade compound immediately after finishing their morning breakfast routine and headed north of Msinga Hill. They settled on the open grasslands browsing and playing. Ndotto and his oldest best friend Lasayen were enjoying a sparring game. Suswa was digging down at the ground and rolling in the loose soil she was making. Later she got up to pose on a fallen tree log. Ngilai and Murit were playing and wrestling while rolling around in an erosion gulley having fun together.
Later, after the younger orphans were done with their noon milk feed, Arruba and Rorogoi lay together on the pile of loose soil while Embu stood close by watching over them, until she decided to join them too. The orphans decided just to have some water from the water trough today before resuming browsing for the rest of the afternoon, without having a mud bath.
It was a wonderful morning with the orphan elephants leaving the stockade compound after finishing the milk, range cubes and lucerne grass. As the orphans browsed some light rain fell which was delightful. Suswa and Sagala were so happy they took a break from browsing to roll around in one of the deep erosion trenches, lying down and rolling around in the wet soil. This game attracted nearly all of the others in the herd, who came and spread out on both sides of the trench, enjoying rolling and playing.
Later in the morning after browsing for more than four hours, Ngilai went and sat in a small depression, inviting his friend Murit to a sparring match while he stayed in a sitting down pose.
Ivia and Cheza the buffalos followed the orphan elephants all the way out to the bush today. Their instincts were right, as the lions in the area have moved away in the wake of the recent rain showers. Therefore, it is much safer for Cheza and Ivia to browse out in the bush.
Later in the afternoon Thamana took a break from browsing to lie down on the ground and enjoy a rolling game, which attracted the attention of his old friend Lemeki who came to join him. Thamana soon found himself in a sandwich, with Lemeki on one side and Mudanda — who still rarely lets him out of her sight — on the other.
It was a peaceful morning with Tamiyoi enjoying browsing close to Hildana. Suswa stood close by feeding and watching the two as their heads touched one another affectionately. Lasayen was seen browsing closely with Akina, while Tagwa stayed close to her new favourite baby Dabida.
In the afternoon after the noon milk feed, Embu got down on the ground and started rolling around, showing off to all her friends. Pika Pika and Arruba went together and anchored their bottoms against the baobab tree to have a good scratching session together. Emoli, Mbegu, Godoma, and Tagwa showcased their mud bathing skills, showing off to the many wild zebra and waterbucks surrounding the water hole. Ndotto wasn’t interested in the mud bath as usual, so he skipped that activity and went instead to find his friend Mudanda for a sparring match.
The birds in the stockade compound were making a huge noise this morning, which was delightful as we believe it means more rain is on the way. Finally, it seems like life might be returning to normal after the promising light showers.
The orphans then left the compound to begin their day of browsing out in the Park. After the noon milk feed, Ndotto approached Mudanda to book in a sparring match, but Mudanda snubbed him and instead went to catch up with her darling Thamana, who was already in the water hole enjoying his mud bath.
As it turns out, the birds were right: Later in the afternoon, it started to rain again! Arruba, Embu, and Mudanda stopped browsing to enjoy scratching in the rain against the big rock boulders. Ndotto went about stripping and harvesting some acacia bark and enjoyed feasting on it. Akina and Kenderi chose to scratch against the acacia trees instead amid the rain showers, while Suswa and Murit also enjoyed a scratching session against some rocks.
The orphans later returned to the stockade compound for the evening milk feed, grewia branches put out by the Keepers and the lucerne supplement still provided for them inside their stockades, before going to bed for the night.
The Voi orphans left the stockades for their daily browsing routine. Tamiyoi, Lemeki and Emoli were in the lead. They guided everyone out to the slopes of Msinga Hill, where fresh green shoots are sprouting everywhere. Suswa always seems to be left behind, as she walks alone along the hill, browsing on the green acacia branches.
Later in the day, Mudanda decided to have fun by having a dust bath. Godoma did the same, digging down at the ground with her tiny tusks. Suswa also chose to have a rolling game by herself at the foot of Msinga Hill on the open grasslands, as Ndotto joined Mudanda and they both had a sparring match. The two continued to wrestle as the rest of the orphans got back to browsing. Pika Pika and Arruba chose to leave the rest of the herd and make their way uphill to find new fresh vegetation, as the others stayed lower down.
Hildana chose to stay close to Tagwa today, while Juni spent time with Mbegu, Tamiyoi and Sagala. After the noon milk feed the orphans opted to continue browsing deep in the woods for the rest of the day.
The sun was out today, so it was a bright morning as the orphans went about their usual breakfast routine. They finished their morning milk feed and were hanging about enjoying some dairy cubes and lucerne grass. Ndotto and Mudanda were spotted engaged in their usual wrestling game as Tamiyoi spent time with Juni feeding on the range cubes. While Mudanda is busy sparring, her adopted baby Thamana stuck close to Suswa, much to her delight, as she always enjoys looking after Thamana whenever Mudanda is occupied elsewhere. Hildana, Akina, Kenderi, Kilulu and Dabida were all feeding on range cubes from the feeding trough in the company of Mbegu, Tagwa and Sagala.
The orphans later left the compound for their daily browsing routine, heading to the western side of Msinga Hill towards the baobab tree water hole.
Today the orphans spent their morning browsing on the northern side of the hill. Mudanda and Thamana were leading the way up the hill and Kenderi chose to accompany them too. Dabida and Kilulu stayed at the foot of the hill alongside Murit and Lasayen as they browsed on the leafy acacia branches. Ngilai was spotted poking his tusks at some acacia tree trunks trying to peel off some bark but he wasn’t being very successful. Mbegu came to help him in his attempts and they both ended up patting each other affectionately with their trunks. Embu stood by a large boulder while Murit and Lasayen munched on some delicious acacia branches.
As the orphans made their way back to the stockade for their noon milk feed, Lasayen stopped on the way to play with Emoli on the slope of the hill. Ngilai came over and interrupted, inviting Lasayen to a pushing game which they did by holding each others’ trunks and not letting go. After the milk feed and briefly eating some lucerne pellets, the orphans immediately resumed browsing, spending the afternoon session on the open grasslands.
At around 10am today, our Kaluku HQ received a report about a male elephant calf found collapsed in the Ndara area. Its mother was still there, desperately trying to get her calf back to its feet. By the time the stockade rescue team arrived, its mother had sadly given up hope and left. We administered some drips straight away and loaded the calf into the rescue vehicle to take him back to the Voi stockades, but sadly the baby elephant died after about an hour while still on the second drip.
The orphans were out of their night stockades and relaxing together, bonding and playing before heading out for the day. Some were busy feeding on the lucerne grass while others like Rorogoi and Embu were engaged in an exciting wresting match close to the stockade water trough. Mbegu was sitting down and posing for the Keeper with the camera! Sagala was messing about on her own, climbing up some of the stockade terraces.
Ivia and Cheza the buffaloes linked up with the elephant orphans to browse near the baobab tree waterhole. Ndotto and Ngilai were happy to have some of their old sparring partners back and enjoyed playing with them, even Cheza.
After the noon milk feed, the orphans passed by the compound for some range cubes and lucerne grass. Ngilai, Lasayen, and Pika Pika stood against different rocks enjoying a wonderful scratch, before joining up with their friends leaving the stockade for the bush again.
After the milk feed this morning, the orphans decided to hang around the compound for a while before Tamiyoi led them out for their daily browsing bush walk.
On the open grasslands at the base of the hill, the Voi orphans settled to calmly munch on the grass shoots sprouting after the recent rain. Lasayen flapped his ears to keep cool as he browsed on some acacia shrubs. As he made his way for the noon milk feed, Murit enjoyed a stretch as he crossed an erosion gulley. After having their milk bottles, the orphans made their way down to the baobab tree water hole to drink clean water from the trough. As they had already taken a mud bath in the several small water pans that were now full of rainwater, they decided not to get in the main mud bath and set off to continue browsing. Arruba and Rorogoi enjoyed tossing wet soil on their backs as they browsed.
It was a nice beginning to the day. There were only some brief games on the soil mound before the orphans headed out into the bush. Lasayen sat with his bottom against one of the big boulders enjoying a good scratch, and became the centre of attention to Akina, Kenderi and Hildana who came over to watch his unique scratching style that, for some reason, seemed to intrigue them! Embu went to sort out her itchy neck by rubbing it on a big rock close to the stockade water trough.
Later the orphans made their way halfway up Msinga Hill, where they settled to browse peacefully for most of the day.
After morning milk and supplement feeding, the orphans played some brief games in the compound. Ndotto has been trying to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that he is the most dominant bull in the herd. This morning, Lasayen set about trying to prove him wrong by engaging him in a wrestling match. He proved to be a formidable opponent and sent Ndotto running away! We were quite surprised by the quiet Lasayen’s actions!
Mbegu went over to the big rocks outside the biggest stockade for a scratch, but Godoma got there first and started scratching before her. Dabida and Kenderi were close by and watched the two before joining them to follow the others out to the Park for the day.
Later in the afternoon, the SWT/KWS veterinary unit rescued a female baby elephant whose mother had collapsed in the Ndara area.