Keepers' Diaries, October 2005
Ithumba Reintegration Unit
Although a year has passed since the rabid dog episode traumatised five of the Ithuma elephants, the sudden appearance of a domestic dog out in the bush as the elephants were feeding on the 11th left the group exceedingly nervous for a few days, exacerbated by a visit to the Stockade Watering trough the next night by some noisy hyaenas, and a few days later by a casual encounter with a jackal busy stalking a dikdik couple near the Stockades. Understandably, the orphans will forever remain extremely scared by the appearance of anything that resembles a member of the canine family, and such encounters this month left the entire group feeling very threatened for several days, prompting them to cluster around their Keepers for protection during the ensuing days. As usual, Napasha has found himself in trouble several times for bullying Yatta’s favourite, Olmalo. Having tried to mount Olmalo during the night of the 1st October, Yatta’s punishment left him limping the next morning, but as he nursed his injured limb, Mulika and Nasalot remained close by to console him, gently touching the sore leg with their trunks. However, a few days of deep heat treatment administered by the Keepers restored him to his usual boisterous self, and soon he was up to his old pranks all over again!. The month has alternated between being very hot, forcing Ndomot, Sunyei and Madiba to draw on reserves of stomach water in order to cool themselves, and cool period with intermittent light showers, culminating in a heavy rainstorm towards the end of the month. The orphans have loved playing in the puddles, and rolling in the damp earth, and during hot days have loved their noon mudbath. Galana is now happily settled in her new home, and the Ithumba ten are a very happy and close-knit unit, the only drawback being the inability to yet make contact with any wild elephants. Yatta led the group along a trail used by a wild elephant the previous night, but failed to make contact. The orphans would love to encounter other elephants, but the wild elephants’ fear of humans remains a serious drawback to the reintegration of the Ithumba set. Ndomot and Madiba are close friends, Ndomot also Galana’s best friend. Sunyei and Wendi are once again as close as during their time together in the Nursery and Taita and Tomboi are bound by bonds of friendship, albeit also competitive, being little boys. It is heartening to read that Ndomot is beginning to challenge them and hone his pushing skills. . Selengai still enjoys the privileged status of being Mulika’s chosen favourite, and, of course, Olmalo and Yatta are inseparable. Woe betide anyone who interferes with Olmalo, something that Napasha mischievously finds irresistible. Taita has also found himself punished and sent into Coventry for a time by Yatta for chasing Olmalo round and round a tree in an attempt to mount her.
01 October 2005
Whilst the orphans walked to take water from their trough this morning, we noticed that Napasha was limping, having been disciplined by Yatta after he tried to mount her favourite Olmalo during the night. We sprayed his leg with deep heat, and the orphans fed close by. Mulika and Nasalot, sensing that Napasha was slightly injured, empathized with him by feeding near him, and touching his affected leg with their trunks. Napasha spent most of the time under shade, and refused to walk far, although Mulika and Nasalot tried to persuade him to follow. However after 2 days of deep heat treatment, he was again in fine fettle, and up to racing for his bottle of milk again!
02 October 2005
The orphans were very happy today, because it looked as though rain would fall. They enjoyed a soil bath near a warthog burrow, when Taita knocked down Olmalo. This annoyed Yatta, who sent him off. At the mudbath Ndomot and Madiba remained behind the others and benefited from the watery mud they splashed over themselves
03 October 2005
Kinna and Nasalot led the group to browse today and ran into a bunch of baboons. Without hesitation they both charged, trumpeting, something that drew the attention of the entire unit, who joined in the chase, sending the baboons up trees. The orphans then returned to their Keepers.
04 October 2005
Yatta led the orphans towards the West today. Taita tried to mount onto Selengai in a thicket of bush, but she took cover near Mulika. The larger orphans had a spectacular mudbath, whilst the younger set concentrated on a soil bath.
05 October 2005
The day’s fun and games were initiated by Taita and Tomboi in a pushing game. They were joined by Ndomot who was eager to hone his pushing tactics and exchanged shoves with Tomboi. Madiba spotted a rock hyrax, who was enjoying the morning sunshine on top of a boulder and he charged it, tossing his trunk in the air. The hyrax screamed and this scared Madiba, who took to his heels, charging and trumpeting, knocking down bushes as he hastened to join the others. Sunyei and Selengai enjoyed a game during the wallow.
06 October 2005
Early in the morning, having taken water, the orphans spent time scratching themselves on the nearby rocks, waiting for their Keepers to lead them into the Park. At l0 a.m. a tough fight broke out between Taita and Wendi over a piece of grass secured by Taita which Wendi wanted. Taita stood up to Wendi, and won the prize! Later he enjoyed a game with Sunyei.
07 October 2005
The orphans gambolled ahead of the Keepers on their way out this morning. They had a marvellous mudwallow today, and then walked far afield before resting under shade. Napasha angered Yatta by chasing Olmalo round the tree in an attempt to mount her. She grabbed his tail, which made him bellow and remove himself. He grumbled at a distance, but was not allowed back due to his mis-conduct.
08 October 2005
Yatta took the group to the southeast along the slopes of Ithumba mountain, where Sunyei, Madiba, Ndomot, Galana, Wendi and Kinna spent a fun time soil dusting themselves in loose earth near an aardvark hole. After the mudbath Napasha, Wendi and Galana enjoyed a joyful moment rubbing themselves against rocks.
09 October 2005
At 6.30 a.m. Olmalo and Selengai encountered a mother lesser kudu with a small baby. They drove them away by charging and trumpeting, which drew the attention of all the others, who joined in. At 9 a.m. Taita amused us by demolishing an anthill, and as he knelt down to dust himself, he was mounted by Tomboi. Just before leaving for the mudbath, Wendi indulged in a rolling game. Tomboi saw his chance and tried to mount onto her back. Because it was very hot, the orphans thoroughly enjoyed their mudbath.
10 October 2005
Two warring baboons scared the orphans this morning when they ran right through the group, leaving them highly disturbed, trumpeting and screaming. Sunyei and Wendi rushed back to their Keepers for protection, whilst the other youngsters sheltered alongside the older orphans. The mudbath was spectacular, since it was a hot day. In the evening Madiba and Ndomot had a trial of strength in a pushing game which was short lived because Galana intervened on the side of her friend, Ndomot.
11 October 2005
The big orphans stood aside to allow the youngsters out first. They all went to the water trough for a drink. Just before l0 a.m., a domestic dog appeared out of the bush which frightened the orphans greatly. The Keepers mobilized to deal with it, but it disappeared into the thickets, but reappeared a few minutes later. The Big Orphans were very reluctant to engage it, recalling the incident a year previously when they were attacked by a rabid dog in their Night Stockade. After the mudbath, the same dog appeared again, but then disappeared again rapidly. The orphans were very nervous all day, remaining close to their Keepers.
12 October 2005
Tension was high this morning following the encounter with the dog yesterday, and because hyaenas came to drink at the Stockade in the dead of night. The Keepers did their best to calm the elephants, but they remained nervous throughout the day.
13 October 2005
The Keepers led the orphans northwards along a dense valley between rocky hills. Sunyei, Madiba, Ndomot, Galana and Wendi kept close to the Keepers following the recent hyaena and dog scare. At the mudbath Napasha, Olmalo, Sunyei and Galana enjoyed a dramatic rolling game together.
14 October 2005
When the orphans were drinking having left the Stockade, they were scared by a jackal which was ambushing two dikdiks. Wendi and Sunyei steered the babies rapidly back to the Stockade, rumbling and screaming, followed by the Big Orphans, who were also disturbed. The elephants calmed down once they were well away in their feeding area.
15 October 2005
Olmalo and Sunyei enjoyed a pushing game today out in the feeding area. At the mudbath Madiba, Sunyei, Galana and Selengai led the way in wallowing.
16 October 2005
A midnight visit by the hyaenas, who again came to drink at the Stockades, making a laughing sound, sent shivers down the elephants’ spines. They rumbled loudly for help, and the Keepers came out to drive the hyaenas off. In the morning, all the elephants were very scared, recalling the midnight intruders. The elephants actively mud-wallowed since it was very hot, and later Kinna and Taita enjoyed a pushing game. Taita did his best to overcome Kinna, but had no chance.
17 October 2005
Yatta led the group Eastwards, communicating in a low tone. At l0 a.m. Wendi and Taita engaged each other. Later, all headed hastily to the mudbath, because it was very hot.
18 October 2005
At 6.45 a.m., Sunyei and Madiba had a playful moment charging and chasing off 2 dikdiks that they happened upon. All the elephants were very joyful today, pushing one another on their way out to the feeding grounds. They had a wonderful mudbath, Napasha, Olmal, Sunyei and Galana putting their heads into the water. Tomboi saw his chance and tried to mount onto Sunyei but Wendi pushed him away.
19 October 2005
At 8 a.m. Yatta and Mulika met up with a male lesser kudu, whom they chased off, trumpeting and knocking down bushes in the process and reinforced by the entire unit. The orphans had a prolonged mudbath today because it was very hot, resting under shade until it cooled down a bit.
20 October 2005
This morning Yatta led the group following a trail used by a wild elephant during the night. Wendi and Galana became embroiled in a pushing game, which Napasha interrupted to engage Wendi. At milk time Ndomot pushed Madiba off his bottle, and got warned by the Keepers.
21 October 2005
Cloudy conditions prevailed in the morning, as the Big Orphans urged the babies to hurry along to the feeding grounds. There they all browsed happily, the youngsters enjoying branches pulled down by the bigger elephants. They were disturbed by some rowdy baboons which forced them to retreat to their Keepers for protection.
22 October 2005
It was a cool morning with light showers, which the orphans greatly enjoyed as they went about their business. They only took their milk and water at the mudbath because it was cool.
23 October 2005
Another cool morning, enjoyed by the orphans. Selengai kicked Galana away from a green branch she had secured from Mulika, knowing it was meant for her because she is Mulika’s favourite baby. Yatta, Mulika, Kinna, Selengai and Olmalo enjoyed a joint dustbath,taking advantage of a collapsed anthill.
24 October 2005
Leaving the Stockades today, Sunyei, Madiba, Tomboi and Wendi walked shoulder to shoulder with their Keepers, nervous to lead the way. At 11 a.m. Nasalot and Napasha had an exciting moment, but Napasha decided against challenging Nasalot who is more powerful. They all enjoyed an extended mudbath.
25 October 2005
The orphans enjoyed soil dusting with earth dampened by a shower during the night. Heavy rainclouds gathered, and it was so hot that the orphans spent a long time in the mudbath.
26 October 2005
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, the rain came and the elephants enjoyed every moment as they left the Stockade, skidding on the wet ground. At 9 a.m. the rain stopped, and sunny intervals appeared. Wendi and the younger set spent the entire day playing in the puddles.
27 October 2005
Yatta led her group Eastwards to feed along a river line with plenty of pasture. Taita and Tomboi enjoyed a pushing game, won by Taita. It was too cool for a mudbath today, and in any case, the orphans had been doing little else all day! They enjoyed their milk and a drink of water only at mudbath time.
28 October 2005
In the early morning, the smaller elephants played pushing matches with one another. Sunyei was leading the orphans to the mudbath when she encountered 2 dikdiks who were treated to a charge, Sunyei backed up by all the others. All entered the mudbath highly charged, and enjoyed a wonderful wallow because it was hot, after which Yatta and Napasha had a pushing game, while all the others concentrated on feeding.
29 October 2005
Soon after leaving the Stockade in the morning, Wendi, Sunyei and Tomboi were scared by 2 dikdiks who were near the drinking trough. They retreated rapidly, rumbling, after which Yatta went to investigate but found the dikdiks gone. Because it was cloudy, the elephants chose not to mudbath today. Ndomot and Galana enjoyed an exciting pushing match which was interrupted by Tomboi, who chased Galana all round the bushes, trying to mount her. His behaviour was short lived, because the Keepers warned him!
30 October 2005
The weather was overcast, promising rain. Yatta and the Keepers led the orphans East to a place where food was plentiful. Taita and Tomboi engaged each other in a pushing match, which was won by Taita. Sunyei and Madiba enjoyed rolling over Kinna as she lay in the mudbath.