Keepers' Diaries, October 2009
Ithumba Reintegration Unit
Prior to the first substantial rain which fell during the night of the 15th, and continued for just two days, releasing the wild elephant community from their dependence on the stockade water trough, wild elephant female family units with calves were beginning to appear regularly to drink at the stockade water trough, last month for the first time during daylight hours. This month family units arriving at the stockade water trough to drink have not been uncommon, which is a very recent and welcome development for the North. In fact, up until recently female herds were few and far between in the Northern part of Tsavo, but they are now beginning to venture in and recolonize an area they abandoned in the late seventies due to the pressure of wholesale poaching. It is interesting that when a family group consisting of 4 adult females, 2 sub-adults and 2 small calves came to drink on the lst, they were greeted very warmly by Loijuk who rushed up to them, but also that our orphans gave them priority at the water trough only drinking themselves after the wild herd had taken their fill. The Keepers were sure that the orphans were aware that the wild herd’s need was greater on that particular day during the height of the drought, probably having come from afar.
01 October 2009
As the orphans were leaving their Night Stockades, a family unit of 4 adults, 2 sub adults and 2 small calves appeared from the western side of the stockade. Loijuk rushed to welcome the wild herd. Our group then stood aside, scratching themselves against the rocks, to allow the wild elephants priority at the water trough, as though knowing that the wild herd had walked a very long way in search of the precious commodity - water. Once the wild elephants had taken their fill, our orphans then took theirs before leaving for the browsing fields where Loijuk, Lenana, Chyulu and Makena enjoyed a dust bath in some loose soil.
At around 4 p.m. Yatta’s group accompanied by Rafiki and a wild friend came to drink at the Stockades. Wendi and her group did not show up today.
02 October 2009
Naserian led the orphans out to browse on a hot morning, the sun scorching the landscape and its wild inhabitants and driving the orphans under shade. All thoroughly enjoyed a prolonged mudbath before continuing to browse during the afternoon. At around 2 p.m. Ol Malo came to the Stockade alone from the eastern side to take water, joined by Challa minutes later, who came to join her, appearing from the western side. Later the two left together heading north.
03 October 2009
Much to everyone’s amazement, today the weavers arrived and perched in the acacias surrounding the stockades. Listening to their melodies were 2 wild elephants and members of Yatta’s group who had arrived at dawn and were waiting for the Keepers to turn on the water. The Keeper dependent orphans joined Yattas group as soon as they were let out, and all the elephants then left together, although the wild elephants left the orphans once at the browsing area. Yatta’s group spent the entire day with the Juniors.
04 October 2009
Loijuk, Sian and Makena led the Juniors out to feed today, interrupted when Kamboyo and Kenze engaged one another in a brief pushing game which was broken up by the intervention of Kora. Once at the browsing area the orphans were joined by Yatta’s group and a wild friend. Ol Malo was missing. At 11 a.m. the entire group headed for the mudbath area. Ol Malo and Challa came to drink at the stockades at noon before heading eastward. Yatta led the orphaned group to the Kalovoto seasonal river where they browsed until it was time to return in the evening.
05 October 2009
The orphans swung their trunks from side to side as they moved to the stockade trough for water. Sian led the group out today, leaving Kora and Kamboyo at the trough, and Zurura scratching himself against a nearby tree. At the mudbath, Loijuk would have liked more milk, but left rumbling when there was none, and Naserian began to lead the orphans in the direction of the Kalovoto river area to feed for the remainder of the day.
06 October 2009
Yatta and her group were waiting at the stockade compound at dawn for the orphans to be let out and for the Keepers to turn on the water at the stockade trough. All then rushed to drink. Loijuk, Lenana, Makena and Chyulu then led the Juniors out, leaving Yatta’s group (minus Ol Malo) at the compound. Once in the field, Naserian’s group of Juniors was joined by Sunyei and Challa (who are normally in Wendi’s group, who must have been in the vicinity). At l0 a.m. Ol Malo came to the stockade for water alone. At mudbath, the Juniors were joined by the rest of Wendi’s group who remained with the youngsters until 3 p.m., before deciding to part company, leaving Sunyei and Challa behind to spend the rest of the day with the youngsters, and return with them to the stockades in the evening.
07 October 2009
Lenana scratched herself against the unloading bay while Chyulu opted for a tree before the Juniors left, having all taken water in the morning. Mist covered Ithumba hill on a cool morning, so the orphans set about feeding, un-deterred by the drought. After the mudbath, the orphans returned to browse for the rest of the day around Ithumba hill.
08 October 2009
Having quenched their thirst in the morning Naserian led the Juniors out in single file to feed along the slopes of Ithumba hill. At the mudbath, the orphans had a lot of fun, Loijuk, Lualeni and Makena rolling around and splashing water on each other. After a nice soil dusting session, the Juniors returned to the serious business of browsing before returning to the stockades in the evening.
09 October 2009
Again mist covered Ithumba hill this morning, making for a cool day, so the orphans browsed close to the stockades before heading to the slopes of the hill. At 11 a.m., as the Juniors were heading towards their mudbath, Yatta’s group showed up at the stockade water trough. Yatta’s group then met up with the Juniors later in the afternoon, and returned with them to the stockades in the evening.
10 October 2009
Two wild elephants were at the stockade water trough first thing in the morning and were joined by the orphans as soon as they were let out. After one of the wild visitors had left, Lenana led the Juniors out to browse along with the remaining wild visitor, who was with them all morning, as well as at the noon mudbath, led there by Makena. After enjoying a wallow and a dustbath, the group headed back to the browsing area for the remainder of the day before returning to the Night Stockades in the evening.
11 October 2009
At 9 a.m. Wendi’s group accompanied by a group of wild elephants visited the new mudbath water trough for a drink before leaving, heading towards the Imenti waterhole area. Meanwhile the Juniors were browsing until the heat drove them under shade, gradually moving towards the mudbath. Having thoroughly enjoyed a prolonged mudbath and a drink from the new mudbath trough, the Juniors enjoyed sliding along the banks of the Kalovoto river, where they spent the afternoon.
12 October 2009
It was a chilly morning, so the orphans entered the browsing fields in a jovial and playful mood. At 8 a.m. Yatta brought her group to the stockade water trough. Wendi brought her group late in the evening, when the Juniors were already in their Stockades for the night.
13 October 2009
Yatta’s group was at the stockades at dawn and were joined by the Juniors as soon as they emerged in the morning. Having taken water, all then headed out to feed together, but parted ways shortly before 9 a.m. Meanwhile, back at the stockades, a wild family unit with 2 small calves came to drink at the trough. At l0 a.m. Challa who is normally with Wendi’s group, came to join the Juniors, and accompanied them to the mudbath, where all enjoyed a dustbath as well before returning to browse for the remainder of the day. Challa came back with the juniors to the stockades, where he linked up with some wild elephants who were drinking there at the time, and left in amongst them later.
14 October 2009
On another cloudy morning, the orphans warmed themselves up by indulging in pushing and playing games as others scratched themselves against trees and rocks. Out in the browsing area Kamboyo challenged Kenze to a pushing game and tried his best to win, but for him it didn’t work out, so he had to surrender and return to browsing instead.
15 October 2009
It drizzled with rain overnight, so the orphans did not bother to drink at the stockade trough, but instead left immediately for the field. Since it was still cool at noon, none of the orphans opted for a mudbath, but instead enjoyed soil dusting. Shortly before 5 p.m. the Juniors were joined by Challa, who, like Ol Malo, came alone. He walked back with them to the stockades, took water, and then headed eastwards, which is usually the direction taken by Ol Malo. Soon afterwards a heavy downpour of rain arrived, followed by a prolonged light shower.
16 October 2009
The overnight rain left rainfilled puddles over the landscape, and mudbaths everywhere, all of which provided the Juniors with a lot of fun throughout the day. On the way back home in the evening Makena mounted onto Loijuk who was lying down to roll in the damp soil. The rain has released the ex orphans from the stockade water source, and with water everywhere, it is probably time for them to explore further afield. None of them showed up at the stockades today.
17 October 2009
Again the Juniors had a wonderful time in all the new mud wallows and rainfilled pools, turning the bright red colour of the earth.
18 October 2009
It was still raining in the morning, having started at mid-night. The Juniors enjoyed every moment, skidding around on the wet ground, and taking a mudbath in every waterhole they came across, including the roadsides, so none of them were interested in their usual mudbath, but only in their noon milk ration!
19 October 2009
On a cloudy morning, Yatta’s group emerged from the western side of the stockades to join the Juniors who were still relaxing in the compound. Missing as usual from Yatta’s group was Ol Malo. Yatta’s group then began playing with the Juniors, sliding around and bumping into one another deliberately, Taita and Napasha engaging one another in a pushing match which saw Napasha emerge the victor. At about 2 p.m. Yatta’s group separated from the Youngsters and headed in a southerly direction, leaving the Juniors with their Keepers.
20 October 2009
It drizzled with rain during the night, so the Juniors headed straight out to feed this morning. They were joined briefly at the mudbath and milk venue by Yatta’s group who emerged from a westerly direction, but parted soon afterwards. Wendi’s group has not been seen for several days, although Challa appeared suddenly and joined up with the Juniors as they were on their way back to the stockades. Later Challa left the compound heading eastwards, which is usually the direction taken by Ol Malo.
21 October 2009
On a chilly morning the orphans entered the feeding grounds in a playful mood, enjoying smearing themselves with mud. Kora encouraged all to join him in a full blown mudbath ahead of going to the usual venue. Only Sian opted out, but later amazed the Keepers when she opted to enjoy a mudbath alone when the others were some distance away. Like Ol Malo, Sian is a weak elephant, and the Keepers were afraid she might get stuck in the mud, but she got to her feet without difficulty, showing that she can take care of herself!
22 October 2009
The orphans emerged in a happy mood, and having played around the compound for a while, headed out, led by Sian with Kora trailing. All the elephants thoroughly enjoyed the new green shoots emerging from all sides. They also enjoyed a spectacular wallow today before returning to feed.
23 October 2009
The sky was clear after just 2 days of rain which had begun to turn the country green again. Today, the orphans enjoyed wallowing in a natural mudbath as they headed out in the morning, Kora, Lenana, Makena, Loijuk and Chyulu spending a long time there long after the others had resumed their feeding journey.
24 October 2009
Although it threatened rain this morning, the heavy clouds were swept away by wind, and the day turned hot, but the orphans were un-deterred by the state of the weather. They enjoyed their noon milk feed when it was noticed that one of Sian’s teeth on the upper jaw which had a hole in it had come out, and another one from the lower jaw was in the process of being pushed out by the next set.
25 October 2009
The song of the weaver birds welcomed the morning as the orphans left for the browsing field. Ever since the rain the wild elephants have been absent from the stockade compound. Only Mgeni who is part of Yatta’s group showed up with Wendi and some of the ex orphans to join the Juniors at their noon mudbath, and accompany them afterwards to the slopes of Ithumba hill where they browsed until the evening. Upon arrival back at the stockade, the ex orphaned group comprised of Wendi, Mgeni, Taita, Challa, Sunyei and Madiba headed eastwards having taken water.
26 October 2009
Having quenched their thirst, Naserian led the Juniors back to the slopes of Ithumba hill where they browsed until it was time for the noon mudbath. After the mudbath, it turned very hot, so the orphans relaxed under shade waiting for temperatures to drop so that they could browse their way back in the evening.
27 October 2009
As soon as the orphans were let out in the morning, Loijuk and Chyulu rushed to the water trough to quench their thirst and chase a flock of guinea fowl who happened to be passing nearby, and who had to take to the trees! Later Sian and Lualeni led the other orphans to the browsing field where they fed calmly until Makena led them to their noon mudbath venue. In the evening Makena led them again back home.
28 October 2009
Loijuk, Sian and Zurura led the group out today heading for the Kanziku area. At l0 a.m. it became very hot, so all the elephants had to flap their ears to try and cool their bodies. Consequently, they all participated fully in the mudbath today.
29 October 2009
On another hot morning, today the orphans split into two groups having left the stockades, one group led by Sian which chose to browse near the stockades, and the other group led by Naserian who opted to scratch against nearby rocks. Later the two groups reunited and browsed calmly throughout the morning until the mudbath time. After the mudbath there was another division, the milk dependent group remaining with their Keepers whilst the rest, led by Naserian, went to feed further afield. In the evening Naserian, Kora, Zurura and Kamboyo were reluctant to go back into their stockade, and it took the Keepers a lot of persuading to entice them back inside. This gave the Keepers a clear signal that these orphans felt that it was time for them to become Keeper independent like their Seniors.
30 October 2009
Although the vegetation has turned green after two days of rain, more rain is needed to prevent it drying out again. Today the orphans settled for the Kanziku area to feed and at 11 a.m. headed for the mudbath after which Sian led the group to the slopes of Ithumba hill. Back at the stockades in the evening, the same drama as yesterday developed, Kora, Naserian and Zurura refusing to go into their usual stockade, but instead waiting outside to join Yatta’s group who came to the compound. The Keepers left the Stockade Gages ajar in case the Junior individuals changed their mind, but instead they followed Yatta’s group when they left the compound and never reappeared during the night.
31 October 2009
In the morning the Keepers expected to find Naserian, Kamboyo and Kora waiting outside the stockades, but they were not there! Perhaps this is a new life for them in the wild, but we will have to just wait and see. The Keeper dependent Juniors left the stockade as usual and began browsing close by, joined by Wendi’s group at 8 a.m, amongst whom were Naserian, Zurura and Kora. The two groups spent the entire day together. At noon it began to drizzle with rain, so the orphans all enjoyed sliding around in the wet slippery soil. The drizzle stopped at 1 p.m. and resumed again at 4 p.m. as the orphans were making their way back to the Stockades. This time Kamboyo decided to spend the night out with his friends in Wendi’s group, who were heading eastwards without stopping at the stockade compound while the younger orphans were eager to return to their night quarters.