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We were visited by a mixed group of ex-orphans including, Kilaguni, Zurura, Tumaren, Narok and Chaimu this morning. They came early and waited for the orphans to come out and join them for Lucerne. Zurura has been away for some time and it was nice to see him; he joined the others after having arrived alone. Kilaguni and Chaimu are always together, Tumaren is always with Olare's group and Narok is usually with Bomani and Orwa. The orphans came out after having their milk and started interacting with the ex-orphans who were around. Sapalan and Namalok started play fighting after they were done eating their supplements. Mapia scratched his neck on the wall and started patting Naseku with his trunk. 

We have had some rain but we are still waiting for all the vegetation to grow lush and plentiful again and we watched as Lemoyian stretched his trunk high to reach the green leaves high in the trees. Kilaguni and the whole ex-orphan group followed the dependent orphans in the bush and stayed with them the whole day. The orphans walked to the mud bath just before 11am to have their milk bottles.

It was a hot day today and the majority of the orphans walked into the water to swim. They swam from one side to the other in a line led by Pare. Zuzura was also with them in the water hole. They walked out and walked straight back out to the bush to browse for the afternoon.

All the orphans browed quietly to have enough food and when they walked back to the stockades later in the evening, they came across a water point on the road and started playing in it to cool down. Garzi and Kilaguni started play-fighting, with Sapalan and Turkwel enjoying the mud bath in the pool separately. The two groups made their own way back home. 

This morning we were visited by the same ex-orphans who were here yesterday. They slept on the slope of the hill behind the Keepers kitchen and came to see the dependent orphans again in the morning. It was Kilaguni, Chaimu, Tumaren, Narok, Orwa and Bomani who decided to visit us again today. They came down to the Lucerne feeding area after the orphans had finished their bottles of milk and came out of their stockades. Kamok and Olsekki started scratching their neck and bottom respectively. Tusuja and Sapalan started play fighting while Enkikwe joined his friends after his daily treatment on his leg. Chaimu was busy feeding on Lucerne with the dependent orphans, and later the whole group walked to the bush to browse.

All the orphans looked very busy all morning as they searched for enough browse to fill their tummies. Kamok was stretching high in the trees. Enkikwe was not left behind and was actively browsing too. The group later walked to the mud bath for their milk. When they finished their bottles they walked straight to have some water from the water trough while the water bowser was still pouring water in. It was not very hot so the orphans didn't feel like going in the mud hole except for Wanjala and Rapa who were the only ones who went in the water and started playing vigorously with each other; the other orphans all just walked around the water hole and didn’t go inside. The two groups later walked back out to the bush to browse.

Later in the evening on the way back to the stockades, the orphans came to the same water puddle they usually come across and they all stopped and started playing in it. Chaimu was the most playful with Kilaguni as they were rolling around in it energetically. Orwa was on the road but rolling in the dust instead. The orphans were led back home by Enkikwe. They all followed him to the stockades with Keepers closely behind.

This morning the orphans had their milk and walked out of their respective stockades to have some Lucerne. It was cold and they were not very active today. Kithaka and Siangiki started scratching their bottoms on the wall while Ndiwa was feeding on Lucerne and storing some on her head and behind her ears for later, wearing it like a hat. The others were busy feeding on Lucerne but later they all started taking off to the bush to browse.

It is still quite dry as we await more rain but there are few places which are greener than others and that is where the orphans obviously like to browse. Later they walked to the mud bath for their milk bottles.

At the mud bath, two wild bulls shared water with the orphans without bullying them or chasing them away. Tomboi also arrived and shared water from the same trough as the orphans. Kilaguni and Chaimu also came in to drink water and later walked to the mud hole to play. It was very cloudy and the dependent Ithumba babies didn’t want to swim, so they just walked around the mud hole without setting foot in it. Kilaguni and Chaimu also didn’t get in directly but were splashing mud on their bodies while standing at the edge. The orphans later walked back out to the bush.

As the orphans were browsing this afternoon it started to drizzle. This made the orphans very happy and they started playing around, with Pare and Naseku playing and rolling on the ground and scooping soil and throwing it in the air. The others were busy playing around too. Later in the evening they walked back home happy after having received some rain. 

It was a quiet morning today when the orphans woke up and came out of their rooms after having their milk bottles. Mteto was leading the younger group and Maramoja was leading the middle group. Some walked directly to the water trough and some to the lucerne feeding area. Kilaguni and Chaimu came to join them. The two looked happy to share Lucerne with babies. Chaimu was sharing with Mundusi and Mteto and then she walked to the water trough to drink water with Ambo. 

Later when the orphans were browsing, Rapa was scratching his neck on a tree while Oltaiyoni drank rain water from the rocks. We had some rain last night and the elephants were very happy drinking water everywhere in the bush.

At mud bath after having their bottles, the orphans walked around the main mud bath to the smaller mud hole a short distance away, and started playing in that instead – perhaps because the water was warmer there. The orphans browsed for the rest of the afternoon and happily played in the mud all over the place, and later in the evening Turkwel led them back home for their milk. We recorded 16 mm of rain today and we are hoping for more soon.

We were visited by Kilaguni and Chaimu again today in the early morning. They went down to the Lucerne feeding area to wait for the orphans to come out and share with them. Esampu and Galla led their respective groups out of their stockades after their bottle of milk. Kamok started sharpening her tusks on a rock and rubbing her eyes. The orphans walked to the water trough to drink water and then they all walked out to the bush, together with Kilaguni and Chaimu.

As they were all busy browsing, Barsilinga was spotted climbing on a rock to reach some green branches. Enkikwe was being funny and rolling around in the dust waiting for all the orphans to walk to the mud bath for their milk bottles. They came across a puddle of rain water on their way and most of the orphans started playing in it. 

After their bottles, they felt the main mud bath was too cold and none of the orphans bothered to play in it, they all just walked back out to browse. Very little green shoots have just started sprouting which the orphans love to eat. Pare and Namalok were sucking rain water from the rocks as they felt thirsty, the rest were busy searching for food. Later, Sapalan and Namalok led the herd back home in the evening. Barsilinga, Kithaka Garzi and Lemoyian were left behind and came from a different direction an hour later. We had no proper rain today but little drizzle.