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This morning, Enkesha and Kiasa seemed to be in disagreement over who took care of Mwana. Enkesha clearly had a plan to take charge, but Kiasa also demanded a chance. Although they are friends, they sometimes bicker over Mwana duties. Humble Enkesha won the fight, as Kiasa gave up when she realised how determined her opponent was. Sonje came over and tried to reconcile the two girls. Meanwhile, Zongoloni took advantage of the distraction to try to claim Mwana for herself — only to find that the baby had already gone with Murera into the bushes! 

Mwashoti found a lovely stick, which he used to scratch his chest. Watching her older friend, Amali also picked up a stick and started to do the same thing. We have noticed that Amali is very observant and clever.

Today was too hot, forcing most of the babies to seek shade. Whenever a baby attempted to venture out to pick some soft branches to eat, the others rushed back to bring them to the shade. At midday, it was mandatory for all of them to go to the waterhole, and of course they were led by Mwana. Enkesha and Kiasa were the leading nannies at the front, showing the others which waterhole they wanted to swim in. However, today, the larger waterhole was left unattended by the orphans after the Keepers realised that a wild bull was taking a swim in it. The Keepers then persuaded the babies to go to the smaller waterhole, although Mwana was initially reluctant. Eventually, she too got into the water after seeing Amali, Kapei, and their friends swimming.

Faraja and Alamaya moved to the dust bath pile after their mud bath, wanting to cover themselves with fine dust. However, when Lima Lima, Enkesha, and Quanza attempted to do the same, they found that the dust had become too hot, and none of them could apply it to their bodies.

Later, Murera arrived with Mwana and Sonje, but upon realising that the dust was too hot, Mwana decided to forgo the activity. The elephants then moved to the shaded area, with Mwana leading the way, heading directly for the cool dust pile beneath the trees. This cooler dust was a better choice for Mwana to dust herself, and all the others joined their friends in using this cool dust to coat their bodies. When the other orphans discovered that the smaller dust pile was cooler than the previous one, those with long and strong tusks began digging the soil to uncover more dust.

A middle-aged bull with very long tusks infiltrated the herd, causing discord amongst the orphans. He specifically targeted Faraja, attempting to separate him from the herd. Once successful, he approached Sonje, trying to establish a friendship. However, Sonje anticipated his intentions and refused to befriend the bull. 

Witnessing the bull pursuing Sonje, the rest of the herd decided to gather the babies and relocate. Unfortunately, Kapei, unaware of the situation, attempted to approach the bull. He found himself alone temporarily, but Enkesha saved the day and escorted him back to the herd, who was already on the top of Umani hills.

However, the challenges continued as four giant bulls appeared on the hilltop. Murera, along with the other nannies, had no escape route. Sonje, Quanza, and Murera decided to remain with the wild bulls, and everyone browsed calmly together. We believe that Quanza might know them from her wild adventures, and perhaps she communicated to the orphans that there was no need to flee. The relationship between the orphaned elephants and the wild bulls has improved, although Mwana and Amali like to keep their distance from any visitors.

Wild bulls arrived ahead of the herd, knowing they would exit from the stockades after a night of rest. As the elephants prepared to join their ex-orphan friends, two giant wild bulls positioned themselves by the gate. Murera and her baby, Mwana, noticed the unfamiliar presence and halted. Mwana raised her small ears in curiosity and waited for Enkesha to join her.

The female friends trickily pushed the junior boys, Kiombo and Maktao, toward the wild bulls, wanting to see what their reaction would be. The interaction did not go well for Maktao and Kiombo, as the visitors promptly send them packing. 

Faraja and Alamaya may seem big to us, but they are tiny in comparison to the size of the wild bulls and unable to match their impressive tusks. Understandably, the boys were hesitant to intervene. Even Faraja, who is constantly trying to assert his size and status, was unwilling to confront the wild bulls. Perhaps he realised that what he had bragged about were merely small tusks in comparison.

Some of the nannies had a morning breakfast meeting today to discuss their plan to handle baby Mwana. Poor Murera had a challenging night trying to keep up with her baby's demands for milk, and the nannies knew that she needed rest. Kiasa and Enkesha convened the meeting, with Lima Lima and Quanza in attendance. While they looked after Mwana, Murera had a peaceful morning with Mwashoti.

Sonje and Faraja, who were returning from the Umani hills, arrived later. When they reached the waiting area where the other babies were under the shades, Faraja attempted to pull Sonje back using her tail. She screamed for help, prompting the younger girls to demand an explanation from Faraja. Kiasa, Amali, and Quanza stopped and expressed their disbelief at his actions. They decided not to let Faraja join them in the bushes, expressing their displeasure with his behaviour.

After the midday bottles today, the orphans walked to the waterhole to drink while waiting for Murera, who was moving slowly. They wanted to ask her permission on the direction to take. However, before Murera could join them, Mwana, accompanied by Amali and Enkesha, headed to the large swimming pool. The baby was given some time to cool off after drinking water with the other babies.

Murera arrived last and found that the baby and her companions had already left for the dust pile. Amali, Mwana, and Kiasa went to the top of the hills and began rolling downwards, encouraging the older orphans to join in the dusting fun. Play continued until Sonje and Murera came for the babies.

When Murera and Sonje arrived, they both rested over the dust pile to enjoy a relaxing dusting. However, Jasiri approached and touched Murera from behind, prompting her to get up and move away with all the babies to the shade under the big trees. Murera didn't want Jasiri to be with them, as she knows bulls can be rowdy and disruptive. 

A wild herd passed by the orphans while heading straight to the springs for water. Before the two herds could see each other, Kapei, alert and sensing the presence of the wild friends, raised his trunk to catch their scent. Acting on his instincts, Kapei quickly escaped for his own safety, leaving Amali and Kiombo unaware of the potential danger. The Keepers, noticing Kapei's behaviour, understood that something was amiss.

Kiasa also tried to escape with Amali, but Zongoloni intervened, stopping them and preventing the babies from disappearing and potentially causing confusion for the Keepers. Murera and Sonje rumbled, signalling an alert to gather everyone back to the leaders, who couldn't see where some of the babies were. In response to the rumbling sounds, babies from all corners of the bushes began running towards the source.

Amali and Kapei were the first to stop at the feet of Sonje, receiving hugs from Murera and other females who reassured them to calm down and continue browsing. The time for the midday bottles was approaching. Meanwhile, Kiombo and Maktao engaged in play fighting in front of Enkesha, blocking her way. Mwashoti came from behind to push Kiombo away and turned back to face Maktao, allowing Enkesha to lead the line.

The day started on a good note, with all the babies eagerly getting out of their stockades, anticipating the morning treats awaiting them at the gate. Kiasa, however, stayed behind and peeked through the wooden posts to check if Murera and the baby were out. To her surprise, she found Amali and Enkesha with the baby, which left her feeling unsettled.

As we waited and watched the orphans celebrate the new day by the gate, Ziwa and Jasiri joined them after a long absence. Jasiri moved towards Murera's side, which she didn’t like. Sonje also displayed discomfort with Jasiri's presence. Keepers had to ask Jasiri to give the herd some space, but Ziwa was allowed to stay since he was friendly with Murera.

Shortly after, a wild herd arrived, which Enkesha signalled with a raised trunk. The wild herd adopted Ziwa and came to pick him up from the orphans' herd. Despite expectations that Ziwa and Jasiri would both go, only Ziwa joined them, leaving Jasiri behind with the orphans.

Today, it rained all morning, which interrupted the elephants' usual activities. The rain caused the pellets to dissolve into water, creating an unpleasant smell that discouraged the babies from eating them. Amali walked out to the dust hill, waiting for directions from Sonje and Murera. However, Murera took longer to make a decision as she was occupied with Mwana, who was nursing and needed some extra time. Sonje stood by in support.

When Enkesha and Amali finally pulled the baby away, Kapei saw his opportunity. He had been watching unhappily, as he didn't want to see little girls like Amali and Enkesha as favourites of the eldest girls. When Kapei approached them, both girls escaped and moved away, leaving Kapei feeling resentful, especially towards Amali, who seemed to be the only favourite after Mwana.

Kiombo then came along with his playmate Maktao and a play fight ensued between them. Quanza rushed to separate them, but they didn't listen. Mwashoti arrived, and it was only after he intervened that they stopped the fight.

After the scuffle, the babies gathered for their midday milk feeding. Seven babies were given bottles. Kiasa, who was planning to have more than her share, was stopped by keepers to prevent any trouble. After enjoying their bottles, all the elephants walked to the waterhole for a drink, but refrained from swimming as the rain had made the weather too cold. Even Mwana wasn’t interested in swimming.

The morning commenced with the usual match between Maktao and Kiombo. The playing field was level, and the two boys were determined to outdo each other. Kiombo, considered the underdog by many Keepers, surprised everyone by standing firm and not yielding to Maktao's attempts to push him down. Despite Maktao's longer tusks, Kiombo showcased his strength and proved to be a formidable opponent. In an unexpected turn of events, Maktao found himself unable to beat Kiombo and had to retreat, running away.

Enkesha, Maktao's neighbour, was displeased to see him on the ground after being pushed by Kiombo. She walked over to Maktao, who was still trying to get up, and attempted to help by holding his trunk. However, Maktao misunderstood the gesture and pushed her trunk away. Enkesha decided to move away, giving him space to suffer his defeat in private. Then, Amali and Kapei approached Maktao, but instead of assisting him, Kapei clambered atop his back. Amali just stood there, observing Maktao struggle. Poor Maktao — it was not his day!

Faraja made a return to the orphan herd after a brief two-day break. His reappearance coincided with Jasiri's departure, and now Faraja was back in the team. As he returned, Faraja immediately reconnected with his great friend, Alamaya, receiving a warm welcome from him. Mwashoti found himself on the outskirts as Faraja and Alamaya resumed their companionship.

During the day, Mwashoti stayed close to Murera, occasionally giving her the space she needed to nurse baby Mwana. When Mwana moved to the nannies, Mwashoti approached Murera and Sonje, keeping a respectful distance. Sonje rumbled to the herd, prompting a quick response from Kiombo, who eagerly rushed to join her on the hills for some interaction. However, Maktao tried to block Kiombo's path, hoping to engage him in their usual pushing game. To everyone's surprise, Kiombo ignored Maktao and continued on his way to Sonje. He clearly wanted to have a more peaceful day.

As the temperature soared, the babies sought relief by heading to the waterhole. Enkesha, Kiasa, and Amali led the way, accompanied by Mwana for a refreshing swim. Afterward, Sonje guided them to the dust pile for more cooling activities. Mwana, followed by Amali, climbed to the top of the hill. However, Mwana decided that she didn’t want to share the space with Amali and pushed her away. Amali, who is very good-natured, agreed to the spoiled baby’s demands. Mwana then enjoyed her time at the summit of the dust hill.

Amali displayed her strength and determination today as she stood firm against Kapei's attempts to push her around. Kapei, who seems to enjoy pushing Amali whenever she is nearby, found himself unable to budge her. Mwashoti came to Amali's aid by pulling Kapei away from behind, holding onto his tail and preventing him from pushing. Amali took this opportunity to escape, showing Kapei that she could defend herself and asserting her own strength. She joined Kiasa and Enkesha, finding comfort in the company of her friends.

Later, a wild bull arrived along with Faraja, Alamaya, and Quanza. He appeared to be friendly, but Murera, being cautious, kept her distance. Sonje and Lima Lima worked together to move the bull away from the herd. Murera's priority was to ensure the safety of her baby, so Sonje and Lima Lima guided the bull in a different direction. The little nannies, including Kiasa, took charge of the baby, leading the team towards Murera once the coast was clear.

After the encounter with the wild bull, the babies headed to the swimming pool to cool off in the hot weather. Mwana, the swimming star, made a splash as the herd enjoyed their time in the water.

Mwana, the little princess of Umani, showcased her playful and protective nature today as she took charge of keeping baboons away from the group. With great determination, she chased and stopped any baboons that dared to approach. Amali and Enkesha joined forces with Mwana to keep the baboons at bay.

A delightful surprise awaited the Keepers when Mwana, in a moment of excitement, trumpeted loudly. This was a significant moment, as Mwana has been working very hard to learn how to trumpet! It indicates that Mwana has reached a stage of development where she could trumpet, just like the other babies. She seemed very proud, as if she had proved her capability of being an elephant.

After the milk feeding, the babies headed to the waterhole for a drink. Amali, Kapei, and Kiasa took the lead, guiding everyone to the swimming pool. Mwana, ever the star, joined the big girls for a swim. Later, Amali and Mwana enjoyed playtime on top of the dust pile. Gentle ‘big brother’ Mwashoti intervened to ensure Kapei didn't disrupt their play.

As the herd, led by Sonje, Zongoloni, Faraja, and Quanza, moved into the bushes for more food, Murera sensed the presence of a wild bull and decided to backtrack, avoiding potential encounters with wild friends, as she is not particularly fond of them.

Most of the boys were notably absent when Lima Lima, Quanza, and Zongoloni arrived at the stockades in the morning. The girls, understanding their duties to support Murera, were the ones who showed up. Among the boys, only Kapei and Maktao were present around the herd that day.

Amali assisted Kiasa in watching little Mwana, while Enkesha was busy elsewhere. Mwana found herself stuck on a tall branch that blocked her way out. When she rumbled for help, Amali quickly came running to assist. She removed the branch, ensuring Mwana was out of danger. Kapei also joined them, seeing that his neighbour was now safe and able to join for browsing on the hills with Sonje and other older females.

Later, two zebras appeared after the orphans had gone into thick bushes. Amali charged at them. Murera and Quanza intervened to prevent any dangerous interaction, creating a barrier between the zebras and the little girls, as zebras can be risky with their strong back legs.

Today, wild elephants arrived in two groups. To our joy, one group included Ziwa. He has been ‘adopted’ by an older mother with four daughters. The other group, which was larger, had many babies. The strict mothers in this group didn't want our orphans close by, much to the disappointment of baby-loving Lima Lima.

Lima Lima, Zongoloni, and Quanza are well-trained nannies under Murera's guidance. However, when they tried to approach the wild herd, the mothers were resistant. Perhaps they worried that our enthusiastic girls would try to steal their babies.

Quanza soon gave up, but Lima Lima and Zongoloni kept strategically trying to move closer, pulling some good moves. Eventually, the wild herd got fed up and chased them both away. They retreated to the safety of their own matriarch, Murera. Interestingly, Alamaya was with Lima Lima and Zongoloni, but unlike them, he was accepted by the wild herd. Perhaps he knows them from his forest adventures. Still, he did not dare stick up for his girlfriends and was unable to prevent their punishment.

Murera, along with Mwana and Kiasa, Amali, Kapei, Enkesha, and Mwashoti, remained hidden in the bushes. She always knows better than to be part of the pushing elephants. Instead, she wisely stays away from conflict and avoids the challenges her friends face.