Ithumba Reintegration Unit

October 2025

Daily updates

October 2025

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October 5th

The search for the missing ones began early at dawn. Naserian reported with her new baby at six o’clock in the morning. She was in the company of Njema, Sana Sana, the Crazy One and her newborn baby, Kinna, Kama, Kaia, Kito, Tumaren, Tembo, Esampu, and Oltaiyoni. We named Naserian’s new baby, a little girl, Nyika.

The thirteen orphans present joined the ex-orphans outside for the feeding of lucerne. Esoit had a brief strength-testing exercise with Loldaiga. Challa, Kandecha, and Kilaguni arrived moments later.

Shortly before seven o’clock, thirty-four wild dogs appeared and went straight to drink water. Challa spotted them and charged towards them. The wild dogs ran a short distance, then stopped. Challa tried to chase them again, but they refused to move. He gave up and walked away towards the mud bath.

The orphans left for browsing soon after having enough lucerne and settled to browse in the Kanziku area. At 10:30 in the morning, the six missing orphans finally presented themselves at the mud bath — after stressing everyone for twenty-five hours! Muwingu was the one leading the team. Loijuk, Lili, Lisha, and Challa were already drinking water at the mud bath and welcomed back the six missing ones. It appeared that Challa had known what was going on, since he had walked straight to the mud bath from the stockades to wait for the two girls and four boys.

At eleven o’clock, Kindani led the others to the mud bath, where they reunited with their colleagues who had behaved like our current human generation calling themselves Generation Z. Kindani walked straight to Shujaa to greet him and check that all was well. Shujaa replied that he was fine, apart from fatigue from walking so many kilometres.

The missing six were all looking well and were happy to get their milk after missing it for the last twenty-five hours. After their milk, the orphans enjoyed a cooling-off mud bath, followed by a drink of water before Muwingu took the lead to the browsing field. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse again in the Kanziku area. They browsed calmly until five o’clock, when Muwingu led them back to the stockades for a peaceful and relaxing night.

Naserian and Nyika

Kilaguni

Kindani dust bathing after a mud bath

October 16th

Nasalot, Nusu, Noah, Mundusi, Larro, Sattao, Naserian, Njema, Nyika, Lualeni, Lulu, Lexi, Luki, Esampu, Mteto, Sapalan, Wendi, Wema, Wimbi, Wiva, and several wild bulls were present in the morning.

Soon after the gates were opened for the orphans to come out, Loldaiga walked out carrying a leftover branch, which he dropped when he met Noah. Noah picked up the branch and finished what was left on it. The orphans settled for water to wash down the lucerne they had eaten before leaving the stockade. As lucerne was being distributed for the ex-orphans and wild elephants, the orphans relaxed at the water trough enjoying their drink.

Nusu picked up a whole bale of lucerne and ran away to enjoy feeding in a quiet spot, later joined by his brother Noah. The orphans didn’t stay long at the stockade compound since they had already taken enough lucerne. Naleku, who is now back, led the way to the browsing field.

Lodo, as usual, engaged Roho in a pushing game while Vaarti had a light pushing game with Kindani. Later, Roho invited Olorien to join him in a game, but she declined. Roho lay down, trying to entice her to play, but Olorien was too wise to fall for his tricks. She walked away and continued browsing, leaving Roho to stand up again after getting tired of waiting.

At eleven o’clock in the morning, Weka led the first group to the noon bottle feeds. After taking their milk, the orphans enjoyed wallowing before heading for a drink and a soil dusting exercise. They then returned to the browsing field.

The afternoon was quiet, with the orphans concentrating on browsing without any major observation. In the evening, Muwingu led the way back to the stockade.

Nasalot, Nusu and Noah

Mteto

Roho and Kinyei

October 27th

Soon after leaving the stockades, the orphans joined Queen’s family and several ex-orphans that had arrived that morning. Shujaa and Weka attempted to bully two juniors in Queen’s family. The family matriarch spotted Shujaa and Weka harassing her family members and turned to discipline them. Weka and Shujaa anticipated such a reaction from the matriarch and had prepared themselves for how they could dodge her. They ran fast when they saw Queen turning and disappeared amongst the orphans.

Roho had a brief interaction with Esampu, while Naleku headed straight to take care of Sunni. After a brief interaction with the ex-orphans, Suguroi led the way to the browsing field, since Naleku had found company in Mutara’s group. Suguroi steered the group north and settled along the upper Kalovoto seasonal river, where the orphans began to browse. The day became hotter with each passing moment. Vaarti, Mayan, Kitich, Mageno and Choka decided to take a break from browsing and relaxed under trees that offered good shade before making their way to the mud bath.

At eleven o’clock in the morning, Muwingu led the first group to the noon bottle feeds. Twenty-five wild bulls were present at the mud bath. When the orphans had their milk, Lodo led the team into wallowing. Given the heat of the day, the orphans had a prolonged wallow. Later, they drank water and then enjoyed soil dusting before returning to the browsing field.

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area. The sun was still hot, and the orphans took a break from browsing by relaxing under trees with good shade. They resumed browsing once the temperatures dropped to a more favourable level.

In the evening, Muwingu led the way back to the stockades for yet another night. Shortly before dark, Naleku returned from her daily exploration and joined Roho and Suguroi, who are her bedmates.

Shujaa and Weka

Orphans in the shade

Muwingu leading the way back home

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