Our Voi 'hospital wing' continues to grow. Chapeyu, Samaa, and Serenget remain in their stockades while they recover from their injuries and regain their strength. They interact often with each other, stretching trunks in greeting and communicating with rumbles.
On a wonderful morning at the Voi stockades, Mbegu’s herd of ex-orphans arrived at dawn and stood outside, waiting for their dependent friends to join them. We opened the gates, the elephants padded out, and the two groups settled at the feeding trough and around the pile of lucerne.
After filling their bellies, Lemeki, Thamana, Ashanti and Kilulu drank from the water trough. As others gathered around the trough, Losoito enjoyed a quick dust bath. Sholumai, Sileita, Mushuru and Rokka were doing their own thing again. The girls like to head out from the stockades before the others and settle to browse quite close. The rest of the herd soon joined them and the whole herd ambled along, spreading out over the slopes of Msinga Hill.
Chapeyu, Samaa, Serenget and Daba are still confined to their stockades while they recover from their injuries and regain their strength. Dr Limo and his team visited in the afternoon to dress Samaa’s wound and check on Serenget, Chapeyu, Daba and the little bull rescued yesterday.
In the afternoon, the herd came down the hill for another milk feed and a visit to the baobab tree wallow. After cooling off in the muddy water, Mushuru knelt in an incline to hose her body with dust while Sholumai did some showboating stretches and Kilulu, Busara, Lemeki and Akina quenched their thirst from the water trough. Afterwards the herd browsed some more on their way back to the stockades for the night.
In the middle of the night, Mbegu arrived at the stockades with a wild baby. Both drank from the trough while we watched to see if the baby’s mother would join them. She did not. In the early morning, Mbegu and her small friend left – we presumed that she was taking the wild elephant back to its family.
After being away for a long time, Lasayen visited the stockades this morning! He was looking well but a bit thin. Ex-orphans Ndotto, Ngilai, Murit and Mbegu welcomed him and the five old friends settled to browse on the pile of lucerne.
Mbegu’s herd enjoyed range cubes and lucerne and headed out, leaving Lasayen behind with our dependent orphans. Lasayen wandered out from the stockades in the midst of our herd and spent the morning browsing with them over the hill. When Mbegu’s herd disappeared into the bush along the Voi River, Lasayen walked along in their wake.
In the afternoon, the orphans padded down for their milk feed in groups of three or four and on to the mud wallow. Losoito, Mushuru, Sileita, Baraka and Dabida were having fun rolling and splashing in the main wallow, and Akina and Kenderi were playing in the mini wallows. Until several buffaloes arrived. The elephants immediately gathered in a cluster close to the tree and walked out to browse.
On a sunny morning, the dependent orphans emerged from their shared stockades and lined up belly to belly at the range cubes feeding trough. This morning, the visiting ex-orphans arrived late for breakfast and pushed their way in to the trough, taking the places of Lemeki, Kilulu, Akina and Dabida.
Akina massaged her backside against a large boulder and Thamana scratched on the rock next to the water trough while ex-orphan Ndotto rested his heavy tusks gently on the younger bull’s back. After spending several weeks out with Mbegu’s herd, Tamiyoi was catching up with Lemeki. Moments later, Lemeki, Seri and Tamiyoi clustered around ex-orphan Murit, extending their trunks in greeting.
Mbegu and Ndotto stood with heads together and trunks entwined as Murit played a gentle sparring game with Busara. After a few pushes, Mbegu whisked away Busara for a trunk hug. Soon, Ushindi was having an early morning dust bath, Dabida was showboating, Ashanti was scratching on the rock, Hildana was trying to mount Busara while she lay on the mound of soil, Murit and Tamiyoi were having a wrestling contest, and Kilulu and Seri were massaging themselves on the famous boulder.
Our herd spent most of the day browsing on the slopes of Msinga Hill but the ex-orphans walked off to the Voi River circuit. Except for Mbegu – who chose to remain with her old family, even joining them at the mud bath in the afternoon.
On a wonderful calm morning, the orphans spread out all over the area in front of the stockades to fill their bellies and play with their friends. Ex-orphans Mbegu, Tagwa, Tamiyoi, Godoma, Ngilai, Murit, Ndotto and Lasayen were with them again. The landscape is dry and we expect the older elephants to continue visiting regularly until the rains begin properly and there is lots of green browse once again.
Losoito and Itinyi rolled around on the mound of soil together until Itinyi made the mistake of mounting Losoito, whereupon she stood up and walked away. Ashanti scratched herself against the wall of the lower terrace, clever Juni browsed on delicious acacia branches over the fence line, best friends Tagwa and Tamiyoi frolicked on the dry earth with Mushuru, Godoma stood on the edge of the wallow splashing the muddy water, and Lasayen, Ngilai and Ndotto wandered amid the dependent orphans.
Later in the day, we responded to a report of an elephant observed lying down for a long time. As soon as we found the sick elephant, who appeared thin and dehydrated, we attempted to lift him to his feet. Despite the vet’s efforts to treat him, the elephant died a short time later. He had been too ill to survive.
Ex-orphans Mbegu, Ndotto, Ngilai, Godoma, Tagwa, Tamiyoi and Murit padded up the path this morning and joined the dependent orphans at the trough and around the lucerne. Ndotto roamed around the compound while Ngilai and Ashanti stood close, browsing on lucerne. When Losoito stretched out her trunk to greet Mbegu, our old mini matriarch rumbled in welcome and trunk touched the younger girl. Godoma and Tamiyoi were pushing each other one way and then another. Soon, Ashanti and Thamana lay down on the mound of soil to play and cover their bodies with dust.
The herd headed out in a long line to spend the morning browsing on the slopes of Msinga Hill. Juni, Akina and Busara stood in the shade of a large acacia while Epiya and Ashanti climbed into an erosion trench.
In the afternoon, the orphans visited the mud wallow. Many plunged in to cool off. Lemeki and adopted baby Losoito rolled around together and Baraka and Busara played splashing games until Baraka climbed out to rub up against big sister Juni.
On a wonderful sunny morning, the elephants headed out immediately after breakfast to browse on the slopes of Msinga Hill. Sileita led best friends Mushuru and Sholumai to the summit, clambering over large rocks along the way, while the others remained at the foot. Lemeki, Rokka and Losoito browsed close together while Juni looked after Baraka.
Daba, Samaa, Serenget and Chapeyu stayed back at the stockades, browsing quietly in their neighbouring rooms.
In the afternoon, the orphans went down for their usual milk feed. In the first group, Rokka led Busara, Sileita, Mushuru and Losoito to the feeding area. After drinking their milk, Hildana submerged his body in the mud wallow while Ushindi play mounted him and Busara rubbed her ears against Ushindi. Lemeki wallowed and then rolled out of the water with Baraka and Epiya posing on the edge.
After cooling off in the muddy water, many orphans hosed themselves with soothing dust. Ushindi lay on her side while Hildana climbed on and off her. Akina massaged her backside against the baobab tree and Thamana drank from the trough.
As the orphans were wandering away from the wallow, a wild elephant family was approaching in the distance. Lemeki went out to greet them, trunk touching the baby in the herd before returning to her own family.
On a cooler morning, our herd had the area to themselves for a short time as Mbegu’s herd was late. While Ashanti remained at the feeding trough, Mushuru and Sileita massaged themselves against the wall of the terrace. Led by Murit, the ex-orphans soon padded in to join the others around the heap of lucerne. Ndotto spent time with Juni, Murit with Sileita, and Mbegu with Rokka.
The herd walked out to the bush in a long line. Left behind scratching on the rocks along the fence line, Losoito had to run to catch up. Sileita and Mushuru browsed side by side over the savannah, Thamana, Itinyi and Kenderi browsed on the foothills, and Sholumai spent a long time rubbing her rump against a tree stump.
As usual, in the afternoon the herd visited the mud wallow. Juni stood with her front feet in the pool making large splashes, Ashanti squatted on the edge rubbing her bottoms, and Akina submerged her body in the mud. After wallowing, Lemeki rolled on the dust, Epiya lay in the shade of the tree, Akina and Kilulu played the pushing game, and Rokka rolled around with Busara.
With a herd of buffaloes walking towards the wallow and a wild elephant standing under the peacock tree, Rokka led the herd back to the stockades for the evening milk feed.
The landscape is becoming drier and drier and the ex-orphans are continuing to visit every day. This morning, Godoma and Hildana browsed on lucerne together while Mbegu stood next to Rokka and Juni before moving on to greet Kilulu. Kenderi and Losoito enjoyed an early morning dust bath. Thamana joined them on the mound of soil and then Kenderi and Thamana played sparring and pushing games while rolling in the dust.
The dependent elephants soon headed out on their daily browsing adventures, leaving the ex-orphans in front of the stockades. They wandered far afield in search of enough browse to fill their bellies.
In the afternoon, the orphans visited the baobab tree mud wallow. Kilulu was play mounting Dabida in the middle of the muddy pool while Akina stretched and splashed, Busara scratched her face on the edge and Mushuru rubbed herself against Sileita.
A family of wild elephants was standing under the peacock tree waiting to drink from the water trough when our new matriarch, Lemeki, led the herd out to the bush to resume browsing.
Big bull Ndotto arrived by himself this morning without his ex-orphan friends and joined our herd in front of the stockades. Best friends Losoito and Ashanti were playing dusting and pushing games on the mound of red soil. Minutes later, Ashanti’s good friend Epiya joined them for showboating stretches. Seri browsed on pellets on the lower terrace, Dabida, Lemeki and Ashanti lined up belly to belly to eat range cubes, and the others gathered around the pile of lucerne in the far corner. Sholumai walked away with a stash of lucerne balanced on her head, probably saving it for later.
Rokka led the herd out for their daily browsing adventures with Lemeki and Losoito bringing up the rear and Ndotto ambling along in their wake. Itinyi maneuvered his way to the top of the hill to browse on the acacia trees.
In the afternoon, the orphans padded down the hill in groups for a milk feed and a wallow in the muddy pool next to the baobab tree. Ushindi submerged her body in the mud with only her trunk sticking up, Dabida and Itinyi had a water sparring match, and Busara stood on the edge, kicking water with her feet. Ndotto arrived late at the wallow after tailing the orphans all day. When the herd walked out to carry on browsing, Itinyi and Lemeki stayed back to enjoy the mud bath on their own.
The bright sun was out and so were the elephants. Current and former orphans were feeding together. Thamana and friends lined up at the feeding trough for range cubes while Baraka, Hildana, Mushuru and Sileita ran over to the pile of lucerne. Epiya joined Baraka next to the lucerne and Hildana scratched his backside against the rock along the fence line.
Mbegu, Seri and Juni scooped up pellets on the terraces with Busara and Kilulu sparring next to them. Kilulu stopped to trunk hug Rokka who was on her own and then joined Mbegu.
Out in the field, Lemeki was looking after favourite babies Losoito and Rokka as they wandered over the plains. Busara and Mushuru massaged their rumps and then rolled around in the dust together. With Losoito watching on, best friends Itinyi and Kenderi climbed all over each other in an erosion gulley.
In the afternoon, the orphans had their usual milk feed. Losoito did not behave well when Ushindi dared to stand in ‘her’ feeding spot. The naughty girl trumpeted and shoved Ushindi out of her way. We intervened and calmed the situation.
At the mud wallow, Ashanti scratched herself on the baobab, Kenderi dug a hole in the ground to make her own dust bath, Losoito splashed in the water, and Baraka rubbed her face on the edge.
On a wonderful morning, the dependent orphans enjoyed lucerne and range cubes with the visiting ex-orphans – Mbegu, Godoma, Tagwa, Tamiyoi, Murit, Ndotto, Ngilai and Lasayen.
Taking advantage of the protective presence of Mbegu next to the mound of dry soil, Hildana, Losoito, Mushuru, Sileita, Sholumai, Rokka, Ushindi and Ashanti lay down for a group dust bath. Losoito was play mounting Mushuru as she rolled in the dust and Hildana was behaving himself (for once!). While Ushindi stood on top, hosing soil in every direction, Ashanti challenged her friend Losoito to a pushing game. As Murit posed on the rock next to the water trough, Seri stretched out her trunk to greet big bull Lasayen.
The herd soon headed out from the stockades and settled to browse all over Msinga Hill. In the afternoon, they visited the mud wallow as usual but most of the elephants did not wallow today, choosing instead to massage their backsides against trees or drink from the trough. When they walked off to browse, they left Kilulu behind enjoying a solitary swim.
After the milk feed and lucerne treats, the elephants left the stockades immediately for their daily adventures in the bush. Sileita led the herd up Msinga Hill and the orphans spent the whole morning browsing over the hill.
In the afternoon, we whistled to the elephants and shepherded them down the hill. Due to the dry conditions, good friends Losoito, Ashanti and Epiya had wandered deep into the park.
Rokka, Mushuru, Busara and Losoito were the first group sent down to the feeding area. Stout Losoito hates being last and today that was her position! She thundered down the hill, trumpeting along the way, in case anyone dared to drink her bottles of milk.
The orphans had fun in the mud wallow, cooling off after a day in the scorching sun. Several ran into the muddy water and others stood on the edge, slapping water on their bodies. Today, Thamana took centre stage, rolling around in the middle.
Later in the afternoon, Lemeki lay down for a nap in the shade of a tree on the lower slopes of the hill. Seeing her big sister lying down, Losoito stopped browsing and padded over to Lemeki. The two girls entwined trunks and then Losoito rested her forelegs on Lemeki’s belly. Not far away, Rokka and Itinyi were standing close with trunks draped over each other.
On a wonderful sunny morning, the dependent elephants walked out of their shared stockades and down the path to the feeding area. Serenget, Samaa and Chapeyu remained in their rooms, browsing contentedly on pellets and lucerne. Chapeyu is looking great – his injury is healing and he is putting on weight. Even so, he is reluctant to set foot outside his stable and is accepting but wary of the Keepers. We are not surprised about his attitude – as he is an older bull.
Sileita, Mushuru and Sholumai, who are still a little gang, headed for the pile of lucerne as the others lined up at the range cubes feeding trough. Ashanti was kneeling to scoop up cubes with her short trunk with Thamana on one side and Epiya on the other. Epiya often positions herself next to Ashanti – just in case Hildana tries to be rough.
After filling their bellies, Losoito and Ushindi rolled around and played on the mound of dry soil together. Rokka stopped off to drink from the trough before leading the herd out to the browsing fields. Today, Sileita was last to leave, wandering along at the end of the line.
The beginning of the day was remarkable. Mbegu’s herd of ex-orphans arrived soon after dawn. And then, while we were opening the gates of the stockades, not only Naipoki but also Rorogoi walked in from the bush. We have not seen the two girls (who are best friends) for months. Both looked well and Naipoki is heavily pregnant.
Ngilai and Godoma were following Naipoki closely, rumbling to her again and again. Big bulls Murit and Lasayen hung out with trunks twisted together in a friendship gesture. When our orphans began playing on the dry soil, Naipoki saw Losoito on her own and walked over to see her former baby. The ex-orphan stood protectively close to little Losoito.
When our herd headed out to browse, the visitors remained at the stockades for a time before walking out in a different direction. Our elephants visited the mud wallow briefly in the afternoon to cool off before walking back out to the bush.
Mbegu’s herd of ex-orphans arrived early this morning, with Naipoki, Rorogoi and Lasayen padding along in their wake. They joined their dependent friends for the usual breakfast with the ex-orphans feasting on fresh lucerne grass in this dry time before the rains.
Afterwards, Losoito and Busara played a sparring game, pushing heads and clinking tiny tusks, and then Losoito broke away and walked over to the mound of soil. She lay down for a dust bath but was not left in peace for long. Soon Hildana began play mounting her whereupon Losoito pushed him off, clambered to her feet and walked away from the feisty bull. Murit and Lasayen also enjoyed a wrestling match.
In the afternoon, we received reports of an elephant calf observed alone in the Lualeni area and sent out a rescue party. They found a very thin one-year-old female calf without no sign of any family. The elephant was rescued, brought to the Voi stockades, and put in the stable next to Daba who was only rescued a month ago. He rumbled to her and the two babies shared trunk-touch greetings.
A large group of ex-orphans arrived as usual in the early morning, joining our herd at the feeding trough and around the lucerne. After breakfast, the orphans spent time outside the stockades playing and bonding. Losoito, Lemeki, Thamana and Busara rolled around together, climbing on and off each other while covering their bodies with dust. Kilulu was playing pushing games with Itinyi and Juni was babysitting Baraka. Sholumai, Mushuru and Sileita were pulling branches down from acacia trees in the bush close to the stockades.
Current and former orphans set out from the stockades at around the same time today. Our herd wandered over the hill and over the plains while Mbegu’s herd headed off in the direction of Voi River.
In the afternoon, the orphans came down to the wallow in groups of three or four. Rokka led the first group down today and headed straight for the muddy pool with many others climbing in after her on a scorching day.
Kilulu and Thamana wallowed together and then began a sparring game that lasted all the way back to the bush. Most of the herd walked out in a long line with the two bulls bringing up the rear, pushing heads in between steps.
On another sunny morning, current and former orphans mingled in front of the stockades. Ex-orphan Ndotto drank from the water trough while bonding with Kenderi. After filling their bellies, Rokka led our herd out to the bush, leaving the ex-orphans behind to finish up every piece of lucerne.
The orphans settled to browse over Msinga Hill, ambling all over the hill in search of fresh foliage and gathering around the acacia trees at the summit.
In the afternoon, they came down the hill, standing in a cluster while waiting for the milk van to arrive. Naughty Losoito tried to sneak away early but we held her back. When the van arrived, she sprinted down in the first group with Ashanti, Baraka and Dabida, trumpeting as she ran because the milk was five minutes late.
Today, Ashanti and Thamana took centre stage in the mud wallow, climbing in first and out last. Ashanti scratched her belly along the sides while Thamana wallowed in the middle of the pool, slapping his trunk on the water. Kilulu was also showing off in the wallow while Akina massaged her body on the edge and Epiya dug into the ground with her tiny tusks.
Today, the only ex-orphan to visit was Ndotto and so our orphans did not have to share their breakfast. Ushindi and Itinyi stood close with trunks entwined while Busara gave Ndotto a trunk hug and dared the big boy to a wrestling game. Leaving Ndotto posing on the rock, Busara then had an early morning dust bath. Ashanti and Busara rolled around on the red soil playfully with Thamana lying down next to them.
The dependent orphans, and Ndotto, headed out from the stockades and spent the morning browsing on the slopes of Msinga Hill. After the milk feed in the afternoon, the orphans had a chaotic mud wallowing session, rolling, splashing and mounting each other. This is their favourite part of the day.
Seri was the first to climb out of the water. She drank from the trough and scratched her backside against the baobab tree. Busara squatted on the mud wall as Seri climbed back into the wallow. Later in the afternoon, the orphans browsed far afield before returning to the safety of the stockades for the night.
On a wonderful morning at the Voi stockades, current and former orphans were in playful moods. Kilulu and Rokka were playing the pushing game, Epiya was showing off her stretches, and Itinyi was play mounting Ushindi. Ashanti was stretching her trunk through the gaps to trunk touch Chapeyu in his stockade. He stood quietly, accepting her greeting. The two elephants spent a few minutes together, rumbling occasionally, and then Ashanti walked away to the water trough.
A few minutes later, Ushindi posed next to the famous rock, Ngilai hugged Hildana at the water trough, and Thamana and Kilulu trunk hugged each other and began a wrestling game. Lasayen and Mushuru rolled around on the dry soil enjoying an early morning dust bath and were soon joined by Losoito, Akina and Kenderi, and then by Thamana and Baraka. Little Baraka rested her forelegs on Thamana’s belly while waving her trunk in circles.
The herd wandered out from the stockades and settled to browse all over the hill. Sileita, Mushuru and Sholumai walked up to the summit and then down the other side for the afternoon milk feed and mud wallow.
Today, Daba – a young bull rescued in the middle of September who has spent the last month at the Voi stockades – was moved to the Nairobi Nursery. As a one-year-old orphan, it is better for him to be at the Nursery. Early in the morning, we sedated him, loaded him into our vehicle and drove him to the airstrip. When the aeroplane landed just after 8 AM, we lifted Daba carefully into the back and bid him farewell before the pilot took off for Nairobi.
Meanwhile, our herd settled to browse over the rocky Msinga Hill. Kilulu and Itinyi played in the erosion trench while Juni, Baraka and Busara stood quietly under the shade of a large acacia tree.
In the afternoon, the dependent orphans came down the hill for their usual milk feed and mud bath. Everyone in the herd is still milk dependent except for Lemeki, who is seven years old and the oldest female in the herd, and Chapeyu, who is eight years old.
Rokka rested on her belly on the edge of the mud hole, Kilulu, Thamana and Hildana rolled around together in the middle, and Seri rubbed herself against a submerged Thamana. Climbing out, Thamana rolled in the dust while Dabida massaged herself against him. After cooling off, the orphans ambled away to browse in the bush.
In the early morning, a large group of independent and dependent elephants gathered in the area in front of the stockades. They settled at the feeding trough and around the supplementary lucerne. The landscape is very dry as we await the rains and our ex-orphans have visited almost every day this month.
The little girl rescued just a week ago was flown to the Nairobi Nursery today. In a rerun of yesterday, we loaded her in our vehicle, drove to the airstrip and lifted her into the back of the aeroplane. The pilot, with the support of a Keeper, took her to the Nursery to join her new family.
After browsing over the slopes of Msinga Hill, the herd padded down to the mud wallow. In the first group, Rokka led Losoito, Busara, Mushuru and Sileita down to the line of Keepers waiting with bottles aloft. Sholumai sneaked away to join her friends.
On another hot afternoon, almost the whole herd got wet in the wallow and drank from the water trough. When the orphans walked back out, Thamana and Itinyi remained behind as they were having too much fun in the muddy pool.
Ex-orphans Naipoki, Mbegu, Ndotto, Ngilai, Tagwa, Godoma, Ndotto, Lasayen, Murit and Tamiyoi joined the current orphans for breakfast. Baraka had a happy time at the water trough as she was sandwiched between former nannies Mbegu and Godoma.
Busara and Baraka are both much smaller than huge bull Murit. Busara’s size, however, does not put her off! With Baraka watching on, Busara stood tall and stretched up her trunk to touch Murit and even challenged him a sparring match. The big bull was careful not to hurt the younger girl. Minutes later, Baraka and Epiya were hanging out with Godoma, Tagwa and Tamiyoi and then they joined Losoito for a dust bath.
Led by Sileita, the herd left the stockades and settled to browse over the hill. With very little grass to eat, the orphans twisted down branches from trees this morning, pulling off the bark and searching from green leaves.
In the afternoon, they wallowed in cooling water and covered their bodies in soothing dust. Itinyi squatted on the edge while water baby Thamana submerged his body in the middle. Rokka rolled on her back on the dry ground as Mushuru and Sileita clambered over each other in a dust hole. The last to leave the wallow, Hildana trumpeted loudly as he jogged after the herd.
The orphans had their breakfast quickly and left the stockades on their browsing adventures. Ushindi, Seri and Epiya were browsing together, pulling down delicious acacia branches as they ambled along. Again, Sileita, Mushuru and Sholumai climbed the hill and ended up on the other side. Lemeki spent the morning looking after adopted babies Rokka and Losoito and Juni was looking after Baraka.
Ex-orphans Ndotto, Murit and Lasayen trailed along behind the orphans but headed off in a different direction when we called the elephants for the afternoon milk feed. As they waited for the milk van, Kilulu and Kenderi played a sparring game and an impatient Losoito sneaked down to the feeding area. When she found no car filled with bottles, she threw a tantrum and trumpeted. Lemeki, as ever, was quick to respond. She ran over to comfort her baby, the milk arrived and the drama came to an end.
After a cool down in the wallow, the elephants headed straight out to continue browsing, looking forward to their afternoon lucerne treat.
On a calm morning, ex-orphan Lasayen joined the dependent orphans for breakfast, heading straight to the feeding trough full of range cubes. As Akina posed by the famous rock, Ushindi, Ashanti, Baraka and Kenderi rubbed faces and rolled around on the mound of dry soil. Lasayen accompanied the herd when they set out for the browsing adventures on the hill.
In the afternoon, Rokka and Losoito led the first group down to the feeding area and on to the wallow. Both orphans like being leaders. Ashanti did a sideways roll out of the mud bath and lay spreadeagled on the ground, Itinyi scratched his belly on the wall, Sileita climbed out and squatted on her backside, and Thamana carried on doing stunts in the wallow. After cooling off, Itinyi and Ashanti played a wrestling game.
On another sunny morning, the orphans emerged from their shared stockades, filled their bellies and enjoyed a group dust bathing session. They rolled around playfully until Hildana began mounting the girls, bringing the party to an end.
Budding mini matriarch Lemeki, with Rokka in her wake, led the orphans out to the browsing fields. They spent several hours ambling over the hill in the direction of the baobab mud wallow. Lemeki was browsing with little sisters and good friends Losoito and Rokka.
In the afternoon, Rokka was first to reach the feeding area and first into the mud wallow. After gulping down her two bottles, she had a happy solitary swim before the others clambered in and splashed all around her. The orphans had lots of fun in the water before walking back to the stockades.
Ex-orphan Lasayen was around this morning after spending the night outside the stockades but, to our surprise, we have not seen Mbegu’s herd for three days. After finishing the range cubes, Busara, Hildana, Seri, Juni and Baraka joined Ashanti around the mound of lucerne. Ashanti copes very well with her damaged trunk, sometimes using a front leg to help her eat. This morning, she was using her foot to anchor the pieces of lucerne.
Sileita, Mushuru and Sholumai were standing in the walkway, letting Rokka know that they were ready to leave and waiting for a signal. On most days, it is Rokka who leads the herd out to the bush. Today, she ignored the three girls as she was busy bonding with Epiya, and her friend Losoito was having another dust bath.
Eventually, the orphans left the stockades and settled to browse on shrub vegetation in the open fields. Lasayen wandered along in their wake. In the afternoon, the older bull joined the herd at the mud wallow. After splashing in the muddy water, Juni massaged her backside on the edge, Dabida covered her body with dust, Epiya rubbed herself against the ground, and Ushindi, Itinyi and Rokka stood tall, posing next to the wallow.
On leaving the shady wallow, the elephants spent a long time clustered under a large tree, seeking shade from the sun. Only as the sun sank in the sky did they walk out to browse.
On a wonderful morning, the elephants filled their bellies and then began playing. Losoito, as usual, was having another dust bath. She rolled on her own for a short time before Busara and Thamana came over to join her. Kilulu and Kenderi were having an intense sparring game and Ushindi was scratching on a rock, until she was pushed away by Akina.
Finally, Rokka gave the signal and the orphans followed her out to the browsing fields. Sileita waited until everyone else had passed and then wandered along behind the others, perhaps to avoid any chance of being pushed over.
In the afternoon, Rokka sprinted down to the feeding area and on the mud wallow with Juni and Ashanti. Sileita and Sholumai lay down in the muddy water and then climbed out for a massage and dust bath. The girls left Epiya and Kilulu playing in the wallow and Thamana lying submerged in the middle. Thamana takes mud bathing sessions very seriously.
After being away for a few days, Ndotto was back today! Our gentle giant greeted long-time friend Lasayen who has been visiting every day. The two bulls were pleased to see each other, standing side by side at the trough and rumbling while they scooped up range cubes.
Ashanti, Seri, Akina and Baraka lined up along the terrace to browse on cubes, Kilulu scratched himself on the rock next to the water trough, Ndotto trunk touched Juni and Busara, and Losoito posed by the famous rock. Thamana and Juni began a sparring contest while Ndotto challenged Lasayen to a wrestling match.
The orphans settled to browse on the slopes of Msinga Hill. In the afternoon, they had their milk feed outside the stockades and left immediately to browse some more around the hill.
As Akina and Ashanti walked towards their shared stockade at dusk, they paused outside Chapeyu’s room. The older bull is putting on weight and his leg has healed well. The two girls stood on one side of the wall and the older bull on the other. He allowed them to touch his head before they continued into their stockade for the night.
Mbegu’s herd of ex-orphans arrived in the early morning for supplementary range cubes, lucerne and water. Enjoying the lucerne, Ngilai carried some on his head to the feeding trough, probably saving it for later. Long-time friends Ndotto and Lasayen played a sparring game. Lasayen has been spending most mornings with our herd before going his own way later in the day.
Ashanti, Epiya, Losoito, Busara, Thamana and Ndotto gathered on the mound of dry soil for a dust bath. Mbegu, Tagwa and Tamiyoi were catching up with Busara and Epiya.
Both groups of orphans headed out and settled to browse over Msinga Hill. Later in the morning, the ex-orphans walked away towards the water trough on the hill and on to the Voi River circuit.
In the afternoon, Itinyi and Rokka played pushing and mounting games. It was unusual to see Rokka being so playful. Busara challenged Kenderi to another sparring game and then feisty Kenderi sparred with Kilulu. As the games continued, Baraka lay down for a nap while Dabida and Lemeki guarded her.
It was a cooler morning after drizzles of rain in the night. Ex-orphans Ndotto, Ngilai, Godoma, Mbegu and Tagwa walked up to the stockades at dawn but Lasayen and Murit were missing today, possibly hanging out with wild friends. The elephants mingled at the trough and around the lucerne.
After breakfast, the orphans spread out in front of the stockades. Juni and Losoito were rolling on the ground together on the upper terrace. Busara challenged Kilulu to a sparring match on the lower terrace but Kilulu just trunk hugged her! Then Kilulu moved on to play with Losoito although, when he tried to mount her, she shoved him off and ended the game. Meanwhile, Mbegu was resting her tusks on the rock next to the water trough, Juni was trunk hugging Baraka, and Seri and Busara were rolling and splashing on the red soil.
The orphans spent the morning browsing on the slopes of Msinga Hill and visited the mud wallow on an overcast afternoon. Today, no one went swimming as they did not need to cool off.
When a wild family walked in to drink from the water trough, Lemeki, the new matriarch of our herd, immediately walked over to greet and welcome them. Many others followed and soon the wild elephants were surrounded by our orphans. Busara made friends with the wild babies and even tried to follow the herd. We intervened to stop them kidnapping any of our babies!
On a sunny morning, current and former orphans spread out to feed and then headed for a dust bath, led by matriarch Lemeki, her little sisters Losoito and Rokka, and then Dabida, Ushindi, Mbegu and several others. Tamiyoi rolled around playfully with Juni, Ashanti and Epiya. Then Juni rubbed bodies with Ngilai while mischievous Hildana play mounted Mbegu as she lay relaxing on the soil. It was a dust bath party!
After browsing over the hill in the morning, the orphans padded down to the mud wallow. Water baby Thamana lay in the middle with only his trunk sticking out and Seri splashed around him. Losoito and Busara scratched their bottoms on the mud wall while Dabida play mounted Hildana. Dabida and Hildana both have feisty characters and are a good match for each other. Leaving the wallow, the herd returned to the hill to enjoy more supplementary lucerne during this dry time.
Chapeyu, Samaa and Serenget are still in their stockades. They interact often with each other, stretching trunks in greeting and communicating with rumbles. The younger elephants are still recovering from their injuries while Chapeyu is reluctant to take a step out of his stable.