Keepers' Diaries, September 2005
Nairobi Nursery Unit
Narrippi’s condition deteriorated towards mid-month, which we put down to teething, which always triggers fever and stomach upsets. When blood appeared in his stools, we had to resort to another antibiotic course of Sulphadimidine, with trepidation, knowing how antibiotics depress an elephant’s immune system and also knowing that he was a prime candidate for the dreaded pneumonia, having been a well victim, and moreover a victim of a well heavily utilized by Masai cattle. However, following this, which included doses of yoghurt made with his milk formula, his diarrheoa had definitely improved and we were hopeful that perhaps we might have won the battle. But, it was not to be, and by the time our foster-parents read this update, written upon Daphne’s arrival after an overseas visit, they will know that Narrippi was one that we could not win.
01 September 2005
Immediately after the mudbath, Naserian and Lualeni, forcing their way in to touch little Narripi all over his body, but concentrating on his damaged trunk. The Keepers had to force them out.
02 September 2005
The usual tussle between Rapsu and Buchuma, which began in the bush, went on right into the mudbath hour when the Keepers had difficulty to separate them. Little Kora would have liked to join in, but was restrained by the Keepers, because the tussle had become too intense to risk his involvement.
03 September 2005
All five orphans came to see little Narripi this morning prior to going out into the bush. Buchuma became very excited, touching Narripi on the mouth. When the others left, Naserian wanted to remain behind with Narripi, because we could not allow him to join the others because he is still so small, and his trunk wound very raw.
04 September 2005
Lualeni loved the mudbath, running up and down with the ball, and romping in the tube. Rapsu joined in the fun.
05 September 2005
Little Narripi had a full day out today spent playing happily with his Keepers just behind his stables, and even enjoying quite long walks.
06 September 2005
Naserian was very restless today, wanting to return to the stables to be with the new baby. The Keepers had to turn her back when she persisted in trying to sneak away from the other orphans.
07 September 2005
Rapsu and Kora enjoyed a gentle pushing game, but as soon as Kora began to retreat backwards, Naserian intervened to separate him from Rapsu.
08 September 2005
Kora took on Buchuma today in a pushing game that lasted most of the morning, and he held his own very well.
09 September 2005
Today, Buchuma and Kora were once again playing, running around together, until Rapsu intercepted his old rival, Buchuma, and prevented him from chasing after Kora.
10 September 2005
After the mudbath, all the elephants went to the Stables to greet another new arrival from the Shimba Hills area, named Kwali. They all extended their trunks in greeting, after which Naserian went in search of Narripi, who was a short distance away in the bushes with his Keeper. The Keepers had great difficulty persuading Naserian to leave the baby and go with the others into the forest.
11 September 2005
For the first time, Naserian seemed to resent the intrusion of visitors when the orphans were out in the bush, obviously being very protective of her elephant “family”.
12 September 2005
Today, Buchuma preferred to browse apart from the others as usual.
13 September 2005
Today we were deep in the forest and came across Makosa, and took evasive action moving away from his territory. The elephants also enjoyed chasing the bushbuck.
14 September 2005
Early in the morning, two giraffes came near to where Shida, the young rhino, was browsing. Shida could hear but not actually see them, but then they came into his view, and he charged straight at them, sending them hurtling off down the hill, and leaving Shida a bit scared by such a rapid giraffe retreat.
15 September 2005
It was hot at noon today, so Shida thoroughly enjoyed the mudbath, so much so that he was reluctant to leave. When the elephants were ready to arrive, we had to force him out.
16 September 2005
Lualeni and Kora had a fun day chasing a family of warthogs with tiny newborn babies. When the babies ran in all directions, Lualeni ran one way and Kora the other, leaving the mother warthog and her Nannie in the middle! When Rapsu took up the chase, the Keepers intervened to save the little warthogs from becoming separated and lost.
17 September 2005
Today, Magnum was not in a good mood, having come to the mudbath early when Shida was still there. He was escorted away by the Keeper and his wheel-barrow of pickings, but returned again shortly afterwards, and insisted on having a mudbath, which meant that we had to remove the elephants and leave the mudbath to him. We noticed that he had blood-spots near his horn, obviously caused by a fight with another rhino, which accounted for his bad mood.
18 September 2005
Kora was determined to get top-sides of Buchuma today and they had a tough tussle until Naserian came between them and took Kora away. Lualeni then came and put her trunk in Kora’s mouth in a gesture of love. Narripi has been having difficulty cutting his first molars, suffering from loose stools that have necessitated treatment, especially since blood appeared in the stool. The Vet prescribed a 5 day course of oral antibiotic.
19 September 2005
When the 9 a.m. milk feed was a bit delayed; Rapsu left the forest and came in search of it, followed by Kora, who is also very fond of his milk.
20 September 2005
Narripi is a little better, and very happy to have been joined by another very small elephant from Laikipia, named “Makena”. When the bigger elephants were brought in to greet the newcomer, the baby thought Naserian was her mother, and kept kneeling down to suck Naserian’s ears.
21 September 2005
It was a very long day for Naserian who was very restless, running up and down and trying to return to the stables to see the new baby. We had to take the elephants very far into the bush before she settled down. Likewise, Lualeni was unsettled, following Naserian’s lead, which upset Kora, who is her closest friend! Only Rapsu and Buchuma remained unaffected.
22 September 2005
The tiny new arrival, “Makena” is extremely playful and cheeky, giving Narripi a hard time by wanting to play with his damaged trunk. The Keepers had to restrain her, because although Narripi’s trunk is healing, it is still very tender and also he is not quite himself, bothered by the teething process. She kept running around playfully pushing the Keepers.
23 September 2005
It was a very cool morning, so the elephants concentrated on browsing until some impalas came running and jumping out of the bush. This scared the elephants, and also the Keepers, who did not know what had caused the antelopes fear.
24 September 2005
Kora and Lualeni spent the whole day browsing close together, following one another closely. Buchuma decided that he wanted solitude, and chased away every elephant that came to join him. Meanwhile, Naserian and Rapsu were close together, which probably made Buchuma irritated because he could not get at Rapsu to trigger a tussle.
25 September 2005
Tiny Makena is extremely active and very playful. She loved playing football with the ball all morning. Narripi’s stools are again loose after an improvement during the antibiotic course, so he was given yoghurt in the morning and evening.
26 September 2005
Narripi and Makena left their respective stables at about 7.30 a.m. and Makena kept on trying to suckle Narripi, bending down to do so.
27 September 2005
Naserian made her wishes well known at mudbath time, trying to push through the cordon and the visitors in order to go to the two babies. In the end, the Keepers let her proceed.
28 September 2005
After a long time we again ran into a huge bull buffalo on our way out to the bush in the morning. He just stood looking at us until we made ourselves scarce!
29 September 2005
A family of warthogs who had very small babies again joined us out in the bush, which prompted Lualeni and Kora to give chase to the babies. Wherever Lualeni goes, Kora must follow.
30 September 2005
Today, Shida escaped very fast from his Keepers, who went in search of him and were informed by the H.Q. staff that he was at the mudbath playing with Magnum. The Keepers were astonished, wondering how Shida knew that Magnum was at the mudbath. Because Shida was still a baby, Magnum did not fight him very hard, but later came back hunting him and was angry to discover that Shida was now occupying his former Nursery Stockade.