September 2nd
Yatta and her group reported early at the stockade compound. The orphans were let out and briefly joined the Ex Orphans for lucerne before being led away by Shukuru. Tusuja and Boromoko had a warm up exercise that was done through a pushing game but Tusuja lost to Boromoko and decided to go and tackled Lemoyian. Ukame used her small tusks to peel bark from some trees.
Later on when the orphans went for their noon mild feed the weather was chilly and only Boromoko and Sirimon decided to go into the mud hole after. Eighteen wild bulls also came to drink water there. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area where Sirimon rode on Naseku before Galla turned on him and they had an argument that ended up as a wrestling match. In the evening Orwa, Vuria and Bomani, who appear to have formed a small group of boys, showed up at the stockade compound where they were joined later by Mutara’s group, Naisula, Murka, Kitirua, Makireti and Kilabasi. Shortly before dark, the junior Ex Orphan bulls left and walked away into the Park.
Tusuja plays with Boromoko
Sokotei feeding himself some milk
September 3rd
Soon after leaving the stockade, Boromoko and Tusuja had a warm up exercise through a pushing game. Galana, baby Gawa, Loijuk, Kilaguni, Kasigau, Ithumbah, a wild orphan and a wild elephant joined the juniors to feed on lucerne. Shortly later Bongo and Narok, who appear to have temporarily separated from Orwa, Teleki, Bomani and Vuria, emerged from the eastern side of the stockade. Teleki has joined up with Nasalot and always walks together with her while the three boys Orwa, Bomani and Vuria have formed their own small group. Only time will tell if the groups will remain as they are. Kamok led the way to the browsing field where Lemoyian, who loves pushing games, engaged Sokotei in a strength testing exercise while Sirimon tackled Tusuja. At around ten o'clock in the morning, the juniors were joined by Olare’s group, Makireti’s group and Galana’s group. Later the herd walked to the mud bath where they were joined by thirty eight wild bulls.
In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the upper Kalovoto area. Olsekki and Boromoko took a break from feeding to play, a game which came to an end when Roi passed close by and Olsekki turned to ride on her. Sirimon came and pushed Olsekki away which we thought was chivalrous but then he turned to ride on Roi himself. Kithaka rolled on the ground on his own but was later joined by Enkikwe. In the evening, a wild herd consisting of ten members came for water at the stockade compound and left later when they had enough water.
Orphans feeding on lucerne
September 7th
When the gates opened for the juniors to come out, the independent orphans Orwa, Bomani, Suguta, Nasalot and Vuria tried to get in to check whether there was anything left over for them to feed on. To their disappointment, what was left behind was not enough for them so they walked out to go and eat some lucerne in that feeding area. Two wild bulls joined them to feast on the lucerne and shortly later the orphans left for browsing. Garzi lagged behind with the Ex Orphans but joined his friends later after spending enough time with his former friend’s Orwa and Bomani; perhaps he too will join them soon. Boromoko and Olsekki started their activities out in the bush by wrestling and pushing each other while Karisa used a shrub to scratch his itchy foot and leg. The sun was hot and at mud bath time, the orphans wallowed with the playful Lemoyian riding on Boromoko. Twenty eight bulls were present and as the orphans made their way back to the browsing field, the wild elephants remained at the mud bath to cool off. Galla spent some time dusting himself. Later he and Ukame had a disagreement that saw Ukame start pushing him. Laragai, who was feeding close by, acted fast to save Galla from the wrath of Ukame. She got in between them and managed to calm Ukame down.
Bomani waiting for his lucerne
Wild elephant bull eating with the orphans
Galla playing and soil dusting
September 8th
Tusuja was the first one to leave the stockade followed by Roi today. Kamok and Shukuru had branches in their mouths as they headed out. Dupotto met with Ex Orphan bull Rapsu outside the stockade and exchanged morning greetings before heading to join Kibo to feed on lucerne. Olare and Mutara’s groups in the company of Madiba, Rapsu, Kilaguni and Chaimu attended the morning lucerne feeding as well. On the way to the browsing field, Enkikwe and Olsekki briefly engaged one another in a morning strength testing exercise as Boromoko played with Sokotei. Orwa, Bomani and Vuria joined the juniors to browse while Vuria and Barsilinga held a pushing contest that went for quite some time before Barsilinga bowed out. At mud bath time the orphans were joined by only fifteen wild bulls and when they were done, Laragai led the way back to the browsing field. The orphans had a quiet afternoon until the evening when Olsekki and Enkikwe wound up the day's activities by engaging in a pushing game that lasted for a short time.
Enkikwe playing with Olsekki
September 10th
Mutara’s group in the company of Narok, Bongo, Vuria, Orwa, Teleki and few members from Olare’s group were at the stockade compound early in morning. They dependent orphans joined them as soon as they had finished their morning milk. A wild herd consisting of eight members and an eighteen month old baby showed up and half of the group including the baby joined the juniors for lucerne. The baby interacted with Olsekki, Roi, Boromoko and Enkikwe who had a light pushing game with the baby.
Back out in the bush, Galla had great time soil dusting while Boromoko and Olsekki settled for a pushing game that ended soon when Boromoko surrendered. Shukuru, Roi and Kamok scratched all their itchy places on nearby rocks before going back to browsing. Orok came to mud bath accompanied by his friends and then walked down to join the juniors to mud bath. Soon after Karisa had enough of wallowing, he walked up to the water trough and joined some wild bulls that were drinking water. Karisa took the water he needed and left to join his friends that had started heading back out. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area. The sun was still hot and Kamok, Sokotei, Enkikwe and Karisa took a break from feeding to relax under a tree. Later in the day Tusuja, Lemoyian and Barsilinga decided to dust themselves in some soil and then Kamok led the way back out to the stockade.
Roi scratching in the morning
Olsekki chats with wild baby
September 11th
Mutara and Olare’s groups joined the juniors for lucerne soon after they were let out. Shortly later Bongo and Teleki, who have teamed up with Nasalot, also showed up followed by Orwa, Narok, Bomani and Vuria. The orphans left for browsing soon after they had enough of the lucerne.
Kithaka and Garzi enjoyed a pushing game that went on for quite some time as neither of them wanted to surrender. At last, Kithaka gave up and went to scratch against a nearby tree. The sun was hot and during mud bath time, the venue was flooded with wild bulls that were coming for a drink and to cool off. A total of forty five wild elephants were there with Half Trunk and Dad among them. Orok, who is 13 years old now, was among the wild bulls, and joined the juniors briefly in the mud bath before getting out to drink water from the trough.
The orphans had a quiet afternoon with Wanjala taking a break from feeding to relax under a tree to avoid the scorching sun. In the evening, the orphans passed by the mud bath where they enjoyed an evening cool-off before heading back to the stockade.
Kithaka playing in the soil
Kithaka scratching his chest on a tree
September 24th
The orphans walked straight to the lucerne field after their milk this morning and found two wild female elephants with their three babies drinking water from the water hole. The orphans continued feeding with Shukuru and Lemoyian separately scratching on a rock. The orphans later walked out to the bush to browse.
Boromoko and Sirimon were happily play fighting to one side while Lemoyian and Olsekki played on the other side. The rest busied themselves with finding enough food to eat. Later on, Roi and Kamok led the group to the mud bath for their milk.
At the mud bath, there was already a group of wild elephants waiting for water when the water truck arrived. They were very happy and moved aside to give way to the truck to fill the trough, and after moved back to drink some of the clean water. Some orphans went into the mud hole and started playing with the wild bulls who were already there. The wild bulls were playing and climbing on each other too; Boromoko decided to copy them and did the same to Naseku. Enkikwe was play fighting with Sirimon in the mud hole while the rest went straight to dust bath. Later on, the whole group walked back to the bush to browse again.
It is still so dry and the whole group was struggling to find fresh vegetation to eat before the day came to a close. They looked happy as they browsed together as a team. Kamok later led the group back home in the evening for their milk.
We had some wild bulls with Ex Orphans from Mutara's group in the stockade today, who sought refuge from the hot sun and hid in the shade. Half Trunk was among them. Narok's group also visited the stockade very late in the evening with Sities, Orwa, Bomani and Vuria. They all looked very healthy which was so nice to see considering the dry conditions.
Kithaka playing with Lemoyian
Enkikwe playing with Sirimon at mud bath
Half Trunk relaxing with the orphans in the shade
September 28th
Mutara and her group reported to the stockade compound early in the morning. When the gates were opened for the juniors to come out, Mutara and her group rushed in to find out if there was anything left over for them to feed on. They walked out a short while later and settled for lucerne. Sokotei and Olsekki left with branches in their mouths but Shukuru and Siangiki forced Olsekki into sharing his with them by pulling it from his mouth. Naseku spent some time scratching on the nearby rocks and shortly later, the orphans were joined by Makireti, Kilabasi, Kasigau, Madiba, Zurura, Orwa, Narok, Vuria, bomani and two wild bulls. Kainuk briefly played with Vuria before turning to Orwa. At the browsing field, Kithaka started a pushing game with Garzi, a game that prompted Sokotei to start one with Olsekki. Five wild dogs tried to access the water at the stockade compound but unfortunately were chased away by Mutara who was guarding the water hole. At eleven o'clock in the morning, the orphans attended mud bath and there after returned back to the browsing field. The orphans settled to browse along the lower Kalovoto seasonal river where Sokotei spent some time dusting himself with soil.
Mutara looking for food and Karisa
Naseku scratching her hind
Shukuru and Siangiki sharing branch with Olsekki
September 30th
The orphans settled for lucerne soon after leaving the stockade. It was a quiet morning without any wild elephants or Ex Orphans joining the orphans to feast on lucerne. Karisa was feeding close to Barsilinga and received a rude shock when Barsilinga just knocked him down out of the blue and for no apparent reason. This annoyed Karisa and since there was nothing he could do, he just got up and left.
Out in the bush Galla took a break from feeding to scratch against a tree while Kithaka settled for a pushing game with Garzi. Lemoyian had a lone game of rolling on the ground as Tusuja played with Boromoko. At around ten o'clock in the morning the juniors were joined by Narok’s group which consists of herself, Orwa, Bomani and Vuria. Later, Sokotei and Siangiki used the same tree to scratch their ears while Lemoyian, who loves pushing games, engaged Enkikwe to a strength testing exercise.
At mud bath time, the orphans were joined by Olare’s group and fifteen wild elephants. Garzi briefly engaged Chemi Chemi in a pushing game, a game that he lost miserably to. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse on the western side of Ithumba Hill up to four o'clock in evening, when Laragai led the way for an evening cool-off in the mud bath. After they were done, the orphan’s soil dusted and then Ukame led the way back to the stockade.
Kithaka playing with Barsilinga
Orwa says hi to the orphans
Sokotei and Siangiki scratching