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Ex-orphans Loijuk, Lili, Kitirua, Orwa, Naisula, Kilaguni, Bomani and Ishanga arrived to join the dependent orphans in the morning. Esampu, Nabulu and Sapalan had the wonderful opportunity to interact with Lili for a while, before she left to rejoin her mother. After feeding on lucerne, Sattao led the way out to browse. 

It was a quiet morning as all the orphans concentrated on browsing without any major distractions. Older orphans Orwa and Bomani chose to join the orphans for the entire morning. Ambo and Jotto decided to browse together, away from the others. Malima and Sana Sana joined them for a little while, before going to browse from a nice bush with their friend Malkia. Roi walked with Dololo through the bush slowly and escorted the little boy and his friend Musiara to some shade when they looked a little hot. Loijuk and her team joined the orphans again at the mud bath. It was hot today and all the orphans and ex-orphans decided to get into the mud bath to wallow which they really enjoyed. Even Kauro decided to get into the water today! Kamok and Karisa were the first to walk over to the piles of loose soil to dry off. 

In the evening, over seventy wild bulls showed up for water at the stockade compound. Nabulu led the way back to the stockades in the evening. None of the orphans decided to dodge the Keepers today and they all returned at the same time to go to bed for the night. 

After feasting on their morning lucerne, Mteto and Sana Sana led the way out to browse. Malkia accompanied Sattao and Musiara to a rock where the two boys scratched their bodies gloriously. Mapia, who was following behind, tried to push the two boys away from the rock, but he was turned away by Malkia. Mapia had to wait until the two younger boys were through before moving in to scratch his tummy on the same rock. 

Out in the bush, Kauro engaged Dololo in a pushing game and then decided to climb on him as a show of dominance over the young boy. Esampu showed off her skills acquired over the years, as she stepped on branches and used her trunk to break the branches and peel the bark from them to get enough food during this dry season we are currently experiencing. 

At mud bath time, Ambo decided to lead the way for the noon bottle feed. Soon after taking his share, he walked to a nearby tree and relaxed there in the shade for some time before heading for a mud bath. 

Karisa, Sapalan, Sattao, Pare, Mundusi and Dololo saw a wild bull standing a short distance away who seemed hesitant to come over and join the orphans to drink water. The boys decided to approach the bull to see if there was anything wrong, but the wild bull didn’t appreciate being approached by the youngsters and pushed them aside. However, the boys seemed determined to be around the bull and followed him to the water trough. The wild bulls standing there didn't mind them, but they walked away after they were done drinking enough water. 

The senior ex-orphans, led by Loijuk, arrived at the mud bath just as the dependent orphans were leaving. In the afternoon, the dependent orphans settled to browse at in the Kanziku area before heading home to the stockades in the evening.

Malima decided to stop and have a morning stretching exercise at the gate to the stockade compound. She got down on her knees and blocked the way. Jotto, who was following close behind, decided to climb on Malima to try to get past her and follow his friends. 

Two buffaloes showed up for water and had to share it with two wild elephant bulls who were also present. Shortly later, Rapsu emerged from the east and joined the orphans briefly before leaving again. Guinea fowls, who had flocked to stockade water trough for their morning drink, got it rough as Naseku, Sattao, Mundusi, Dololo and Rapa all decided to chase them. The opportunity to make these birds take flight is irresistible to them! The five orphans kept charging and trumpeting at them, trying to scare the birds away. Eventually, and much to the relief of the birds, they got tired and left the guinea fowls to do as they wished. 

Musiara teamed up with Malkia on the way out to the bush. Mundusi ran into trouble with our ‘stick carrier’, Kauro. Kauro has been christened with this name because of his habit of picking up sticks and carrying them with him each time he walks to get his milk bottles. We’re not sure when he might give up this habit, but we can’t help but think it might be when he is eventually weaned from his milk; only time will tell. Kauro fought with Mundusi when Mundusi tried to take food from his mouth. Kauro even went to the extent of climbing on Mundusi just to prove to him that he shouldn’t underestimate his strength. 

It was quite cool when the orphans made their way to the mud bath, so only half of the group decided to wallow in the water. Nabulu was the first one to get into the water followed by Ndiwa, Sana Sana, Mteto, Esampu, Malima, Ambo and Karisa. Shortly after the orphans left, Challa, in the company of Dad and other two other wild bull friends, reported to the mud bath to wallow as well. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse along the upper Kalovoto seasonal river. In the evening, Nabulu led the first group back into the compound for the night, Sattao led the second and Esampu the third. 

Kibo was the only ex-orphan present at the stockade compound in the morning during the lucerne feeding time. Soon after having enough, Kibo led the orphans to the water troughs, where they drank enough water to see them through the entire morning. Shortly thereafter, Mteto led the way out to browse. It was all quiet as the orphans concentrated on browsing. At mud bath time, Kuishi led the first group to the noon bottle feed. 43 wild elephant bulls came to the mud bath area, to drink water and cool off in the mud bath. Dololo, Esampu, Malkia and Pare emerged as the stars of the day as they sat in the water and whipped it around with their trunks.

In the evening, as usual these days, Nabulu led the orphans back home in the evening.

Soon after leaving the stockade compound, the orphans were joined by Orwa, Bomani, Suguta and Kibo. Some wild elephant bulls were competing with some buffaloes over the water at the water troughs. Just as the buffaloes were leaving after eventually taking their fill, Sana Sana spotted them. Sana Sana decided to stop feeding on lucerne and instead chase after the buffaloes. She charged and trumpeted after them and the buffaloes, upon hearing the trumpets and seeing Sana Sana behind them, picked up their speed and sprinted away, kicking up dust as they fled. Sana Sana was ecstatic as she had single-handedly managed to drive the buffaloes away. Mapia engaged Jotto in a pushing game that ended in a draw. 

On the way out to browse, the orphans met with Tomboi, as he was on his way to the stockades for a drink. The orphans stepped aside to let him pass with their trunks raised in greeting. Tomboi didn't acknowledge the orphans’ greetings but did stop to say hello to Suguta, who was in the company of the orphans. It’s not clear why Suguta has left her own group of Sities, Mutara, Kainuk, Turkwel, Kithaka, Garzi and Lemoyian, for the time being. An hour later, Suguta, Orwa, Bomani and Kibo parted ways with the orphans, and took Barsilinga, Tusuja, Olsekki, Oltaiyoni, Roi, Naseku and Siangiki with them. Malima teamed up with Ambo and Dololo to browse. 

At mud bath time, the temperature was moderate. After finishing their milk, Maramoja stood with Musiara a few meters away from the others. Once Malkia joined them, Maramoja decided to leave Musiara under her care while she went to swim in the mud bath. Pare engaged Jotto in a pushing game but stopped when they saw Enkikwe walking towards them. Jotto then moved to play with Mapia. After drinking enough water, Nabulu moved close to some wild bulls that were relaxing under a tree. Nabulu just stared at the wild bulls for a while and then walked away. Mteto picked up a piece of bark peel from the ground and started playing with it. Esampu was standing close to her and stared at Mteto as if she had gone mad because the piece of bark was good food for eating, not playing with! Ambo walked with Kamok and engaged her in a lengthy conversation. 

In the afternoon, Mundusi played with Karisa while Pare played with Wanjala. Mapia dodged the Keepers and returned to the stockades early, where he met a lot of wild bulls drinking water. Mapia settled outside and enjoyed some lucerne on his own as he waited for his friends to return too. 

Kenze and Kasigau were sleeping comfortably outside the stockade compound. As soon as the orphans were let out, the two boys woke up. Ambo was the first one to leave his stockade and he went straight over to say hi to Kasigau. A buffalo came for water at the stockade water troughs but got it rough when Esampu decided to single-handedly start charging and trumpeting to chase him away. Kenze left immediately after eating enough lucerne, while Kasigau escorted the orphans out to browse. 

Pare and Mundusi continued their pushing games, trying to establish who was the strongest between them. Mapia engaged Jotto in their own pushing game which ended in a draw. Karisa settled to browse with Kauro. 

At mud bath time it was very hot, prompting the orphans to jump into the water soon after finishing their milk. Rapa and Nabulu were the first to leave the mud bath, and the first to walk over to the soil mounds to dust themselves and dry off. Malkia and Enkikwe were the last ones to leave the mud bath. 

In the evening, Makena, Mumo and Ishanga showed up at the mud bath after disappearing for a few days. Mumo was looking extremely weak and dehydrated. We provided some water and lucerne for them at the mud bath. Later, Yatta and the rest of the senior ex-orphan herd arrived at the mud bath and picked up Makena, Mumo and Ishanga. They walked with them to the stockade compound. Makena was locked in with her baby to try and give them some rest, but she escaped at midnight after bending the metal rails of the gate. 

The day started on a very sad note. At six o'clock in the morning, Makena, Sities, Ishanga, Mwende, Kalama and Mumo were just standing some hundred metres away from the stockade area. Lucerne was taken to where they were standing, and they were left to feed. Half an hour later, Sities came running over to the orphans and ex-orphans that were eating lucerne over by the stockade compound. It seems that Sities had come to announce that Mumo had collapsed and was with us no more. The ex-orphans bellowed in loud voices, sending up the alarm that something was wrong. Wild bulls who were in the area all swarmed closer to check what had happened. They gave their final respects and consoled Makena before leaving again. It was an incredible moment to witness all these elephants, including the big bulls, come together to mourn such a loss. Ishanga remained with Makena to comfort her, even after all the other elephants continued with their day. We can’t help but think Makena should have stayed close with Yatta’s herd, and we are not sure why she walked so far with little Mumo to make her so exhausted. Some things we will just never be able to understand. 

Fifty wild bulls were present at the mud bath when the orphans arrived. Makena, Ishanga and Mwende also showed up to cool off. Makena seemed okay and Ishanga stayed close to her. Esampu was the first one to leave the water, as she employed her usual tactic of suddenly running around and trumpeting to encourage everyone else to vacate the pool. It worked marvelously, and one by one, the orphans charged out of the mud bath, running in the direction taken by Esampu. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area.

Several wild bulls were drinking water at the stockade water troughs when the orphans were let out. One of the bulls joined the orphans to eat lucerne. Shortly later, two wild herds came straight to the lucerne feeding area to share the remaining lucerne with the orphans. Sana Sana, Mteto and Maramoja felt protective over their breakfast however, and ganged up to drive the young wild babies away. The young ones ran to their mothers for safety. Maramoja, Sana Sana and Mteto didn’t chase them to their mothers however, as they knew the consequences and none of them wanted to risk being hit or chased! 

The orphans headed east of the stockade soon after finishing the lucerne. Esampu settled to browse with Musiara while Malkia teamed up with Sapalan. At mud bath time it was very hot. Fifty wild bulls showed up to have water in the company of Challa and Tomboi. Kamok, Ambo and Nabulu boycotted the wallowing exercise while the others all went in for a swim, and then a soil dusting exercise soon after wallowing. 

In the afternoon the orphans settled to browse along the upper Kalovoto seasonal river. In the evening, Yatta and her herd came for water and Tusuja, having left with them yesterday evening, was still with them and chose to stay with them tonight as well.

Fifteen wild bulls were drinking water at the stockade water troughs early this morning. Two buffaloes also joined the wild bulls drinking water. The orphans settled for their lucerne and as soon as they had enough, Karisa and Malima led the way out to browse. 

Out in the bush, Malima had a light pushing game with Maramoja while Mapia played with Musiara. The sky was clear and this foretold a hot day a head. Close to mud bath time, the temperature soared, making the orphans opt to take a break from feeding and relax under an acacia tree. Despite it being so hot, some of the orphans still chose to skip the wallowing exercise after having their milk bottles. Only Mundusi, Mapia, Malima, Mteto, Musiara, Ndiwa, Enkikwe, Jotto and Esampu decided to swim. Fifty-eight wild bulls were also at the mud bath, enjoying the water. 

In the afternoon, the orphans browsed in the Kanziku area. Mapia challenged Mundusi, but at long last lost the game. In the evening as usual, Nabulu led the way back to the stockades for the night.