The month began with a private tete-a-tete between Mudanda and Ndotto. The old friends stood head-to-head, excluding everyone else from their discussions. Mudanda is usually busy looking after Lemeki and Thamana, so Ngilai seized his window of opportunity. He got down on the ground so Lemeki could roll on him, before getting up and continuing with a relaxed sparring match. Ngilai made sure to be very gentle with the little girl.
It was a bright morning at the Voi stockade compound this morning as the Voi dependent orphans enjoyed their milk bottles followed by supplement food of lucerne pellets and dairy cubes. As soon as they were done with their breakfast, Tamiyoi set off towards the bush, leading the way across the rocky slopes of Msinga Hill. Tagwa and Sagala remained behind waiting for Juni, who was sluggishly sauntering along at the back of the herd with Mbegu.
The orphans settled at the foot of the hill to browse for the morning. Emoli and Tahri decided to stop and scratch against the same big boulder, while Tamiyoi and Ngilai browsed side by side across a grassy clearing. Emoli decided to start a sparring match with his senior Arruba. Murit lay down on the ground to relax for a while. Mudanda and Ndotto had a private conversation while standing head-to-head, showing that it was completely private whatever they were discussing! Mudanda then set about browsing again, pulling up the touch grass and roots from the ground with his trunk. Ngilai had a good time playing with little Lemeki, getting down on the ground so that she could roll on him, before getting up and continuing with a gentle sparring match. Ngilai made sure to be very gentle with the little girl.
Thamana was having a private moment with Godoma when naughty Emoli came over and tried to climb on him, asserting his dominance as an older bull within the herd over Thamana. Thamana turned and engaged Emoli head-on so they could wrestle it out.
Just before the orphans walked down the hill to their usual milk feeding spot, the usually quiet Lasayen decided to start a sparring game with Murit, which didn’t last long because it was time for their 11am milk feed. When they were done the orphans made their way over to the place where the Keepers are putting their afternoon supplement lucerne pellets, due to the ongoing dry conditions, where they enjoyed their snack and continued browsing in the same area until it was time to return home in the evening.
After their first morning milk feed of the day, the Voi dependent orphans settled for their supplement breakfast as usual. Mudanda walked over to the terraces looking for Thamana, who was comfortable in Suswa’s company already while feeding on some lucerne. While all the others enjoyed their food, Arruba was standing by the stockade entrance scratching on the rocks there.
The orphans then left the stockades to begin their day of browsing out in the Park, maneuvering their way along the rocky slopes of Msinga Hill in search of nice browse. They made their way in a northerly direction, slowly making their way towards the baobab tree water hole for their 11am milk bottles.
Arruba decided to take a break from browsing and show off to the others by sitting down and scratching her bum. Ndotto and his best friend since Nursery days, Lasayen, locked trunks in a bullish sparring match. Tagwa, Juni and Sagala all stuck together as their own little group, until it was time to head for the milk feed followed by a mud wallow next to the baobab tree.
Rorogoi enjoyed an afternoon dust bath, lying on the pile of loose earth and lazily throwing dust over her body with her trunk, as Emoli scratched on the rock next to the water trough. Ngilai looked as if he was showing off and posing for the Keeper who was taking pictures today. Mudanda chose to look after her adopted baby Thamana before going to scratch an itch on her head against one of the rocks. As soon as she left, Ngilai came over and tried to climb on Thamana, but Mudanda came running back and collected the little boy, and he spent the rest of his time in the company of both Suswa and Mudanda. Thamana lay down to take a nap, heavily guarded by both Suswa and Mudanda, and Godoma decided to do the same after a busy day of browsing.
Ndotto taught Lemeki some sparring tactics during a break in their browsing this afternoon, while Murit and Emoli enjoyed their own match close by. Emoli and Pika Pika chose to browse side by side for the rest of the afternoon until Tamiyoi led the herd home in the evening for their last milk bottles of the day and to go to sleep for the night.
The orphans came running out of their night stockades this morning, excited for the morning milk feed. After she had gulped down her two milk bottles, Godoma ran over to feed on the lucerne pellets that the Keepers had put out for the orphans this morning. Ndotto climbed on Arruba who was enjoying her morning dust bath on the piles of loose soil as usual, which shortly led to a sparring match between the two. We are confident this is what Ndotto intended by interrupting Arruba’s rolling games! Pika Pika scratched against the closest rock to where she was enjoying her breakfast supplement food, close to the stockade mud hole.
It was Tamiyoi together with Emoli for a change, who took the lead of the herd out to the bush to begin their day of browsing. Mbegu, Tagwa and Sagala remained behind at the back with Juni who walks a bit slower than the others.
In the afternoon at the baobab tree water trough, a family of wild elephants arrived and interacted with the orphans, until the Voi orphans walked off to the area where the Keepers put their afternoon supplement lucerne pellets, leaving the wild elephants to drink and splash about in the main mud wallow.
As they were close to the stockade compound the orphans decided to head back there for an afternoon dust bath. Suswa was first to the piles of loose soil, where she was shortly replaced by Tamiyoi and Lasayen who both came over to lie on the warm soil and relax. After splashing in the stockade water trough, Rorogoi came over to dry off on the loose soil as well. Emoli and Ngilai enjoyed a sparring match inside the stockade mud hole while Pika Pika lay down to relax as her protective ‘adopted’ big sister Arruba watched over her.
The orphans went back out to browse in the bush for a bit longer in the afternoon. Ndotto and Lemeki spent some time together and browsed beside one another at the foot of the rocky hill. Aruba rolled on the ground and then went to scratch against a desert shepherd tree, before getting up to resume browsing for the rest of the day.
Arruba, Pika Pika and Mudanda enjoyed an early morning dust bath as the rest of the orphans devoured the supplement food distributed by the Keepers. Mudanda lay there until she spotted Ndotto, and she quickly shot up to start a morning wrestling game with her good friend. Ngilai stretched his trunk up as high as he could to browse from the tallest leaves of the acacia tree next to the stockade water trough. Embu was being very affectionate towards Tahri, as the two had fun playing and hugging one another with their trunks on the loose earth piles. Ndotto and Arruba joined those playing on the soil as well, rolling and having fun sparring with one another.
Just before noon, the orphans walked down to the usual milk feeding area having spent a quiet morning on the hillside looking for as much browse as they could. When the milk-dependent babies were done with the milk feed, they proceeded down to the baobab tree water hole with the older orphans in Arruba’s group who had waited for them.
Ngilai and Emoli started a sparring match just outside the mud wallow, until Ngilai got distracted and started digging at the sides of the mud wallow, before splashing and rolling about on the edge. He finally just ended up getting into the water for a solo mud wallowing session, as the rest of the orphans had already started to make their way over to the supplement food area, and he had to run to catch up with them about half an hour later.
The Voi dependent orphans came out of their night stockades and started playing and bonding in the stockade compound as they enjoyed their breakfast. Lemeki and Thamana went for an early morning dust bath. Juni, Mbegu, Sagala and Tagwa all lined up along the feeding trough enjoying the range cubes the Keepers put there.
When they were done with their breakfast the orphans left to browse along the hillside, but they didn’t go too far from the compound this morning before they settled to feed.
Later in the morning, Godoma, Ngilai, Pika Pika and Arruba decided to lead some of the herd to browse at the top of the hill, while Murit, who was reluctant to go, kept Lemeki and Juni company as they didn’t want to walk up either.
The orphans came down to the stockade compound for their noon milk feed today, instead of walking to the baobab tree, where they relaxed and played for a while before resuming their afternoon of browsing out in the Park. Lasayen, Murit and Ndotto took a break at one point to have a three-way wrestling match which was interesting to watch, but for the most part the orphans seemed content with focusing on browsing this afternoon instead of playing, so there wasn’t much activity.
Tahri, Mudanda and Arruba were very excitable during their early morning dust bath. Ndotto was also lying on the loose soil, relaxing and taking a nap as his friends were busy in the mud wallow. Mudanda and Thamana walked off to the lucerne feeding area while Pika Pika and Arruba remained behind having a dust bath.
The new rescues who recently arrived at the Voi stockades, Hildama and Dabida, came out of the stockades where they have been recuperating to spend their day with the orphans for the first time today. Mbegu, Arruba and Sagala oversaw the welcoming committee and escorted them around, introducing them to everyone and everything.
The orphans later left the compound for their morning browsing session, scattering across the open grasslands and slowly making their way towards the baobab tree water hole. They spent the whole morning browsing calmly with less playing activities, before proceeding for their noon milk feed and later to the mud wallow.
After the mud wallow session, the orphans set off to the afternoon lucerne feeding area before continuing with browsing for the rest of the day.
The milk-dependent babies were very excited for the milk feed this bright morning. Thamana, Lemeki and Tamiyoi all scrambled for a place at the feeding area. After the milk feed, the orphans had a great time playing and bonding with one another in the compound, whilst also enjoying their supplement food. Ngilai and Emoli were having a wrestling match while Arruba was spotted babysitting Pika Pika while she rolled on the soil piles.
Tagwa, Sagala and Mbegu spent some quality time Juni along the pellet feeding trough, shielding her from the likes of Rorogoi, Ngilai and Tahri who are often seen bullying her for some reason.
Tamiyoi, Lemeki and Emoli led the the orphans out to browse along the rocky hillside. At one stage, Arruba and Pika Pika decided to make their way to the top of the hill to browse there, accompanied by Ngilai, Tahri and Rorogoi, while the rest of the orphans chose to browse at the foot of the hill.
Later in the afternoon, new orphans Hildama and Dabida came out of the stockade compound to interact with the Voi herd in the afternoon lucerne feeding area out in the bush, which isn’t far from the stockades. The new orphans are still getting used to the area. Mudanda was being protective of Dabida. Mbegu, Lemeki and Sagala are still the most welcoming out of the herd though and like escorting the new babies around.
It was a sunny Thursday morning as the orphans came out of their night stockades to have their breakfast and play in the compound. Mudanda was keeping an eye on ‘her’ adopted baby Thamana, as the new orphan elephants Hildama and Dabida came out of their stockades to mingle with their new friends. Lasayen stood posing against the terrace wall, scratching his belly, while Murit and Godoma enjoyed a relaxed sparring session which neither one seemed that committed to. Lemeki went for an early morning dust bath and joined Arruba, Pika Pika and Rorogoi on the loose soil.
Ngilai scratched against the twin trees which is a favourite scratching spot for the orphans. Embu came over to scratch in the same spot and ousted Ngilai from his scratching post. Instead, he went to look for Emoli to spark a wrestling game, but Emoli was at the far end corner of the compound, feeding on some lucerne alongside Tamiyoi, Tagwa, Sagala and Mbegu.
The orphans then left to browse on Msinga Hill just above the stockade compound.
Later in the afternoon we received report of a lonely female orphan elephant from one of the SWT pilots on patrol along the Voi River. The orphan, located near Sentrim camp, was rescued and brought back to the Voi stockade. We named her Akina. We were not sure of her family’s fate and why she was alone, but due to the ongoing drought affecting Tsavo as well as much of the country, she was suspected to have been a drought victim.
The Voi dependent orphans left the compound this morning shortly after the milk feed. They seemed in a hurry to begin browsing today! A few of the orphans settled at the vase of Msinga Hill overlooking the baobab tree mud wallow, while the rest of the herd made their way towards the summit of the hill to browse. Pika Pika and Arruba took the lead of the group who wanted to browse higher up today, while Ngilai, Rorogoi, Tahri and Embu took a different direction. Murit would rather not climb the hill and decided to hang back and babysit the young orphans – it is as if he is afraid of heights!
In the afternoon the orphans ran down to the usual milk feeding area and then proceeded to the baobab tree mud wallow.
Ndotto took up centerstage, rolling in the mud wallow alongside Godoma, Ngilai, and Suswa. Lemeki and Mbegu drank some water directly from the water bowser which was there to refill the trough. Many animals and elephants are relying on this source of water at the moment. When he was done in the water Ndotto made his way to dry off on the loose soil. Embu, Arruba and Pika Pika remained behind in the water, enjoying their mud bath session. When Embu came out she took up a scratching position against the baobab tree, while Suswa and Arruba rolled down in the soil alongside Pika Pika.
The orphans then went back to browsing, disappearing into the woods for the rest of the day.
The sun started to shine through the morning cloud cover as the orphans enjoyed their breakfast of range cubes and lucerne grass to top up the early morning milk feed. When she was done, Godoma went to scratch her trunk along the terrace wall. Ngilai went for an early morning dust bath. Lemeki decided to hang out with her old friend Thamana from the Kaluku Nursery. They enjoyed some pellets from the feeding trough. Mudanda and Ndotto were nearby enjoying their routine morning sparring session.
When it was time Tamiyoi and Emoli took the lead and made their way out to the bush; Juni followed closely behind with Tagwa and Sagala. On their way out the orphans met with a herd of wild elephants who they interacted with and ended up spending the entire morning with on Msinga Hill.
Having spent the whole morning with the wild herd, the Voi orphans came back to the compound for their noon milk feed instead of going to the big baobab tree. They decided to hang around in the stockade compound for a while after as well, enjoying the mud bath and some more supplement food. Suswa, Pika Pika, Mudanda, Arruba, Rorogoi and Thamana all rolled on the pile of loose earth. Embu enjoyed a solo mud bathing session, before sitting on the edge on the mud hole to scratch her bottom and then getting out to continue against a big rock. Sagala stood outside the mud wallow debating whether to get in, just as Ndotto dashed past her and jumped into the water to enjoy splashing about. As the rest of the orphans walked back out to the Park to resume browsing, Rorogoi was left behind soil dusting alone on the loose earth.
Thamana, Lemeki, Hildama, Dabida and Tamiyoi all lined up for the morning milk feed in front of the milk mixing area. Hildama and Dabida are really settling in well and getting used to the daily routine. Juni came next with Tagwa, and then joined the rest of the herd for some supplement food. Ngilai and Emoli were sparring and Ndotto was hassling Arruba for a similar wrestling match. Suswa was babysitting Thamana. Lasayen posed with one back foot resting up on the feeding trough.
The orphans spent a quiet morning browsing before returning to the compound for their noon milk feed. Mudanda went for an afternoon dust bath and Pika Pika came to lie down beside her and relax on earth piles. Thamana joined Mudanda and had a good time with her on the loose soil, rolling on her tummy. Ndotto splashed mud and had fun all by himself at the edge of the mud wallow.
Suswa enjoyed some afternoon lucerne pellets. Hildama was in a charging mood and was running up and down the compound. When he was done mud bathing, Ndotto teamed up with Arruba on the pile of loose soil, playing, hugging and sparring, while Ngilai interacted with his favorite playmate, Emoli. The dependent Voi orphans then left the compound and returned to browsing for the rest of afternoon.
The orphans settled for their daily morning routine. Pika Pika, Arruba, Mudanda and Thamana all arrived at the lucerne pellet feeding trough. They pushed Lasayen away, who went to enjoy some lucerne pellets elsewhere.
When the orphans left the compound, Mbegu, Juni, Sagala and Tagwa all decided to make their way up the hill in search of fresh foliage. The rest of the orphans settled to browse along the slopes of Msinga Hill, just above and overlooking the compound.
In the afternoon, Dr Limo arrived to attend to Ndotto who had a stone stuck up his trunk in one of his nostrils! After the noon milk feed, Ndotto was sedated, and the stone was successfully removed. He later joined his friends who were waiting in anticipation for him to wake up, and it wasn’t long before they left the compound and all carried on with their usual afternoon of browsing! Later Juni, Hildama, Dabida, Tagwa, Tamiyoi and Pika Pika led the first group home for the night, and the rest followed.
This morning, Mudanda was dominating the pellet feeding trough along with Thamana, Godoma, Mbegu, Juni, and Tagwa. Ngilai and Emoli were a short distance away wrestling. Lemeki and Tamiyoi were throwing soil around on the pile of loose earth, while Murit relived an itch against one of the stockade boulders. Suswa posed against one of the other rocks in the compound along the stockade fence line.
Arruba and Pika Pika decided to lie down and have a brief nap as they cuddled one another in the lucerne feeding area, while the rest of the herd enjoyed feeding on the supplements around them until it was time to head out to begin their daily browsing routine.
In the afternoon the orphans showed up at the stockade compound again for their noon milk feed and supplement dairy range cubes. Ngilai reunited with Ivia the buffalo, his old sparring friend, and they started a pushing match like they used to enjoy! It wasn’t long before the orphans chose to return to their afternoon of browsing however and they left for the Park.
After the morning milk feed, the Voi orphans left the compound for their daily browsing routine, wandering deep into the woods. The orphans met up and interacted with a wild elephant family who were on their way to the baobab tree water trough. The wild elephants looked tired and worn out, thus their interaction with the orphans was short-lived as their main objective was to get to the water trough and relieve their thirst.
Just before noon, Emoli, Tamiyoi and Godoma led the way as the orphans returned to the compound for the milk feed and extra lucerne pellets. The older orphans Ngilai, Embu, Rorogoi and Mudanda walked straight over to the stockade mud hole as the young orphans made their way to the feeding area. Ngilai was included in that group as he started to be weaned off his milk bottle recently.
After wallowing, Ngilai went to feed on the dairy cubes over by the terrace wall. Embu went straight for a dust bath when she came out of the water, to dry off, leaving Mudanda and Rorogoi in the mud wallow. Rorogoi then joined Embu and Thamana on the soil pile until slowly the orphans started to gather together, indicating that they were ready to leave the compound and continue with their afternoon of browsing in the Park.
The orphans were out playing and bonding in the stockade compound. Pika Pika and Arruba had an early morning dust bath. Murit stretched his trunk as far over the electric fence as he could to reach the green acacia branches on the other side. Embu went to join Pika Pika and Arruba on the pile of loose earth for a morning dust bath. When it was time Lemeki, Emoli and Tamiyoi led the way out to the bush.
The Voi orphans browsed further out today, so made their way to the baobab tree for their noon milk feed before proceeding down to the mud bath. Pika Pika, Embu, Rorogoi, Arruba and Suswa teamed up for an eventful mud bath session, rolling about on the edge of the mud wallow. Pika Pika rolled and slid down the side of Embu’s tummy which she didn’t mind, and which Pika Pika found a lot of fun. Later some of the other orphans came to join them in the mud wallow as well. Rorogoi, as usual, waited for the rest of the herd to finish and leave the water before going in to enjoy her own solo mud bath!
The orphans made a brief stop in the area the Keepers give them a few extra lucerne pellets in the afternoon, leaving Ndotto behind in the mud bath area scratching against a tree stump.
The Voi dependent orphans crowded at their stockade doors, waiting for the Keepers to open them so they could begin their usual breakfast routine, starting with the milk feeding. Ngilai and Pika Pika enjoyed a morning wrestling game as their friends were busy feeding on some lucerne pellets. Lemeki, Thamana and Tamiyoi enjoyed an early morning dust bath together.
The new members to the Voi orphan family, Hildama and Dabida are still recuperating but are bonding very nicely with the other orphans. Being some of the youngest members of the herd, now they enjoy spending time with the older orphans, like Suswa, who dote on them and really look after them.
The orphans settled on Msinga Hill to browse for the entire day, punctuated only momentarily for the noon milk feed as they didn’t feel like wallowing today.
It was another wonderful morning, with the orphan elephants running out of their night stockades and assembling for their delicious milk bottles, before proceeding to feed on some delicious lucerne pellets which provide them such sustenance during these dry and difficult times. Ngilai and Pika Pika started a sparring match that went on for so long that their friends ended up leaving them behind as they walked out to begin their day in the Park.
The orphans browsed slowly throughout the morning, arriving at the baobab water hole for the noon milk feed. After a brief mud bath, Tagwa went to lie on the loose soil to dry off, inviting Lemeki and Murit to join her too. Their fun caught the attention of Thamana as well who went to lie down and play with them too. They all had a lot fun in the soil until they saw Emoli approaching. They knew that Emoli would try and climb on them while they were all lying down, but Mudanda was watching closely and came to stand guard over Thamana and Lemeki throughout their soil bathing time, so that Emoli couldn’t bully them.
The orphans later left for their usual browsing bush walks for the rest of their day. At one point they walked via the stockade compound to collect the new babies Dabida and Hildama, moving to the lucerne feeding area together with them and spending a bit of time with them in the bush until it was time to return home.
The orphans enjoyed their usual breakfast routine today, before enjoying a few socializing games and leaving the compound to make their way out to the Park. They settled halfway up the eastern side of Msinga Hill.
Just before noon the orphans came down hill so the milk-dependent babies could have their afternoon milk feed, before proceeding for a mud bath. Ndotto, who doesn’t really like mud bathing, was a rare guest in the water today. Embu, one of the best water babies, was happy to host him in the mud bath and make sure he had a fun experience. Ndotto really got into the spirit of things and it wasn’t long before he was rolling around in the middle of the mud bath.
Later in the afternoon the orphans went by the compound again to collect Hildama and Dabida to spend the rest of the day browsing with them. Tagwa and Ndotto were spotted feeding on lucerne pellets close to Dabida, who they seem to have a soft spot for.
The Voi dependent orphans came out of their night stockades excited for the new day. Tamiyoi, Sagala and Emoli came sprinting over to the milk feeding area for their bottles, eager to be the first in line, before immediately going to the lucerne pellet and grass feeding area. It wasn’t long, in fact only a few minutes, before Lasayen and Murit were enjoying their pushing games as the rest of the orphan elephants were busy feeding on the lucerne grass.
The orphan later left for the bush where they spent a quiet and content morning browsing and trying to fill their tummies, before going for the noon milk feed and mud bath.
Ngilai and Emoli started their afternoon sparring game right on top of the pile of loose soil, denying their friends the opportunity to play there at the same time, so they started to file out and continue browsing instead. Embu, Rorogoi and Pika Pika found some little indents in the earth which they dug at with their toes to make their own dusting areas and which they resorted to use for their soil baths.
Upon arriving at the compound in the afternoon, Sagala went ahead to secure looking after Juni, Lemeki stayed with her darling Thamana, while the rest were busy vying for the attention of the new babies Hildama and Dabida.
It was a good beginning of the day with Emoli, Sagala, Tahri, Godoma and Pika Pika running well in front of the rest of their friends so that they could be the first to the milk feeding area. That meant they could be the first to the supplement food as well and get the best bits. There wasn’t much playing in the compound this morning as the orphans decided to leave and begin their important day of browsing in these dry and harsh conditions. The drought situation continues and is very worrying for all wildlife. Ngilai tried to go and stand in front of Emoli to force him to play a pushing game with him, but Emoli just walked around him and continued with his important browsing mission.
Because all the orphans wanted to concentrate on browsing, it was a very peaceful morning, with a deliberate slow browsing pace so the orphans could grab as much food as possible.
Later in the afternoon when the orphans returned to the stockades for Hildama and Dabida, Ngilai finally got his chance to play with Emoli who relented and gave in to playing with Ngilai for a short while, until they followed their friends out to browse.
The early bird catches the worm, and this morning Mudanda and Thamana were the first to the supplement feeding area to enjoy the dairy cubes. They browsed so close together that Lemeki felt a little jealous and looked a little downcast; perhaps she feels she isn’t getting to spend as much time with Thamana these days and is always having to share his attention with older girls like Mudanda and Sagala. In an effort to console herself, Lemeki has developed strong friendships with the Keepers especially, and enjoys bonding with them.
After milk feeding the orphans chose to browse close to the baobab tree waterhole. Tamiyoi had a lot of fun lying and rolling on top of the red earth piles, where she was joined by Emoli. Mbegu and Suswa found some small holes which they decided to lie in and enjoy their own peaceful moment playing, before joining their friends who were leaving the water hole area.
The orphans were busy feeding busy feeding on lucerne grass after the morning milk feed at the far end corner of the stockade compound. After a few minutes, Embu walked back to the night stockades, followed by Tahri, Godoma, Pika Pika and Arruba to drink some more water before setting off into the Park for the day.
Tagwa, Tamiyoi and Sagala, the usual trio, took the lead of the herd out to the browsing grounds. The orphans settled deep in the bush overlooking Msinga Hill for the entire morning. They visited the baobab tree for the noon milk feed but they didn’t spend much time socializing there, preferring instead to return to browsing, intent on filling their tummies.
The orphans returned to the compound as usual in the afternoon to collect the new babies Hildama and Dabida, but Pika Pika was jealous that they were spending time with ‘her’ adopted mother Arruba and started pushing them a bit. The Keepers intervened and peace was soon restored, the Sagala and Mbegu taking charge of the two new babies instead.
It was a slightly cooler morning today and the orphans decided to take a break from the pressures of browsing to enjoy some wonderful moments playing after having their milk and supplement food. Thamana was feeding below the terrace and Rorogoi was right next to him, holding him with her trunk so that he would stay close to her and at the same time, blocking him from joining Mudanda. Ndotto had successfully held Mudanda hostage in a sparring match close by, so she missed the opportunity of looking after Thamana this morning and Rorogoi took full advantage of her being otherwise occupied to look after Thamana and keep him all to herself.
Godoma decided to be a bit of a show-off this morning and climbed up the same terrace wall to pull some funny poses while playing on the ground. We believe this was all in an effort to show off to Hildama and Dabida so that she might score some points and a better opportunity to secure their attention and affection. For the time being it seems that Sagala wants to devote herself to little Juni and is quite content looking after her alone, leaving her more senior friends to vie over the affection of Hildama and Dadiba!
The sun was already out today as the orphans lined up for the morning milk feed and later some lucerne pellets. Mbegu is taking care of both Hildama and Dabida this morning and they are bonding quite well. Pika Pika had fun enjoying the morning dust bath with her favourite friend Arruba, while Mudanda stayed close to Thamana and Godoma, feeding on dairy cubes close to the terrace wall.
As Emoli and Tamiyoi were on their way out to the bush, Ngilai started a sparring game with Emoli. Tagwa, who was walking behind them with little Juni, felt either annoyed by their game or a little jealous, but either way she walked up to disrupt their game.
Out in the bush, Suswa, Rorogoi and Mudanda browsed quietly together as Godoma decided to take a break and play for a while inside an erosion gulley. Murit browsed by himself as strong winds blew around his ears. Lasayen was browsing by himself as well before he decided to walk up to Suswa and affectionately pat her with his trunk. The orphans slowly started to group together in preparation of the noon milk feed and going down to the milk feeding area in small groups, where the keepers awaited them with the milk bottles.
After the milk feeding the orphans walked down to the baobab mud wallow for a mud bath. Mbegu and Lasayen stayed at the edge not wallowing or splashing but just drinking water. Ngilai came over to affectionately pat Lasayen while he stood at the edge of the mud wallow. Later Lasayen walked off to spend time with Godoma. Arruba was drinking from the trough with one foot inside. Suswa was one of the only orphans inside the mud hole having fun. After tentatively splashing himself from the edge of the mud wallow only a few times, the mud-bath averse Ndotto went ahead for a dust bath as the rest of the orphans resumed browsing.
The orphans left the stockade compound immediately after their breakfast routine. Some climbed up Msinga Hill in search of vegetation while others browsed at the foot of the hill. Pika Pika, Arruba, Ngilai, Rorogoi and Tahri maneuvered their way along the slope of the hill but slowly make their way to the top as well. Ndotto was seen playing in an erosion gulley all by himself, enjoying a good scratch. Arruba cut her journey to the top of the hill short, climbing back down the hill to spend time with Ndotto and Suswa just at the foot of the hill browsing.
Later in the morning, Arruba walked off again, perhaps in search of Pika Pika. Ndotto and Suswa spent most of the morning hours together tied up in conversation and browsing side by side. Suswa lay down to rest and have a nap at one point, as Ndotto stood guard beside her and watched over her.
After the noon milk feed, the orphans proceeded to the baobab tree water trough and mud wallow. Rorogoi posed at the trough drinking, Ngilai poked his tusks into the baobab tree to try and peel off some bark, while Ndotto enjoyed a dust bath until it was time to resume browsing for the rest of the day.
Tamiyoi and Lemeki were the ones leading the way out to the bush today. All the orphans concentrated of browsing this morning as it is still so dry.
Just before noon and the milk feed for the dependent orphans, we received a call from SWT/KWS Tsavo Veterinary team about a big elephant mother, who had died from an internal injury, leaving behind a 2-year-old milk-dependent female orphan who needed to be rescued in Manyani area. The Keepers organised everything within the shortest time possible and we were all set to drive to Manyani to rescue the baby elephant. Upon arriving we found the orphan baby standing next to her mother’s body. We managed to rescue her and meet up with the Nairobi Nursery team who had arrived to airlift the baby back to the Nairobi Nursery.
The rest of the day carried on as usual for our Voi orphans. Sagala spent most of the day plastered to Juni’s side, even when the orphans returned to the compound in the afternoon for Hildama and Dabida. Godoma browsed side by side with Mbegu for the rest of the day until it was time to return home.
It was a sunny morning as the Voi orphans ran out of their stockades, excited to begin a new day, starting with their morning breakfast routine. Dabida, Hildama, Pika Pika, Juni and Tamiyoi all lined up along the feeding area. Mudanda, Suswa and Embu were busy feeding on the range cubes, minding their own business as usual. When the orphans left the stockade compound, they settled on the rocky slopes of Msinga Hill to find vegetation to browse on in amongst the rocks.
The orphans browsed throughout the mid-morning and came back to the stockade compound for the afternoon milk feed and some lucerne supplements. Hildama and Dabida are still making friends amongst all the herd and most of the older females are eager to be the first to look after them. Mbegu was spotted browsing side by side with both. Tagwa and Tamiyoi seem a little indifferent, but at least are kind to the new arrivals. For the time being, Tagwa still seems to be more intent on looking after Juni than any of the new babies. For the rest of the afternoon the orphans browsed on the grasslands at the foot of the hill.
Ngilai was happy to secure Emoli for a morning sparring match today, as Embu and Rorogoi had an early morning dust bath. Tagwa walked with Juni to the far end of the compound for some lucerne grass, where they were soon joined by Sagala, Mbegu, Mudanda, Thamana and Godoma. Hildama and Dabida were busy from the pellet feeding trough alongside Ndotto and Arruba and Pika Pika.
Tamiyoi, Emoli and Lemeki set off to the browsing fields leading the way. At noon the orphans walked down to the usual milk feeding area and then proceeded further downhill to the baobab tree water trough, before having a good time in the mud wallow.
When she was done wallowing, Arruba made an unusual exit by rolling out of the mud wallow and posing along the edge of it. Embu just splashed herself right on the edge of the mud wallow before lying down to roll, still on the edge. Lemeki approached her and stretched her trunk towards her as if saying hello, before walking off.
After a successful mud wallowing session, the orphans went on to have a dust bath. Tamiyoi, Mudanda, Mbegu and Sagala led the orphans having fun on the earth piles. Mbegu hung around little Hildama while enjoying the dust bath.
The orphans later went to enjoy the supplement lucerne the Keepers had brought for them, before wandering off to browse across the open grass fields.
Ngilai and Pika Pika were playing in the stockade compound, running around and sparring. Lasayen invited Murit to a sparring game, but Murit turned him down and walked away, along with Pika Pika, who had decided to run away from Ngilai. The orphans finally left the compound for the bush for the daily browsing routine, wandering through the open grasslands throughout the mid-morning.
After the noon milk feed Tamiyoi was among the first to get to the water trough as she posed with one foot up while drinking. Emoli came around and posed there with his back foot up while he drank. Next in line was Sagala who followed the trend and put one foot up while drinking, and she was joined by Rorogoi who did the same; perhaps all the orphans had weary legs after a morning of browsing and were relaxing while they drank!
The rest of the orphans, apart from Ndotto, enjoyed a cold mud wallow as the weather was cool and windy. Ndotto just stood by the baobab tree relaxing and chilling.
Ngilai and Murit were enjoying an early warm up sparring game in the compound as the rest of the orphans had some dairy cubes and lucerne. Murit walked off though so Ngilai took his sparring mood over to Pika Pika who has been challenging him a lot lately. The two locked trunks but it seemed as if Ngilai was going slightly easy on Pika Pika, even allowing her a break to gather her strength while he took time to scratch against a rock next to the stockade entrance.
Arruba was showing off and rolling on the ground. She then went to pick up her friend Pika Pika and they walked to join their friends who were starting to leave the compound for the day.
At 11am the orphans lined up for the noon milk feed. Just as the Keepers were conducting the milk feed they received a call from Lualeni ranch about an orphan elephant baby that had been spotted alone without his family. The Voi keepers left immediately for a rescue operation. After an hour’s drive, they found the young baby, who was alone, dehydrated, and very skinny. The Keepers quickly embarked on a rescue mission and secured the baby, loading him into the stockade pick-up and driving him to the Voi stockade, where he his healing process has begun.