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Umani’s little princess Mwana remains a very spoiled baby with her many nannies around her who are taking great care of her. None of the orphans ever want to hear Mwana making any complaints. If she complains, both Enkesha and Kiasa run to see what is going on with the baby. Amali also follows very keenly and closely. 

This time, Mwana screamed after milk was denied by Lima Lima, who did not want to let the baby nurse from her. Lima Lima is not her mother, but Mwana still believes that she has a right to nurse from her whenever she wants. Mwana was being very spoiled and screamed to broadcast this injustice to her nannies.

Mwana then stopped following Lima Lima and returned to where Zongoloni was with Amali and Mwashoti. Realising that their little friend was in a bad state, Enkesha and Kapei escorted her to where Murera was resting under a baobab tree. Murera knows that Mwana can be very spoiled and generally just allows the nannies to discipline her as needed.

Mwana today broke her own record for running. In celebration, she kicked the bottle that was waiting for Amali, then bent down and, using her little trunk, grabbed some milk that had spilled on the ground. When the Keeper played and gave her the bottle, she kicked the empty bottle down, knowing it was empty and the Keeper was just kidding her. 

Eager to keep the game going, Mwana then charged at the Keeper. Kapei and Amali crossed her path to protect the Keeper from being pushed by Mwana, who was just playing. Kapei thought she was planning to kick and hit the Keeper down, but this was not Mwana’s intention at all. 

Then, Mwana went to Enkesha, who was digging for minerals with her tusks. After admiring her nanny’s actions, Mwana tried to do the same, although she doesn’t have tusks to excavate with. Kiasa joined them, too. Amali then climbed to the top of the dust hill, rubbing her belly on the dust pile, while Murera and Mwashoti slept at the bottom.

Kiombo and Faraja began to fight over the scratching post space, which everyone was waiting to use. Kiombo took a long time and did not notice that Faraja was on standby, waiting for him to finish and give him space. Soon, Faraja lost patience. He pushed Kiombo aside, then went for the scratching post and finished all the itching he was feeling.

It was a long day for Kapei and Kiombo after Sonje and the other girls led them away from the dependent herd and into the Chyulu Hills. Later, Kapei lost direction while trying to rejoin the herd. When he realised it was time for the midday bottle feeding and he was thirsty, he moved back to Kiombo to see if Kiombo would bring him back to join the other milk-dependent orphans. Kiombo showed no interest in leaving the Chyulus, because he was enjoying lots of food on the hills and no longer cares so much about milk bottles.

Kiasa trumpeted for Amali and Enkesha to return Mwana to Murera, as Murera was searching for her baby. Mwana was busy rolling in a small pond and did not want to leave just because her mother was looking for her. Amali tried her best to convince the baby to leave, but in the end, she was forced to join Mwana in the small swimming pond. 

Later, Kiombo and Kapei joined the orphan herd — only to find that the bottles they were returning for had been taken by Murera and Enkesha, because the two boys were not back on time. Kiombo and Kapei complained a lot but could do nothing. Instead, they both went with Sonje to the dust pile for dusting, before the whole herd moved to the bushes for shade. Seeing that little Mwana was uncomfortable in the strong sunlight, her nannies walked her to the trees.

The two huge bulls, with very long tusks, came to the waterhole, demanding to join the babies for a mud bath together. Kiombo walked closer to receive them with Mwashoti, but one bull did not want to see Kiombo. Mwashoti, however, was welcomed by the bulls. Kiombo joined Sonje, Murera, and Amali, and Murera led the way to a smaller waterhole where she would be comfortable without the wild bulls.

Kapei started wallowing in the small waterhole and the other orphans followed. However, because the space was small, Murera waited outside to give the other babies time and space. Later, when they were done with swimming, it was now turn for Murera and her baby only, plus Amali. Enkesha and Kiasa tried to join Murera, Mwana, and Amali inside the small waterhole, but they were denied entry by Murera, who stood firm so that Amali and Mwana could be given time to enjoy.

Enkesha and Quanza took off to the dust pile, which made Mwana and Amali get out of the mud bath and join them. In the afternoon, the herd headed to the Kenze Hills for browsing time. The two bulls did not follow them but walked away with Mwashoti.

Today, all the elephants climbed the Kenzili Hills in search of food, leaving Murera at the bottom with her baby, along with Amali and Quanza, who stayed behind to help look after little Mwana. As midday approached, the Keepers began calling the orphans to assemble for their bottle feeding and mud bath. The day was hot, and the babies needed to cool off in the mud. However, despite the Keepers shouting out their names, none of the babies appeared. Kiasa and her team of little nannies didn’t show up either.

Eventually, the Keepers decided to head to the feeding area with only Murera, Amali, and Quanza, who had come when the names were called. By the time they arrived at the bottle feeding field, it was late. Only Amali, Quanza, and Murera were present for bottle feeding, and Murera happily celebrated the moment, as if it were her birthday. Since the others failed to show up, she was given all their milk bottles, much to her delight. Milk-dependent babies Kapei, Maktao, Kiasa, Enkesha, and Kiombo were nowhere to be found.

The Keepers went to the hills to try the orphans. No one responded to the calls until later in the afternoon, when Sonje led all the missing orphans to reunite with Murera and Mwana. Kapei, upset about missing his bottle, let out loud protests towards the Keepers when he realised Murera had been given his share.

Afterward, the Keepers gathered the elephants at the waterhole, where the babies enjoyed a swim. Kiasa and Enkesha, not wanting to stray far from Mwana, rolled together near her, ensuring they remained close throughout the fun.

Again, Sonje led the herd astray and made many of the orphans late for feeding time. Fortunately, Lima Lima and Zongoloni assisted the group in navigating around the Umani Hills. They rushed to the feeding point, hoping to catch the midday bottles they had missed. However, by the time they arrived, the car had already left to clean the bottles. Kapei and Kiombo became very insistent, demanding their bottles, and the Keepers eventually gave in, distributing more milk to keep the peace.

Meanwhile, Zongoloni noticed that Enkesha was missing from the herd. Knowing where to find her, Zongoloni went back to search, eventually discovering Enkesha with a group of wild elephants. Enkesha seemed reluctant to leave, as she had been courting a little wild boy to join her. However, when her plan was discovered by the boy’s older sister, Enkesha was blocked and ultimately left with Zongoloni.

By this time, the orphans were playing on the dust pile, with Mwashoti and Amali climbing to the top. Mwashoti pushed his long tusks to the side where Amali was rubbing her belly in the dust. Amali immediately felt something push her from behind and turned around to see Mwashoti poking her! Amali left and followed Mwana, who was already moving away with the other little nannies. They were taking her to the shade, as the dust had become too hot for a young baby.

Today, the orphans headed to the hills for their morning browse. Upon arriving, they discovered that a wild herd had already settled in the spot they thought would be exclusively for themselves. Little did they know, the hills are open to everyone, not just the orphans. With the lower areas drying out, both buffaloes and wild elephants have started moving to the top of the hills in search of more food. 

Amali, along with her friends Kiasa and Enkesha, teamed up for an adventure. They came across Kiombo and Mwashoti fighting over a small patch of space. Kiombo, despite being the smaller boy, refused to back down. He stood his ground, determined to prove himself, but eventually, Mwashoti’s strength overpowered him.

The wild herd that had been browsing near the orphans started to move off once they realised the Keepers were present. One bull stopped under an acacia tree, attempting to pull down some branches. When the branch wouldn’t come down as quickly as he wanted, he pushed the entire tree down. Once the tree fell, the orphans eagerly swarmed around it, waiting for their opportunity to feast. Amali and Mwana were spotted beneath the larger elephants, scrambling to grab what little bits they could manage.

As the day grew hotter, the Keepers called the orphans to head back to the waterhole. The younger babies were already feeling the heat. Kiasa and Sonje led the way down. While the orphans had their bottles, Mwana jumped inside the pool. Sonje found her happily kicking the water and enjoying her swim. Soon after, Amali and Kapei joined in, and the entire herd celebrated together, relishing the cool water.

Today, the orphans started off playing around the stockades. Kiombo and Maktao began their usual pushing games, heading towards the Umani Springs. Mwashoti, noticing the rough play, stopped what he was doing and rushed over to intervene. Known for being a good peacemaker, Mwashoti’s presence was enough to make both Kiombo and Maktao stop and run away. They took some time before returning, and in the meantime, Quanza and Faraja slowly followed behind, curious to see if Mwashoti had been fighting the boys. However, by the time they arrived, Kiombo and Maktao were already on their way back, and Mwashoti had successfully brokered peace between the two.

After the situation calmed down, the orphans continued their journey into the Kibwezi Forest for the morning browsing session. Zongoloni and her team of head girls led Kiasa and Enkesha to Mwana. Upon spotting Zongoloni, Mwana excitedly ran up to her and raised her little trunk, signalling her desire to feed. Zongoloni, as usual, accepted her and allowed Mwana to nurse. Once the spoiled baby had her fill, Zongoloni moved her front leg to gently stop her.

During their browsing, the Keepers and orphans came across several buffaloes grazing on the lucerne that had been left out for all wildlife to share. The forest is drying out, as it always does during the dry season, so buffaloes, baboons, and bushbucks have all gathered to share the food. The orphans — especially Mwana and Amali — became jealous and wondered why the buffaloes and baboons were eating what they considered to be their food. Mwana even blew her little trumpet to try and scare the baboons away, but her efforts were in vain, as none of the animals budged. Eventually, everyone coexisted peacefully, and the orphans only left when it was time to return to the stockades.

Some big wild bulls were spotted by the Keepers today as they tried to follow Murera closely. This made the Keepers wonder if the bulls planned to meet Murera again in secret, similar to the time when she first got pregnant a few years back. When Murera noticed them, she quickly moved away, doing everything possible to avoid them. Her baby and Amali watched curiously, wondering why Murera was in such a hurry. 

Murera moved towards the Keepers, who were standing on a big rock observing what the wild bulls intended to do. But their plans failed when Murera reached the Keepers. The bulls, hearing the Keepers talking close to Murera, changed direction and tried to hide. Soon after, they disappeared into the forest, leaving the orphans alone with the Keepers.

Amali, along with her little sister Mwana, were in a playful mood on top of an anthill. Mwana rolled down, expecting Amali to stop her midway, but Amali missed the memo and wasn’t there to catch her. Mwana ended up rolling all the way downhill. Kiasa rushed to help her get up, seeing that Mwana was struggling. Enkesha and Lima Lima also hurried to where Kiasa and the baby were to offer more support. Lima Lima was just enough — she pulled Mwana up using her trunk, and within a few seconds, Mwana was back on her feet. She then ran to breastfeed from Lima Lima, who nursed her and made her happy after her little struggle.

Kiombo and his friend Maktao began their day in a fighting mood. As soon as Kiombo emerged from his room, he found Maktao waiting by the gate. Maktao aimed a push at Kiombo — but Kiombo, seeing Maktao’s stance, dodged quickly. The failed attempt prompted Mwashoti to rush over to calm things down. 

At the pellets corner, Sonje rumbled, and Lima Lima replied from where she was busy picking up more pellets. Sonje rumbled again, causing all the head girls to leave what they were doing and hurry over to her. Zongoloni and Enkesha reached Sonje but found nothing was wrong. Sonje had just been rumbling to get the herd moving towards the Umani Springs.

Meanwhile, Amali and Kapei found themselves in a pushing contest after Amali became impatient with Kapei’s slow pace. She then realised that Kapei was hesitant to move forward because Alamaya was ahead, and he didn’t dare push the much bigger bull. 

Quanza found a stick and carried it with her trunk, using her strength to prevent other girls, who admired the stick, from taking it away. She wanted it for scratching her chest; she had tried scratching against a rock but didn’t find it adequate, so the stick served her purpose.

A small fight broke out between Lima Lima and Zongoloni over who got to babysit little Mwana. Mwana was happy to be with either nanny. However, both Lima Lima and Zongoloni greedily didn’t want to share the baby. Sonje stopped the fight by standing between the girls, allowing Mwana to suckle from Lima Lima first and then Zongoloni.

Today, Zongoloni, Lima Lima, and Sonje kept to themselves. The pregnant girls were in a moody state and did not feel like associating with the other orphans. They ignored Mwashoti, pushed Kapei away, and even showed no interest in socialising with their Keepers. But then, Quanza moved over to Sonje and all became well. The girls hugged, everyone’s moods lifted, and the herd headed to the Chyulu Hills.

Murera rumbled for Mwana to come nurse, but Mwana was playing with Kiasa and Enkesha. After Murera rumbled a second time, the little nannies escorted Mwana to her mother. Afterward, she walked back to Amali, who took her to the open dust fields to play. While Amali entertained the baby, Murera enjoyed a relaxing browsing session.

Later, the nightclubbers heard movement in the forest, which we thought might be wild elephants coming down from the Chyulu Hills. All of the sudden, Lima Lima came running over to the Keepers. Her message was clear — she was telling them to move. They stepped aside just before several buffalos passed through, running and fighting amongst themselves. 

The keepers were very thankful for Lima Lima’s quick action. Without her warning, they could have been caught in the middle of the chaos. The Keepers invited her home and gave her a treat of pellets as a way of thanking her for rescuing them from the buffaloes.

As the young baby Mwana continues to grow — she is now 17 months old — she has become a no-nonsense entertainer. When one of the older elephants mistakenly touches her, she never lets them go free; she has to push them in discipline. 

Kapei, who is one of Mwana’s honorary older brothers, picked up a stick in front of her. Unfortunately, she was also planning to take the same stick. When Kapei claimed it, she showed her anger by pushing Kapei from the side. But the older boy Kapei did not react; he knows that she is just a baby and that she has the full protection of the nannies. Proudly, Mwana moved to her mother, Murera, who was just a few metres away.

Enkesha and Kiasa scooped up Amali and Mwana and led them to the Kenzili area. The orphans were likely tired of the same place where they had browsed for a long time, and now they needed a fresh place with plenty of food. On the way, Amali and Kiasa stopped at a nearby acacia tree. Quanza, who was nearby, pulled down a tall branch for the little elephants, who could not reach it.

Peace was disrupted when a bushbuck crossed into the middle of the herd and divided them into two groups, causing Sonje and Mwashoti to run away. Murera took Mwana towards the Keepers, who were keenly watching every step they made. But then Lima Lima came out and gathered those who had run away, bringing them back into the herd and calming them down.

When it was time to go home, the matriarch led the babies to a nearby waterhole for a short drink and wallow before returning to the stockades.

Maktao and Kiombo are becoming very adventurous, more than ever before. Today, Mwashoti and a wild bull teamed up with the young boys and took them to the Chyulu area, leaving the other orphans and friends behind. Maktao and Kiombo were having so much fun that they even skipped their midday bottle feeding. 

Quanza started the day with the boys, but when she heard Mwana yell, she ran back to the dependent herd to check on her. Quanza arrived in a hurry, only to find Mwana busy nursing from Murera. She patiently waited until the baby was done and then escorted her into the bushes for more browsing with the other nannies.

Sonje tried to intervene after seeing Zongoloni and Quanza moving Mwana towards the bushes. She was not ready to go, but she also did not want to be left behind. She recruited her deputy, Lima Lima, to help. Lima Lima gathered everyone, including Kiombo and Maktao, while Mwashoti and Faraja ignored her request and disappeared into the forest.

When it was time to return back home with the Keepers, Mwashoti disappeared again — this time, taking Kapei and Enkesha with him. When the orphans arrived in their rooms, Kapei was missing. When the Keepers checked again, they found that Enkesha's room was also empty. After the others had turned back from the long day, the two had taken off with Mwashoti, who introduced them to some of his wild friends. When Kapei and Enkesha got thirsty for their milk around six o'clock in the evening — about an hour after the other orphans had returned home — Mwashoti escorted them back to the stockades. His babysitting mission complete, he then walked back into the forest to join Sonje and her team.

This morning, instead of looking after Mwana as she usually does, Enkesha walked to the springs with Kiombo and Maktao. The Keepers wondered why Enkesha decided to leave Mwana with Kiasa and Amali, as she rarely leaves the baby’s side. However, the reason soon became clear: Just before, Enkesha had a disagreement with Kiasa, after Kiasa blocked her from crossing the road and reaching Mwana and Amali. This upset Enkesha, which is why she moved away with the junior boys to the springs.

Mwashoti walked slowly with the juniors, trying to monitor their plan, as they seemed to be taking Enkesha far away. When Mwashoti saw that Kiombo was heading in the wrong direction, he stopped them and turned them back to go where the other orphans were browsing. On the way, they came across some marabou storks. When the birds flew up, their wings flapping and making noise, Kiombo got scared and ran towards Mwashoti for help. Mwashoti, however, was unfazed and guided the small group back to the orphans, who were resting under the shade. Murera was also there with Amali and her friends.

At the waterhole, the elephants went straight in. It was a wonderful sight as Mwana stepped into the waterhole, with the other nannies escorting her, while Amali stayed close to ensure Mwana was safe. Murera remained calm, waiting for the other babies to finish their mud bath before she joined on a separate side of the waterhole. Afterward, they all moved to the dust pile.

This morning, the orphans had their morning feed before embarking for the hills. Kiombo came across some baboons, and this was the perfect opportunity for the monkeys to learn how strong he was. Kiombo kept an older baboon on his toes, chasing it into the shrubs and then hitting him with his trunk. Then, Kiombo grabbed his tail and tossed him into the bushes. The baboon was unharmed, but it certainly got rid of the noisy creatures for the morning. Maktao joined in, but by that time, all the baboons had cleared the area. 

A herd of wild elephants visited, bringing some babies much younger than Mwana. Enkesha and Kiasa became confused about who Mwana was. Enkesha picked one baby and walked with him to the bushes, but he was a boy. Before Enkesha realised her mistake, she was among the wild herd, which was now leaving for Chyulu. Meanwhile, Kiasa returned to where Amali and the baby were, without signalling Enkesha to come back — perhaps enjoying the opportunity to nanny Mwana by herself.

Back at the stockades, the Keepers saw that Kapei and Enkesha were missing. They felt sure that the pair would be back, so set aside their milk bottles. Sure enough, before long, faithful Mwashoti brought Enkesha and Kapei home. They both got their bottles before going to bed.