September is a hot month. In the heat of the day, Chamboi cycles between browsing, dust baths, and long naps in the shade. While he still enjoys milk bottles, this is increasingly just a treat, as he has a very healthy appetite for vegetation. The Keepers also fill milk bottles with water to make sure he stays nice and hydrated.

Much like last month, Chamboi was highly attuned to the movements of wild elephants. While he doesn’t pay the orphaned elephants much heed, he is very interested in their wild counterparts! When he catches their scent, the Keepers must use their best negotiation tactics — usually, a patient back-and-forth dance and Chamboi tries to dodge them — to coax him off their trail. 

The orphaned elephants are doing well. Korbessa continues to run the show — as if she would have it any other way! She likes to start and end her day in the lead. We let her out of her stockade first in the morning, then she wheels around the compound for the ‘bonus bottle’ that she knows is ready and waiting. 

The bonus bottle tradition started many months ago, initially as a one-off extra serving of milk after the breakfast feed. But with Korbessa, if you give an inch, she takes a mile, and now the treat is a daily expectation. The boys don’t want or expect a bonus bottle for themselves; they seem to know it is reserved for our ‘boss lady’! Instead, they busy themselves with rowdy bull games.

Although Toto is growing up and getting more independent, he still fusses over Korbessa and protects his ‘little sister’ with such wonderful devotion. Toto respects her and always defers to her wishes. He is very gentle and patient with everyone, but especially Korbessa. When they play together, we notice that he is careful not to push her with his full weight.

This is in stark contrast to Natibu, who is on a constant quest for dominance. At heart, he is a nice boy, but he gets caught up in the moment and takes any opportunity to show his strength. 

Natibu is also an excellent time-keeper: He knows when bottles are due to the minute and races there at top speed, although he rarely beats Korbessa to a feed. We call him Kaluku’s resident clock!

Interestingly, Natibu and Toto are looking increasingly like twins. There are subtle differences — Toto has more prominent tusks, Natibu is leggier and has a notch in his ear — but their head shapes and body proportions are remarkably similar.

Mwinzi, on the other hand, is cut from a different cloth. He is unusually large and burly for a young bull of his age, although he remains as gentle and polite as ever. Mwinzi is a notably independent elephant who cherishes his alone time. He often retreats to the bushes, enjoying a private feast for hours on end. 

Mwinzi is not scared of other animals. In fact, he actively patrols for wild elephants — when he smells them or finds their footprints, he wants to follow them, much to the Keepers’ chagrin. He also delights in chasing off the smaller orphans when they encroach on ‘his’ turf. One of Mwinzi’s favourite targets is Mr Bean, the warthog. He sends the pig running at full tilt, tail aloft and with a chorus of irate snorts and squeals echoing in his wake. 

There is a Twiggy-height line in the vegetation around Kaluku. Now that it is the peak of the dry season, browse is scarce and she has picked clean every branch and bush around the compound! Our lovely giraffe went through a wayward phase earlier in the year, refusing to return home until it suited her, but she has been much more accommodating as of late. Perhaps she realises — and appreciates — that we carefully stock her stockade with lovely greens that she can snack on through the night.

Twiggy also has a special new neighbour: a young orphaned giraffe, who we rescued early this month. She was found on her own in the Tsavo ecosystem — small, hungry, alone, and very vulnerable to predators. Pips, as we named her, is now safely in a stockade next to Twiggy. Like many orphans, she was clearly so relieved to be rescued and embraced her Keepers from the outset. She can often be found still, in a state of relaxed bliss, as they treat her to lovely brushing sessions.

This month, orphaned ostriches Bam and Boozle reclaimed their place in the wild. They were fully grown and showing signs that they were ready to spread their proverbial wings, so this next step felt perfectly timely. We miss our resident ostriches, but feel sure they will thrive in their wild lives.

The little orphaned elephant whom we rescued in late May continues to flourish. At this fragile stage, she is being raised over at the neonate stable block, although she joins the bigger orphan herd for excursions here and there. She reminds us a lot of Lemeki — energetic, quick-witted, and brimming with confidence. 

Apollo the black rhino:

Black rhinos are known to be a territorial species. True to form, Apollo actively patrols along the fence line of his roaming grounds, ensuring no intruders approach his ‘territory.’ There have been quite a few elephants in the area recently, which he doesn’t like at all! He is in the heart of the national park, so he will have to learn to share space with all sorts of wild creatures. He still is very happy to coexist with the zebras who have taken up residence inside his fenced area.

With his keen sense of smell, Apollo gets uneasy when he catches strange scents in the air. Following several restless nights, the Keepers realised that a regular visitor had started appearing on the scene as soon as the sun sank — a hippo, who cleverly discovered where the Keepers put the leftovers when cleaning Apollo’s boma! 

Following these nocturnal visits, Apollo’s first stop in the morning is right opposite the hippo’s calling spot. He stands stock still, huffing and puffing — a clear warning sign that ‘no visitors are allowed’! Then, to drive his point home, he sprays urine in every nearby bush.