Emoli has become the ‘big brother’ of the Voi herd. Thamana is his favourite mentee; the boys spend hours together, between browsing sessions and daily sparring lessons. While Emoli is always up for a game, Thamana isn’t quite so inexhaustible and often isn’t in the mood. On several occasions, we saw the older bull plod after Thamana wherever he went, hoping he would relent and play with him. This tactic of dogged determination was often highly effective!
The sky was clear as the orphans wandered out of their stockades and down the path for breakfast. They downed their bottles and plodded over to the lucerne feeding area. Emoli and Thamana stood side by side as they picked up the pellets – the two friends have been spending lots of time together, with the older Emoli giving Thamana daily sparring lessons. Nearby, Godoma was trunk hugging Ashanti, laying her trunk along her back and round her belly, as Tamiyoi struck some impressive poses on the terraces.
As the sun rose in the sky, the herd headed out to browse around Msinga Hill. Content not to travel far today, they returned in the afternoon to the stockades for more milk and lucerne, lining up on the terraces to enjoy their supplementary greens. Heading out again, they settled in an open area at the foot of the hill. Ndotto lay down on his side to relax as Ngilai and Sagala played the pushing game and Lasayen rolled around in a patch of dry soil. Sagala then challenged Tagwa to a wrestling match but Tagwa turned her back and wandered off. Soon, Ndotto clambered onto his big feet to spar with best friends Ngilai and Lasayen. Not far away, gentle giant Emoli was teaching little Thamana some more skills. As the day grew cooler, the herd meandered back to the stockades for the night.
The orphans were rumbling to each other in their stockades this morning at dawn. As soon as the Keepers opened the gates, they trundled out and around the corner for bottles of milk followed by dairy cubes and lucerne. Tamiyoi, Tagwa and Juni led the herd out to the bush. Ngilai was so busy scratching his backside against the bark of a tree that he was left behind and had to sprint to catch up with his friends.
In the afternoon, the orphans meandered back to the stockades for more milk and supplementary cubes. As most of the herd continued to eat, Murit, Itinyi and Lemeki clambered into the mud wallow for a cooling dip. When Ngilai plunged in after them, Murit decided that the wallow was becoming too busy and that it was time for a dust bath. He wandered over to the earth pile and hosed himself with the red soil. Lemeki and Itinyi followed and Ngilai was not far behind them. Lemeki and Ngilai were soon rolling around on the dry soil, waving their trunks enthusiastically. Water baby Pika Pika took advantage of the empty mud bath to enjoy a solo swim, rolling as she splashed water all over the place. Emoli, Akina, Siri and Epiya continued to eat cubes while standing in a line on the terraces as Sagala, Thamana and Lasayen joined their dust bathing friends.
The orphans were in excitable moods this morning – they rushed out of their rooms for milk, pellets and lucerne as the sun appeared over the horizon. Ex-orphan Panda sauntered in on her own to join the herd at the feeding trough. Some greeted their older friend as others focused on the task of picking up as many cubes as they could and popping them in their mouths. Ndotto welcomed Panda and challenged her to a sparring match on the terraces. As Ndotto is four years younger than Panda, he was at a disadvantage. Thoughtful Panda made the contest fairer by moving onto the lower terrace, thus giving her dependent friend a height advantage. Emoli was darting around Thamana, hoping that he would accept his invitation to play. But Thamana was not in the mood. He ignored Emoli’s antics and trotted away. Giving up on Thamana, Emoli was soon wrestling happily with Lasayen. This contest was followed by a match between Lasayen and Ngilai. As the young bulls sparred, Murit stood very still by himself nearby.
The herd headed out to browse and returned to the safety of the stockades in the early evening. As the Keepers closed the gates, Panda remained outside under the twin trees. She rested for a few hours and then ambled back out to Msinga Hill.
When the Keepers got up before dawn, they found ex-orphan Panda standing quietly outside the stockades. She had spent the night there. Once they had prepared the bottles of milk and filled the trough with dairy cubes, they opened the gates and the orphans trundled out, padding quietly down to the feeding area. Ndotto and Panda were soon playing the wrestling game again, trumpeting as they pushed their heads against each other.
Once the orphans had filled their bellies, they headed out to browse some more around Mzinga Hill. Panda remained behind to scoop up every last leaf of lucerne. As the day grew hotter, the herd wandered up to the top of the hill, leaving Ndotto to browse on his own in the open savannah overlooking the baobab tree water trough.
Later in the afternoon, Ndotto and Ngilai stood side by side to drink from the water trough under the tree while their friends enjoyed a final browse before returning to the stockades as dusk approached.
On a clear cold morning, the dependent orphans settled quietly either at the feeding trough to scoop up dairy cubes or on the terraces to browse on lucerne. Panda was with them again – today, she was hanging out with Sagala at the trough. Lemeki, followed closely by Tamiyoi, Emoli and Tagwa, led the herd out to browse in the open savannah around Mzinga Hill. They meandered slowly in the direction of the baobab tree mud wallow.
In the afternoon, they paddled down the slope in groups to the wallow. As they were drinking and paddling and swimming in the water on a hot afternoon, a wild bull strolled in to join them. First, he greeted the orphans at the water trough and then he clambered into the wallow, splashing around next to Panda and swimming among the dependent elephants. The younger ones were a little apprehensive, but the older ones calmly accepted his presence. After cooling off, he enjoyed a vigorous scratch on the creamy peacock tree and then wandered back out into the bush. On the other side of the wallow, Ngilai scraped up some earth with his tusks and then lay down and rolled around in the hollow.
Before long, the herd wandered off for a final browse on their way back to the stockades. Lasayen and Murit played several rounds of the wrestling game outside the compound before it was time for bed.
On a sunny morning, the orphans pottered out of their stockades and settled in the feeding area. Recent rescue Losoito remained in her stockade, eating her breakfast of fresh grewia and lucerne branches. On the terraces, ex-orphan Panda wrestled with Ndotto as the rest of the herd stood in a line along the range cubes trough. Soon Pika Pika and Busara walked over to the lucerne area together followed by Godoma and Baraka. Once everyone was fully awake and fed, they headed out in a straggly line to the foot of Mzinga Hill. Leaving the cluster of elephants, young bulls Murit and Lasayen wandered away to browse and play on their own.
Later in the afternoon, the orphans returned to the mud wallow for more milk and a swim. Most of the herd plunged into the muddy water today before heading off for a last browse. Ngilai wandered off on his own up the hill as sweet Lemeki insisted on browsing right next to the Keepers.
The orphans were keen to get going again this morning, sprinting out of their stockades and down the path to the feeding area. As soon as they had downed their bottles and filled their bellies with cubes and lucerne, the herd headed out to browse on the northern side of Msinga Hill, led by Tamiyoi and Lemeki. Mbegu brought up the rear, lumbering along quietly and making sure no one was left behind.
Itinyi has joined Emoli’s wrestling classes! Until recently, Thamana was his only student but now the gentle bull is mentoring two young friends. Thamana is a little jealous of Itinyi and gave him a couple of unwarranted shoves when they were wrestling today.
The orphans spent most of the morning browsing in the open grass fields before plodding down to the mud wallow. Ndotto led the first group of smaller orphans down for more milk and a wallow. He plunged into the water, lay down and rolled around with gusto, splashing everyone around him. Mbegu was next to paddle into the wallow and he was followed by many more elephants. They rolled over and around each other happily, occasionally trumpeting in excitement. Meanwhile, big boys Mbegu and Ngilai hosed themselves with soothing dust from the pile of earth.
As the day grew cooler, the herd meandered out for a final wander before returning to the stockades for the night.
This morning, the orphans were happy to hang around outside the stockades. They drank and they ate and they played around the feeding trough and on the terraces. Ngilai and Ndotto stood tall and stretched their trunks up as far as they could, attempting to reach some delicious green branches on the tree in the milk feeding area. Failing in his quest, Ngilai strolled over to Lasayen, greeting him and inviting him to play. His friend turned around and wandered over to join Ndotto. Lasayen did his best to reach the branches as Ndotto stood by, feigning disinterest. Deciding that the browse really was out of reach, Lasayen enjoyed a good scratch of his sides and backside on the favourite rock. Tagwa and ex-orphan Panda were drinking together from the water trough before strolling over to the terraces together. Murit, Akina and Tamiyoi wandered over from the lucerne area to take their places. The herd soon headed out for their daily bush walk, leaving Panda behind to enjoy every last range cube.
In the early morning, the orphans set out as usual to spend time browsing among the shrubs and bushes to the south of the mud wallow before wandering down for their afternoon milk feed. On a hot afternoon, several orphans paddled and swam in the wallow. Pika Pika rolled around in the deepest part of the pool as Murit stood behind her splashing himself. Itinyi lay down cheerfully on the edge of the wallow for a relaxing stretch and a massage. Meanwhile, Lemeki, Mbegu, Lasayen, Sagala, Dabida and Ngilai stood in a line to drink from the water trough. Thirst quenched, Lemeki and Mbegu joined the water babies in the pool.
After the dip, it was time for dust bathing. Mbegu followed by Busara, Juni and Tagwa trundled over to the pile of earth. Kind Mbegu kept guard of Busara as the little elephant rolled around on the ground, making sure that feisty Juni did not push her away. Once Busara had finished, she allowed Juni and Tagwa to rub their bodies in the red soil before lying down herself for a dust bath with Lasayen and some of the older elephants. Sagala was busy scratching her head against a tree as Ndotto, Pika Pika and Ngilai continued to wallow and play in the water.
Before long, the herd headed back out to the bush, leaving Murit and Ndotto still rolling around and stretching on the pile of earth. Eventually, the big bulls clambered to their feet and set off after their friends. Later in the evening after the dependent orphans had settled in their stockades, ex-orphans Kenia, Araba, Kihari, Panda, Suswa, Rorogoi, Arruba, Mudanda and Ndoria wandered up to the terraces, hanging around peacefully for some time before disappearing silently into the night.
Ex-orphan Kenia and her herd arrived at the stockades this morning as the current orphans were eating range cubes from the feeding trough. The older visitors settled down in the lucerne area as the orphans pottered over to greet them. Former and present orphans mingled peacefully as the sun rose in the sky on another clear crisp morning. After finishing the lucerne, Kenia, Rorogoi, Arruba, Araba and Panda drank deeply from the stockade water trough. In the background, Ndotto was energetically rubbing his neck and trunk against a tree as Murit cavorted on the pile of earth. Ere long, the herd headed out to the surrounding bush, leaving the visitors behind outside the stockades.
The orphans spread out around Mzinga Hill with Sagala shepherding Busara and Kilulu some distance away to browse with her. Little Busara was content to remain her caring nanny, but Kilulu could not decide whether to stay with Sagala or return to the herd. In the afternoon, the Keepers called the three elephants back and sent the herd down the slope to the mud bath in groups of three or four. They downed their bottles and drank from the water trough, but no one was tempted to swim on a cold, cloudy afternoon.
The orphans were full of energy this morning. They sprinted out of their stockades and down to the milk feeding area in a trunk-to-tail line. Ashanti, Dabida, Ushindi, Siri, Itinyi, Epiya and Kenderi were especially bouncy – they drank their milk so fast that it was dribbling down their necks, gobbled some pellets and trundled over to the lucerne area to play with each other. In contrast, sensible Tagwa and Sagala wasted no time playing and instead headed out to Mzinga Hill. The rest of the herd followed in dribs and drabs, occasionally touching each other as they meandered along.
As the ground is already drying out, the Keepers are also giving their hungry young charges supplementary lucerne mid-morning in the bush. Today, the herd made a beeline for the extra food after struggling to find fresh green browse. A few hours later, Lasayen lay down on his side, waving his legs around and inviting Ndotto to play. The big bull ignored him, instead plodding along after the other orphans as they moved slowly towards the baobab tree water hole.
The Voi kids were in feisty moods this morning, pushing at their doors and then paddling down the path to the feeding area. They gulped their breakfast and started squabbling – Hildana was shoving Kenderi in the lucerne area as Ashanti nudged Akina and Dabida several times with her small head.
A Keeper led the herd out this morning to an area to the north of Mzinga Hill. They settled around the pile of supplementary lucerne. Murit struck an impressive pose, standing as tall and large as he could, while Lasayen hung out with Kilulu. In the early afternoon, the orphans trundled down the hill for more milk and a wallow. As Lasayen, Mbegu, Ngilai and Ndotto are no longer milk dependent, they strolled (a little reluctantly) past the line of Keepers holding bottles aloft to the pool.
Godoma rolled around happily in the wallow with Ngilai floating behind her as Lasayen made enormous splashes on the edge. Itinyi found a dry dusty patch under the tree and lay down on his back with his legs in the air. Murit rubbed himself on the edge of the wallow before waddling in to spar with Pika Pika in the water. The two friends pushed and shoved each other. As the day grew cooler, the herd meandered back out into the bush, leaving Ndotto and Murit spreadeagled in the mud. Eventually, they clambered out, scratched their backsides on the baobab tree and strolled out to join their friends for a last browse of the day.
Early in the morning, the elephants gathered outside the stockades, touching each other in greeting after downing their bottles of milk. Ashanti finished her bottle efficiently and then popped over to the dairy cube trough. She left behind Kilulu and Hildana, who were embroiled in another toddler squabble. As the sun rose in the sky, Lemeki and Emoli led the way out to the savannah where the herd settled in small friendship groups to browse and play.
Later in the afternoon, the orphans padded down to the baobab tree water hole for a drink and a wallow. To their surprise, they found a family of wild elephants waiting for them. The two groups mingled peacefully as they stood around the pool on a cooler afternoon. The Keepers then shepherded their charges out to the bush for a final browse before bed.
As evening fell, a wild elephant and her baby wandered up the path to the stockade compound from the direction of Mzinga Hill. She drank deeply from the trough and spent some time eating lucerne before disappearing into the night.
As light filled the sky, the orphans trotted out of their stockades and around the corner to the feeding area. They tucked into dairy cubes and lucerne grass after emptying their bottles of milk. Best buddies Murit and Lasayen played several rounds of the sparring game as Emoli plodded along behind Thamana wherever he went, hoping that he would relent and play with him. Ngilai picked up a large pile of lucerne, carefully placing it to one side for a snack. As soon as he wandered off, crafty Sagala pinched his hoard and darted away.
Before long, the herd headed out from the stockades to browse in the open grass fields at the foot of Mzinga Hill. They ambled along in the general direction of the baobab tree mud wallow. Itinyi pottered along in the shadows of Ndotto, Ngilai and Sagala, pretending that he was one of the big boys. The rest of the herd stayed quite close together as they foraged for green browse.
In the afternoon, the orphans wandered down the slope for more milk and a wallow. Itinyi plunged confidently into the water for an energetic and noisy swim. He took centre stage for a short time before Pika Pika and Murit charged in to join him. Godoma stood on the edge swinging her legs happily and soaking everything around her. Murit and Emoli started wrestling in the middle of the wallow, trumpeting as they clashed heads and waved their trunks. Ere long, the head meandered out for a wander, leaving Godoma rolling around on the pile of earth.
On a cold chilly morning, the orphans were less enthusiastic than usual about leaving their stockades. They trundled down to the feeding area over a period of time, rather than in their normal cluster. Lemeki and Thamana stood quite still on the pile of earth as their friends scooped up cubes and lucerne. Ashanti picked up her cubes slowly with her damaged trunk, enjoying the protection of Mbegu who chased away anyone coming too close. As the orphans ate and played and hung out on the terraces, wild-living elephants Kenia, Rorogoi, Suswa, Panda, Mudanda, Arruba and Ndoria sauntered in to join them.
In the afternoon, the orphans paddled down the incline for their usual milk feed and then on to the baobab tree mud wallow. Mbegu, Murit, Ngilai and Pika Pika lined up next to each other to drink from the trough as their friends paddled and swam in the sunshine. Ndotto stood peacefully under the baobab tree as Thamana and Itinyi wrestled noisily in the mud bath. Full of energy, Thamana then popped out of the water and started sparring with Emoli and Lemeki. Lemeki soon walked away, leaving the two boys to enjoy a prolonged wrestling match. The Keepers led the herd back out to browse, leaving Mbegu splashing contentedly on the edge of the mud wallow.
Just before dawn, the Keepers prepared milk, cubes and lucerne for the orphans and then opened their stockade doors so they could scamper down the path to the feeding area. Mbegu was being especially nurturing this morning, preventing the older Voi kids from coming close to Busara and Baraka. Thamana tried to get between the two babies and then Hildana strode over in a feisty mood – both were seen off by the mini matriarch.
The herd headed out in a scattered line this morning. Juni, Sagala and Tagwa were at the front as they set off to browse. Itinyi trailed along at the end, followed by Murit and Ndotto. The dependent orphans settled at the foot of Mzinga Hill for their mid-morning lucerne treat.
In the afternoon, they wandered towards the mud wallow for more milk. The orphans stood around the pool but did not paddle or swim today. Ngilai and Tagwa hung out together, bonding under the baobab tree. Ndotto stood drinking from the trough – he was joined by Tagwa and then Godoma. The three friends lingered behind as the Keepers shepherded the herd off to wander back to the stockades.
On a bright sunny morning, the orphans headed out to browse around Mzinga Hill. Ndotto and Sagala meandered along behind the herd with Itinyi and Ngilai in their wake. After wandering for several hours, the orphans were sent down the slope in groups of three or four for their afternoon bottles of milk. Emoli, Ashanti, Kilulu and Itinyi were in the first group – little Ashanti gulped her milk in seconds and then did her best to pinch Kilulu’s bottle. As the two young ones paddled on down to the mud wallow, Emoli hung around the crate, hoping for an extra bottle. A minute later, he abandoned his quest and sprinted off after Itinyi, doing his best to overtake her on the way to the wallow.
Most of the orphans went swimming on a hot afternoon. Itinyi, Pika Pika, Murit and Godoma plunged in first, lying down and rolling around in the cooling water - they were soon joined by Thamana, Lemeki, Emoli and Lasayen. Emoli did his best to climb on top of Thamana as Pika Pika challenged Lasayen to a water wrestling match. Mbegu and Sagala, with Juni sandwiched between them, splashed happily on the edge, and Ngilai watched from the sidelines as he drank from the water trough.
A herd of wild elephants strolled in to join the orphans, drinking from the trough and standing peacefully around the wallow. Some of the swimmers clambered out to greet the newcomers. Soon, the first group of wild elephants wandered off as a second group approached. Godoma and Mbegu got out of the water and ambled toward the visitors, trumpeting their welcome. They escorted their wild friends to the wallow. The elephants drank and drank from the trough, having walked a long distance. Doing their best to impress, the two girls, with Pika Pika running along after them, noisily chased away some thirsty water bucks before catching up with the rest of the herd as they headed back out to browse.
In the early morning, the orphans spread out between the feeding trough and the terraces. Hildana was giving her friends little shoves as she stood next to them at the trough – she wanted the dairy cubes all to herself, but they did not budge. Standing her ground, Ashanti shoved Hildana back and darted away to the safety of Ndotto. Mbegu was looking after Busara, Kenderi and Baraka on the terraces, touching them frequently as they scooped up small pieces of lucerne into their mouths.
Before long, Emoli and Godoma led the herd out to browse at the foot of Mzinga Hill. A few hours later, the Keepers sent them back to the mud wallow outside the stockades in groups. Murit, Emoli and Ushindi led the charge into the mud bath for a wallow. After floating and rolling around, the elephants clambered out of the water to relax in the sunshine. Murit and Ngilai scratched their sides and backsides on the twin trees. When the two bulls moved on to the pile of earth, it was Mbegu’s turn for a tree-bark massage. Nearby, Lasayen was posing on the terraces and Emoli was rubbing her body on the favorite rock.
Ngilai lay down on the pile of earth until his sunbathing was interrupted by a boisterous Sagala. Minutes later, Tamiyoi, Tagwa, Juni, Busara, Sagala and Mbegu were crowded together on a dust pile which had turned into a pile of squirming elephants. Sensible Mbegu kept her distance as she was busy looking after Busara. As the day became cooler, the orphans headed out for a final browse before bed.
On a bright sunny morning, the dependent orphans spent a short time outside the stockades and then ambled out to the bush. Emoli, Godoma and Tamiyoi, followed closely by Lemeki, Tagwa and Juni, were the leaders. Once again, Mbegu brought up the rear, ensuring that no one had been left behind. The orphans settled in friendship groups at the foot of Mzinga Hill. Young bulls Emoli and Thamana have formed a close bond – today they were standing close and trunk hugging and playing. Explorer Ngilai headed off up the hill on his own, climbing ponderously all the way to the top. Lasayen struck a pose on a large rock, standing quite still in the sunshine.
Later in the afternoon, as the orphans set off down the slope for more milk, former orphan Kihari darted down the hill and joined one of the groups, greeting her friends as she trundled along next to them.
As light filled the sky, the Keepers prepared the orphans’ food as the elephants bustled around in their stockades, knocking on their doors and rumbling to each other. The Keepers filled the trough with range cubes, chased away some hungry baboons and opened the doors. A long line of elephants sprinted down the path to the feeding area. As the day became hotter, the herd headed out to browse, spreading out among the bushes around Mzinga Hill. Soon after they left, a group of former orphans led by Kenia strolled into the stockade compound and settled down to browse on lucerne.
In the afternoon, the orphans drank more milk and paddled down to the baobab tree mud bath. Ngilai, Ndotto, Mbegu, Siri and Murit stood side by side drinking from the water trough. Thirst quenched, Ndotto pushed his tusks into the baobab trunk in an effort to prise off some bark as Busara watched closely. Itinyi and Akina rolled around in the mud bath, waving their trunks in excitement. Soon, Itinyi climbed out and challenged Lemeki to several rounds of sparring. Mbegu and Juni were digging in the mud on the edge of the wallow and splashing everyone around them with gusto. Nearby, Ashanti was doing her best to hose herself with dust using her small trunk. She persevered with a degree of success as Lemeki and Kenderi lay down and stretched their bodies on the pile of earth. Eventually, the Keepers led the herd out to browse on their way back to the stockades.
On a cold windy morning, Lemeki, Godoma and Emoli led the herd out into the surrounding bush with Mbegu and little Busara bringing up the rear. The orphans browsed on shrubs and grass and the pile of supplementary lucerne collected by the Keepers.
In the afternoon, the orphans pottered down the slope for another milk feed and a mud wallow session. As the first group padded down, a group of zebras drinking from the water trough trotted away, returning once the elephants had left. Mbegu, Ushindi and Dabida stood close together at the water trough – when the two younger ones wandered away, their places were taken by Ngilai and Ndotto. The two bulls stood still as Itinyi splashed water in the trough with her front leg and Siri placed her leg inside the trough and rubbed her rump on the edge.
Not far away, many of their friends were frolicking in the mud wallow. Pika Pika and Ngilai were having a wrestling match in the water as Godoma darted in and out, trumpeting and waving her trunk. Murit clambered out to scratch his backside on the baobab tree. Lasayen challenged Ngilai to play – initially, his friend was reluctant, but eventually he took up the challenge and the two bulls clashed heads as they pushed against each other. Ndotto watched his friends as he stood splashing mud on the edge of the wallow. After lots of swimming and games, the orphans enjoyed a dust bath and then wandered back to the safety of the stockades for the night.
The orphans drank their milk and browsed on lucerne outside the stockades on another morning with clear skies. As his friends browsed, Ndotto clambered up and down the terraces. Before long, Emoli and Godoma led the herd out for their daily bush walk. They settled in an area with thick vegetation, browsing on shrubs and trees. Former orphans Kenia, Panda, Kihari, Rorogoi, Ndoria, Araba, Mudanda and Arruba strolled around the hill and joined the current orphans. The two groups greeted each other and mingled as they wandered in the direction of the baobab tree.
In the afternoon, the orphans trotted down in small groups for their bottles of milk. The ex-orphans bypassed the milk stop and walked on down to the mud wallow – except for Arruba. She paused next to the crates of bottles and lifted her trunk to a Keeper, opening her mouth wide in the hope of some milk. The Keeper ordered her away with a whistle and, reluctantly, she plodded on to the wallow. The two groups remained together for much of the afternoon – as dusk approached, the younger ones headed back to the stockades and their wilder friends disappeared into the bush.
As the Keepers were preparing for the day, little Itinyi was standing at the gate of his stockade watching them keenly. As dawn approached and once everything was ready, the men opened the gates one by one, and the orphans trundled out and round the corner to the feeding area. Possibly the naughtiest of the Voi kids, Hildana gave Siri an unwarranted shove as she was finishing her bottle, forcing her to relinquish her place to him. Bottles emptied, the elephants settled down to enjoy their range cubes and lucerne. Itinyi had an early morning wallow as Lemeki rolled around on the pile of earth. Meanwhile, big nanny Mbegu was fussing over Busara and Dabida on the terraces.
As the day grew warmer, the herd headed out to browse around Mzinga Hill. They spread out on the slopes of the hill, with the little ones clustered at the bottom. Only Ngilai climbed all the way to the top in search of green browse. In the afternoon, they climbed down the hill for more milk and to wander back to the stockades. No one was keen on swimming in the wallow on a cool, cloudy day.
The orphans set out early this morning as soon as they had finished their dairy pellets and lucerne. The herd remained in a cluster as they wandered – except for Ngilai. who chose to meander on his own over the open savannah. Ex-orphans Kenia, Ndoria, Mudanda, Araba, Arruba and Panda soon sauntered over to join the dependent herd. As the two groups ambled on together, Godoma stayed some distance away from the newcomers; she was not running the risk of any stranger getting close to Busara and Baraka! As they browsed, the former orphans took the lead and the current orphans followed along behind.
In the afternoon, they all headed back to the stockades for more food and a wallow. Ndoria paddled into the mud bath as the other elephants stood around watching her. They were remembering the days when Ndoria bit the tails of her friends and were not taking any chances. She may have stopped this naughty habit — but elephants do not forget!
Mbegu soon decided that it was time to separate the groups. Assertively, she gathered the herd together and led them out to browse in the bush. The mini matriarch had taken charge of the situation.
As soon as the Keepers opened the doors of the stockades, Baraka, Busara, Dabida, Kilulu, Siri and Ashanti sprinted out and down the path to the milk feeding area as fast as their growing legs could carry them. The little ones downed their bottles and joined their friends at the range cube and lucerne feeding areas. Before long, the herd set out for a day of browsing in the bush.
On a hot afternoon, many of the elephants paddled and swam and played in the mud bath. Itinyi was full of confidence in the water – he submerged his body so only his trunk could be seen like a snorkel and rolled around among his older friends. He was first in and stayed in the wallow until Pika Pika the princess decided it was time for him to get out. Much to his annoyance, she chased him out of the water. He bit his trunk in anger as she lay down for a swim. Swimming was followed by dust bathing and then a final browsing session.
The Keepers received reports in the early evening of a young female elephant who had been attacked by a lion, suffering injuries to her throat and right hind leg. As she would not have survived the night with a pride of lions in pursuit, the four-year-old elephant was rescued by the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit. Her wounds were treated and she was brought to the Voi stockades.
On a wonderful sunny morning, the orphans trundled out of their bedrooms and down to the feeding area. As the elephants ate lucerne and dairy cubes, Murit and Ngilai played a friendly wrestling game, pushing each other all over the terraces. After scratching her backside on the terrace wall, Tamiyoi initiated the move from the stockades to the browsing fields. She was followed by Lemeki, Emoli and Godoma and, shortly after, by Kenderi, Kilulu, Ashanti and friends.
The elephants spread out on the rocky slopes of Mzinga Hill, meandering up and down as they searched for green browse. Lasayen was engrossed in browsing as Ngilai and Murit played several rounds of the sparring game.
In the afternoon after the milk feed, the orphans gathered at the baobab tree water trough to drink. No one was tempted to even paddle in the mud bath on a cloudy windy day - instead they headed back out into the bush for some supplementary lucerne on their way back to the stockades for the night.
As the day dawned, the orphans stood around quietly at the feeding trough and on the terraces. Lasayen was standing close to Ushindi and Hildana as the three friends scooped up dairy cubes with their trunks. Ex-orphans Kenia, Ndoria, Panda, Kihari and Rorogoi arrived as the sun rose into a clear sky, mingling with the current orphans on the terraces. Emoli was trunk hugging Thamana as he stood close to former orphan Ndoria. Most of the herd wandered over to the pile of lucerne, leaving Kenia, Panda and Murit finishing the dairy cubes left in the trough and Ndotto having an early morning dust bath on the pile of earth.
Current and former orphans then headed out to browse in the bush together, leaving the elephant rescued two nights ago, after being attacked by a lion, eating grewia and lucerne branches in her stockade. In the afternoon, the ex-orphans disappeared in a different direction as the herd headed down the hill to the mud wallow.
Later in the day, Dr Limo visited the recent rescue. He dressed her deep wounds and discovered that she also had an old gunshot wound – which could explain why she had not been able to escape from the lions.
As the day grew warmer, the dependent orphans headed out to browse on the northern side of Mzinga Hill. They settled at the foot of the hill although hungry Lemeki went straight to the place where the orphans are given extra lucerne. Meanwhile, Ngilai and Emoli clambered up to the top of the hill looking for green browse.
In the afternoon, the elephants sprinted down in groups for more bottles of milk and then on to the baobab tree water hole. Nanny Pika Pika was looking after little Busara as they stood together at the water trough. Caring for the Voi kids has been demanding for mini matriarch Mbegu – the more nannies she has to help her, the better.
Itinyi was the first to paddle and plunge into the wallow today, but he was soon followed by many friends. He was also the first out and stood on the edge, jiggling a branch with his trunk. Ngilai, Emoli and Sagala rolled around as they submerged their bodies in the muddy water. Meanwhile, Godoma darted in and out in an excited mood, splashing water and then digging with her tiny tusks. On the other side of the wallow, Pika Pika touched Godoma as she ran past and then started sparring with Ngilai. Calming down, Godoma lay next to Lemeki on the ground by the pool. As the day became cooler, Lasayen, Tamiyoi, Ngilai and Godoma stood together, rubbing their bodies against the baobab tree. Pika Pika and Murit continued to cavort in the water until Murit wandered over to the tree, leaving the water baby alone in the wallow.
The orphans were up early as usual and settled down to eat cubes from the trough and lucerne on the terraces. As the sun rose in the sky, ex-orphans Kenia, Panda, Ndoria and Araba strolled up the path to join them. When the herd headed out to browse, the former orphans stayed behind to enjoy every last piece of lucerne.
The orphans browsed at the foot of Mzinga Hill for several hours and returned to the stockades in the afternoon for their milk feed. The Keepers had seen a pride of lions at the baobab tree water hole and did not want to risk a confrontation with the orphans. They suspected that they were the same lions that had attacked the recent rescue. Instead, the orphans had a short dip in the stockade mud wallow and wandered out for a final browse.
Just before dawn on a cold morning, the Keepers woke to find several ex-orphans standing under the trees outside the stockades, waiting quietly for lucerne. They quickly prepared bottles of milk and brought out range cubes and lucerne before opening the gates of the stockades. Kilulu, Itinyi and Kenderi were the first out, darting round the corner, gulping their milk and pottering over to join the visitors in the lucerne feeding area. The rest of the herd spread out at the feeding trough and on the terraces. To the Keepers’ surprise, the ex-orphans suddenly ran at the trough, startling their younger friends and scaring away everyone except for Juni, Kenderi and Sagala. Whistling loudly, the Keepers moved the visitors away and restored the peace.
In the afternoon, the orphans padded down for more milk and then on to the mud wallow. They found a large herd of wild elephants drinking from the trough and hanging out around the wallow. Catching sight of the elephants around their water hole as they approached, the Voi kids picked up the pace. Kilulu, Hildana, Kenderi, Dabida, Baraka and Epiya sprinted down, ears flared and trunks aloft. They almost succeeded in scaring away the wild elephants. Calming down, the young orphans then moved among the wild herd.
When the wild ones strolled away, they deliberately took several babies with them, doing their best to kidnap them. The Keepers gave chase, calling loudly as Mbegu trumpeted in alarm. Some of the orphans turned around and returned to the Keepers but Epiya and Hildana continued to wander away with the wild herd. The Keepers drove after the elephants in their vehicle and rescued the two babies – they are milk-dependent and too young to spend a night away from the stockades. Mbegu welcomed Epiya and Hildana, trunk touching them and keeping them close for the rest of the day.