After giving birth to Mwana, Murera was understandably suspicious of Zongoloni and kept her at trunk’s length. It seems that Zongoloni got the message loud and clear, because now she is content to just be a nanny and hasn’t shown any hint of her past kidnapping tendencies. 

If our predictions are correct, Zongoloni, Lima Lima, and Sonje will all give birth in the next year or so. It will be interesting to see what kind of mothers they will be — just as it will be interesting to see how Mwana reacts when she is no longer the ‘only child’ of the herd.

This month brought lots of heavy rainstorms to the Kibwezi Forest. Rain is a good thing, but it does come with its liabilities — notably, lots of slipping and sliding elephants! Amali, Kapei, and Mwana, with their stout legs, were no match for the muddy pathways and took several (harmless) tumbles.

On 4th April, we were treated to a visit from Jasiri, Alamaya, and our ‘lone ranger,’ Ziwa. They were accompanied by several wild friends, who observed our unconventional human-elephant family from a distance. It was heartwarming to see how the boys immediately slotted into the familial atmosphere: Seeing Sonje and Mwashoti struggling to pull down a heavy branch, Ziwa and Alamaya walked over to help. As a team, they accomplished their goal.

With her loyalty, courage, and quick thinking, little Amali continues to remind us of Lima Lima. One morning, the discordant chatter of baboons followed the orphans into the forest. When Amali heard their harsh yells, she became very scared and ran back and forth, looking for Mwana. She put her own fear aside and prioritised the baby’s safety. 

Mwana and Amali are more like real sisters than friends. Sometimes they fight over food, but Amali is always very considerate to little Mwana. If Mwana covets a branch Amali is carrying, her ‘big sister’ will give her the first chance to enjoy it. Mwana appreciates the kindness and consideration that Amali always shows her. We believe that Enkesha and Kiasa are a bit jealous of their close bond.

Everyone looks after Murera, especially now that she is a mother. One afternoon, all the orphans were participating in an energetic mud bath. Mwana kept pestering her mother, but Murera was having a wonderful time on her own and clearly wanted to have space to unwind. Quanza, Zongoloni, and the young nannies took Mwana away, so Murera could enjoy the mud bath without any disruptions. 

At the Nursery, Kiasa was a notorious milk fiend. While she has matured significantly since moving to Umani, she occasionally gets up to her old tricks! One afternoon, Kiasa brazenly snatched a second bottle and drank it in one go. To add insult to injury, she stole from Murera’s share, knowing that the matriarch moves slowly and arrives last. It all happened so quickly that the Keepers only realised Kiasa’s deception when they saw her running away with an extra bottle clasped in her trunk!

As we often say, the smallest creatures cause the biggest drama. We were reminded of this when an owl hooted from the treetops, sending everyone running for the hills. Only Sonje stood still, trying to find the source of the noise. The owl was out of sight, but Sonje came up with a plan: She charged blindly into the bushes, threatening the invisible noisemaker to flee. The others came back and supported Sonje’s efforts, while Enkesha and Kiasa protectively surrounded Mwana. We can only imagine what the owl thought about all this fuss!

Later in the month, we had a visit from Faraja. To our surprise (and his!), he brought along a group of buffalo who were following him without his knowledge. When he realised they were behind him, he found himself in a stand-off with the stubborn interlopers. Kiombo, Mkatao, and Mwashoti came to their friend’s aid, running over with a series of loud trumpets. With such impressive back-up, Faraja regained his confidence. Together, the boys chased the buffalos into the forest.

Young Kapei, once the over-coddled prince of Umani, is learning how to stand on his own four feet. He has been spending more and more time with Maktao and Kapei, which is good for him. Kiombo and Maktao often place him in the middle of their pushing games, inviting him to observe their tactics without involving him in their roughhousing. In time, Kapei will be big and strong enough to join as a competitor. 

One day, the boys had a big fight. Maktao felt that Kiombo had stolen a stick that was rightfully his and refused to back down. In the end, Mwashoti intervened and confiscated the branch. As Maktao celebrated his perceived triumph, Kiombo took his disappointment out on Enkesha and chased her into the forest. Poor Enkesha was just innocently walking by, but Kiombo was humiliated by his defeat and wanted to prove his dominance. 

Indeed, Kiombo often forgets his manners. One night, baby Mwana went over to the partition that divides her and Murera’s stockade and Kiombo’s. She wanted to share something with her neighbour. However, Kiombo was in a mischievous mood and pulled Mwana’s tiny trunk through the gate. Hearing her daughter’s distress, Murera rushed over, which sent Kiombo running to the corner of his stable. He cowered out of Murera’s reach, knowing that he was in the wrong.

Mwana, the first granddaughter of our Umani orphans, is lucky to have many devoted companions. She often faux nurses from Lima Lima, Zongoloni, and Sonje, her pregnant nannies. One day, she started screaming when she found the girls had no milk to offer (although, of course, she knows that to be the case). Murera realised that Mwana was being petulant and refused to give her the attention she wanted. Amali, ever sympathetic, collected some leaves for her ‘little sister’ to enjoy instead. Mwana put the leaves on her head and cheerfully walked away, drama forgotten.