Lesanju
Daily updates
December 1st
Lesanju became very excited when she came across two impala rams fighting out in the bush. She and all the orphans rushed back to their Keepers.
December 2nd
At 3 p.m. a new orphan arrived in the Nursery from Loisaba Ranch, aged about 16 months. He had been badly bitten around the back end by hyenas, and his tail had been bitten almost in two. He was also very emaciated, having been without his mother for about 2 weeks, so a drip was inserted into an ear vein. We named him Lomolo, the name of a lugga where his poached elephant mother died and had been found.
The Nairobi Nursery orphans
December 3rd
A very sad day in the Nursery because the new elephant died during the night. We were all shocked, because we never expected him to die so soon.
Maxwell getting some TLC from a keeper
December 4th
All the orphans left in a very happy mood, trumpeting and knocking down small bushes. As we were heading out into the forest some warthog babies came out of a hole. Shimba and Lempaute began the chase, followed by the others, all trumpeting and knocking down bushes, with the warthogs scattering in all directions.
Shimba resting in the shade
December 5th
Today, little Suguta entertained the visitors, by crossing through the rope and rubbing against the visitors’ legs. Everyone enjoyed this very much. When it was the turn of the older elephants, Lempaute took over the entertainment slot by crossing the rope, and lying down in front of all the visitors. They loved touching her and taking pictures.
Suguta munching on a branch
December 6th
Today another baby elephant orphan came in from the Kimana area, already unconscious and very weak. Edwin (the Head Keeper) who had been on the rescue plane had inserted a drip into its ear, hoping that it would revive, but it never regained consciousness and died during the night.
Nursery orphans out in the bush
December 7th
Another very sad day in the Nursery, as we buried the second orphan in just 4 days.
Shida
December 8th
Ndii and Kenia are special friends. They are always together, feeding together, and walking together.
Kenia with Ndii
December 9th
This morning Dida remembered to spend time saying “hello” to Maxwell (the blind rhino) who was standing at the Gate to his Stockade early in the morning. She spent a long time fondling his face with her trunk, which Max enjoyed very much.
Dida
December 10th
Taveta is undergoing a bad phase. He is being very rough around the Keepers, charging the younger elephants, and even tried to knock Dida, but she retaliated and put him in his place. We can’t understand why Taveta is so naughty, but Mrs. Sheldrick says that he is suffering from the stress of having lost his elephant family.
Taveta hiding behind a tree
December 11th
The orphans left the Stockades early in the morning in a happy mood. Siria and Shimba engaged one another in play, chasing each other around, trumpeting and kicking bushes, but Kimana, who is very friendly with Siria was not happy with this game and bellowed. This made Siria stop the game and approach Kimana to comfort him.
Siria scratching
December 12th
After the smaller elephants had taken their milk at the noon mudbath, Suguta and Ndii ran to the waterhole and immediately went in. Meanwhile Kimana was chasing the young warthog piglets around the bushes and the mudbath area, which entertained all the guests who enjoyed the Show very much.
Kimana and Zoom Zoom
December 13th
Being the smallest elephant in the Nursery, Suguta is always the centre of attention at Private Viewing sessions when the elephants return to the yard at 3 p.m. for a milk feed. Today, one of the visitors crouched down at Suguta’s level, which annoyed Suguta, who knocked her over. The Keepers were shocked, because Suguta has never done that before, but elephants don’t seem to like humans crouching down in front of them.
Suguta relaxing
December 14th
Today the 3 p.m. milk feed was out in the bush, because there was no Private Viewing, and 2 huge giraffes came galloping out of the bushes. All abandoned their bottles of milk and ran away, except Ndii who wasn’t leaving her milk ration for anything!
Ndii playing with a branch
December 15th
Suguta met up with some baby warthog piglets this morning and was confronted by the mother. Suguta cried for help and immediately Lesanju and Sinya rushed to her aid, chased the warthogs off, and escorted Suguta back to the Keepers.
Suguta with her keepers
December 16th
Poor Sinya is still having a rough time at night in the Stockade with Lempaute and Lesanju, both of whom shove her around, even though all three are very friendly out in the bush. It used to be only Lempaute that behaved badly towards Sinya in the Night Stockade, but Lesanju seems to be following that example.
Lempaute
December 17th
Suguta has become very lively. It was an exciting day for her, because she was the only elephant who wanted to take a mudbath at noon, and had the mudbath all to herself. All the visitors were very happy to see her enjoying herself, and becoming stronger by the day.
Ndii climbs onto Suguta
December 18th
Lempaute dominated the mudbath today, and had a wonderful wallow. She then left the mudhole and ran to the visitors standing behind the rope, running up and down and splashing them with mud. The Keepers tried to stop her, but she was too quick for them! All the visitors laughed and didn’t mind at all!
Lempaute with Ndii and Amos
December 19th
Today saw the arrival of the tiniest baby rhino any of us had ever seen. He was abandoned by his rhino mother in the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary in Tsavo West National Park and is just a couple of days old. We hope that he will make it, and grow up to return to the wild.
Our tiny rhino orphan, Maalim
December 20th
As the orphans were returning in a hurry for their evening milk, Suguta was trailing until a warthog appeared from the bush near her. She yelled and ran as fast as she could, arriving at the milk before any of the others! None of us had ever seen her move so fast!
Amos with Suguta and Kimana
December 21th
Siria and Kimana left the other orphans in the bush and returned looking for their milk. It was 2 p.m. and the next milk feed was at 3 p.m. The Keepers came and escorted them back.
Mzima with Siria
December 22th
Lempaute was again the star of the mudbath Show, kicking the football around and bouncing up and down on the large rubber tube. She dominated the entire mudbath hour and kept all the visitors well entertained!
Shida communicates with Maxwell through the bars
December 23th
When the foster-parents came for their evening viewing, they were delighted to see the baby rhino “Maalim” being very playful, jumping up and down as playful rhinos do!
Amos and Maalim
December 24th
Siria is very protective of little Kimana, which made Taveta jealous. Taveta came and tried to push Kimana, but Siria was quick to come to his defense. Fortunately for Taveta the Keepers were very close by, and were able to save him from severe retribution, because Siria has short tusks.
Taveta sucking his trunk
December 25th
The Trust is always closed for just one day a year – Christmas Day, but this year a special group from British Airways were allowed in and had the mudbath hour all to themselves. Whilst they were watching a mother warthog came with her tiny piglets, and while the older elephants were tolerant, Suguta and Kimana enjoyed chasing the little piglets around, which amused the visitors.
Kimana in the bush
December 26th
Kenia has the makings of a wonderful Matriarch! She adores little Ndii, who is never far from her, and Suguta also enjoys being close to her and this, today, caused the two small babies to squabble. Immediately Kenia moved in to separate them, and then stood between them until tempers cooled down!
Wasessa and Kimana
December 27th
After all the orphans had left their stables in the morning, they enjoyed a dust-bath on the road, before following the Keepers out into the bush. While the Keepers were taking their lunch, Taveta began pushing Ndii and Suguta around, and had to be warned by the Keepers to desist. He was pretty disobedient, and needed several stern warnings.
Ndii curls his trunk
December 28th
Dida is very fond of Kimana, but has to give way to Siria, who is more dominant, and who also loves Kimana. When Kimana joins Siria, Dida returns to Lesanju’s group.
Lesanju having fun at the mudbath
December 29th
As the elephants were returning to their Night Stables and Stockades, an impala came running out of the bush, and jumped clear over them, which scared them all, and made them scream! The impala just kept going!
Maalim sleeping
December 30th
Siria is always very protective of Kimana. Today Kimana initiated a pushing game with Dida, but Siria came between them immediately and pushed Dida away from Kimana.
Kimana near a keeper
December 31th
The tiny rhino, “Maalim”, was brought to the visitors’ mudbath hour today and charmed everyone because he is so very small. He walked the length of the cordon, while everyone took photographs of him. He was the highlight of the day, and a wonderful treat for the visitors to end the year 2008, because none of the visitors had ever seen a rhino that small.
Maxwell