kina with wild bulls
Daily updates
February 1st
Shortly before 8 a.m. 15 of the Ex Orphans showed up at the Stockades. Later Ex Orphan Kinna passed by in a hurry trailed by two Bulls. We believe Kinna may be in season.
challa & lualeni
ishanga & lualeni
February 2nd
The Junior Keeper Dependent orphans were joined by the Ex Orphans at the Stockade compound this morning. Suguta then led the Juniors off to browse, leaving the Ex Orphans behind. There she, Kasigau, and Kilabasi enjoyed playing in some soft red soil that they came across. Later Makireti engaged Kasigau in a friendly Pushing Match. At 11 a.m. Mutara led the first sitting to the milk and mudbath venue, and having splashed water over themselves, Chaimu then led the group back to browse for the afternoon.
kasigau & makireti playing
kilabasi soil bathing
chaimu
February 3rd
Kibo and Ololoo became embroiled in the usual Pushing Match soon after leaving their Night Stockade, before the group headed out to browse the Kalovoto area. The Ex Orphans turned up at the Stockades at 8 a.m. At the mudbath venue, the Juniors just took a dustbath, because the weather was not conducive to wallowing. Kalama led the group out to browse afterwards.
kibo & ololoo playing
kalama leads the way
kilabasi
February 4th
Ex Orphan bulls Challa and Tomboi joined the Juniors at the Stockade compound this morning while Ololoo and Kilaguni engaged one another in a Pushing Game which ended when Kibo intervened to push Ololoo away from his friend, Kilaguni. Kalama then led the Juniors out. Only a dustbath took place today at mudbath hour. In the evening the Ex Orphans all turned up accompanied by some wild elephant friends.
tomboi & challa
ololoo & kilaguni playing
ex orphans checking in at stockade
February 5th
After the Juniors had left, the Ex Orphans turned up again at 8 a.m. for a drink at the Stockade water trough. At l0 a.m. the Juniors were joined out in the bush by Lualeni who escorted them to the mudbath, where she showed them how to enjoy a cooling wallow, since it was a hot day. Later Lualeni with her favourite Ololoo led the orphans back to browse and returned them to the Stockades in the evening. A wild unit with a 6 month old calf came to drink at the Stockades in the evening.
lualeni and orphans at mud bath
family unit with a baby
napasha
February 6th
It was a quiet morning when the Juniors had the compound all to themselves. Tumaren led the group out to browse today. The Ex Orphans joined the Juniors at the Kalovoto area at 10 a.m. Since it was a cool day, none of the Juniors took a mudbath today.
tumaren
buchuma
chyulu
February 7th
It was a drizzly morning with Ithumba mountain covered in mist. Out in the field the Juniors enjoyed playing in the damp earth until Mutara led the way to the milk and mudbath venue. In the evening Kora, Challa, Naserian, Kamboyo, Rapsu and their newest recruit named Pembe Moja (One Tusk) came to the Stockades.
pembe moja with ex orphans
kora & orphans
nasalot meets the orphans
February 8th
It was another cool, misty morning. The Ex Orphans joined the Juniors in the compound and the two groups spent some time together, before the Juniors left, heading for the Kanziku area. It was still too cool for a mudbath, so having taken milk, Suguta led the Juniors back to browse.
suguta
orphans feeding on lucerne
kanjoro scratching
February 9th
Tumaren led the Juniors out this morning. At mudbath time only Kandecha, Ololoo and Kilaguni wallowed, joined by a wild bull. In the evening the Ex Orphans plus Pembe Moja came to the Stockade compound.
kandecha & ololoo
ex orphans checking in at stockade
pembe moja, mulika & ithumbah
February 10th
The Juniors settled down to browse the Kone area today until Mutara led the first group to the mudbath area for their milk. In the evening the Ex Orphans came to the Stockades, accompanied by wild recruits Pembe Moja, Kijana and Mgeni.
mutara
Mgeni
wild elephants & ex orphans at stockade
February 11th
It was an uneventful day during which the Juniors concentrated on feeding. Only a few wallowed today, the rest enjoying a dustbath instead, while Chemi Chemi found a tree against which to scratch his body. Tano led the way back in the evening.
chemi chemi scratching
tano leading
zurura
February 12th
The Juniors engaged in the usual Stockade Compound activities this morning, some scratching on the rocks while the boys embarked indulged in tests of strength. At the mudbath the Juniors were joined by Pembe Moja, and all enjoyed the wallow with him.
pembe moja joins the orphans at mud bath
Orphans soil dusting
Tano
February 13th
Another cool morning with light drizzle. Ishanga played with Kibo while Ololoo tested his strength against Kilaguni. In the evening, on their way back to the Stockades, the Juniors were joined by the Ex Orphans.
Kibo plays with Ishanga
ololoo & kilaguni playing
kamboyo playing in front of the babies
February 14th
Chaimu led the way out to browse the Kanziku area today. At 9 a.m. the Ex Orphans came to the Stockade compound, and were joined by another wild herd a little later. By l0 a.m. temperatures had soared, sending the Juniors to browse under shade, Tano feeling the heat most who is the slowest in the group who finds it difficult to keep pace with the others. At the mudbath all enjoyed a spectacular wallow.
Chaimu
Tano at mud bath
kasigau
February 15th
The Ex orphans joined the Juniors briefly this morning just before they left for Kanziku area to browse. At the mudbath Shukuru and Mutara declined to wallow, but all the others went in. Tano was first to exit the water and after a dustbath, all headed off to browse again. On the way they were met by the Ex Orphans who were on their way to the mudbath. Ololoo and Kandecha engaged one another in a Pushing Game in the evening.
Tano leaving the mudbath
ololoo & kandecha testing their strength
olare scratching
February 16th
The Ex Orphans joined the Juniors at the Stockade compound today. Murka then led the Juniors to the Kanziku area again to browse. At the mudbath the Juniors were joined by 7 wild bulls with whom they interacted at the drinking trough before Mutara led the Juniors away.
ex orphans & wild elephants at mud bath
Murka
sabachi
February 17th
10 Wild Elephants accompanied the Ex Orphans when they came to drink at the Stockade trough this morning. The Ex Orphans joined the Juniors at the Lucerne pile while the wild Elephants drank. Soon afterwards the Juniors headed out to browse, but were joined again at the mudbath by the Ex Orphans and some wild friends. In the evening the Ex Orphans brought 15 wild elephants with them to drink at the Stockades.
orphans sharing water with wild elephants
orphans & ex orphans feeding on lucerne
orphans, ex orphans & wild elephants
February 18th
The Ex Orphans came to the Stockades to partake of the Juniors’ Lucerne hand-out after which Mutara led the Juniors out to browse. It was a hot day so at the mudbath all enjoyed a wallow, except Tano, who stood in the water and splashed it behind her ears. In the evening the Ex Orphans returned to the stockades with 15 wild friends.
wild elephants & ex orphans at the stockade
lualeni & ololoo
murka
February 19th
The Ex Orphans joined the juniors at the Compound at 6.30 a.m. At the mudbath the Juniors were joined at the drinking trough by 12 wild elephants, amongst whom was Half Trunk. The wild elephants then shared the mudbath with the Juniors until Mutara decided that enough was enough, and led the Juniors off. In the evening a family unit of 6 wild elephants and a 6 month old calf came to drink at the Stockades.
Murka drinking with wild elephants
shukuru & wild elephants
suguta & wild elephants
February 20th
The Ex Orphans plus 5 wild friends enjoyed some of the left over Lucerne. Out in the field Chemi Chemi enjoyed a Pushing Match with Kasigau, which did not last long because Ololoo came and pushed the two away from one another.
chemi chemi & kasigau playing
chemi chemi plays tumaren
naisula
February 21th
The Ex Orphans joined the Juniors as usual at the Stockades in the morning, and after sharing the Lucerne, Mutara led the Juniors out to browse. Kilaguni and Murka had a Pushing Match which was won by Kilaguni. At the noon mudbath the Juniors were joined again by the Ex Orphans who came with 14 wild elephant friends. In the evening the Big Bull named “Mshale” came with some wild friends. He was limping from a wound, probably again inflicted by an arrow.
mshale limping
murka & kilaguni playing
makena
February 22th
As usual the Ex Orphans joined the Juniors at the Stockade for the Lucerne handout. At the ;noon mudbath all the Juniors enjoyed the mudbath because it was a hot day. Ololoo and Kandecha had a wonderful Pushing Match actually in the water. In the evening the orphans passed again by the mudbath because it was so hot, after which they enjoyed a dustbath before returning home.
ololoo & kandecha playing in the water
evening mud wallow
evening soil bath
February 23th
Mshale and Half Trunk were amongst the Ex Orphans when they came to the Stockades in the morning, the Ex Orphans peeling off to join the Juniors at the Lucerne. Later the Juniors left for the browsing area, leaving Mshale and Half Trunk with the Ex Orphans. It was another hot day, so the mudbath was popular, and again in the evening before the Juniors returned home for the night.
mshale & half trunk taking taking water
kalama playing with chemi chemi
Melia
February 24th
Today the Ex Orphans came with 2 wild elephants, and having shared the Lucerne with the Juniors, the Ex Orphans and their wild friends headed towards the Kalovoto while the Juniors went to Kone to feed. At the mudbath all the orphans, except Tano, wallowed. Tano just splashed water behind her ears. In the evening the wild herd with the 6 month old baby came to drink at the Stockades.
family unit taking water
kitirua scratching
madiba & wild elephant
February 25th
Today the Ex Orphans did not come to the Stockades in the morning, but at the mudbath the Youngsters were lucky to meet the big wild bull named “Rafiki” (the friend), who was one of the first wild elephants to have the courage to come to the Stockades and befriend the Youngsters some years ago and who was accompanied by 15 wild Elephants. Kilabasi, Shukuru, Tano and Kanjoro were the first ones to share water with Rafiki at the mudbath trough. Amongst them was Mshale, who had a swelling on his left hind knee and was still limping. The matter was reported to KWS and then Dr. Poghorn, the Vet attached to the Trust’s Mobile Veterinary Unit.
rafiki looking at the orphans
Mshale's swelling
kanjoro & wild elephants
February 26th
A wild herd joined the Juniors at the compound in the morning. Makireti was very interested in the 6 month old baby with the wild elephants, playing with the baby for some time before being cautioned by the mother. At the mudbath the Juniors were joined by 1 wild elephant, who left after a while. Chemi Chemi and Kasigau had a Strength Testing bout which lasted for sometime under Chemi Chemi surrendered.
makireti says hi to a wild baby
kasigau taking on chemi chemi
wild elephant with her babies
February 27th
The Ex Orphans plus some wild friends joined the Juniors at the Stockade compound in the morning. At the mudbath 9 wild elephants joined the Juniors, and when they returned in the evening, a wild elephant herd was drinking water at the Stockade trough, one of whom was the father of little “Mwende” and “Yetu”, the wild-born babies of Mulika and Yatta.
nine wild elephants joins the orphans at mud bath
yetu with wendi
kibo & wild elephants
February 28th
It was a busy morning with a lot of interaction between the Keeper Dependent group, the Ex Orphans and visiting wild elephants. Kandecha played with a wild Junior of his size which ended when the mother came and pushed Kandecha away. Makireti played with a wild baby until it was time for Juniors to go off to browse, leaving the wild elephants and Ex Orphans at the stockade. At the mudbath the Juniors were joined by 20 wild elephants and at 2 p.m. 14 wild bulls came to take water at the Stockade compound.
wild bulls playing
makireti with wild
orphans & one wild elephant