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The day started with a lively visit at the stockade compound from ex-orphans Galana, Gawa, Naserian, Njema, Teleki, Ithumbah, Iman, Makena, and two wild bulls – a happy start for the first day of the year! The ex-orphans mingled with the orphans during the lucerne feeding for a while. However, the tranquillity was briefly disrupted when Roho, in a playful mood, attempted to climb on Gawa, leading to a small tussle between the two. Fortunately, Teleki stepped in just in time to prevent the situation from escalating further. Shortly after this encounter the dependent orphans, led by Olorien, headed out to the browsing fields to begin their day, and the ex-orphans went their own way.

Soon Lodo engaged Suguroi in a pushing game, while Larro teamed up with Esoit and Dololo to browse. Jotto browsed with his old friend Musiara. Mukkoka and Sagateisa moved away to browse separately on their own for a while. Kuishi and Sattao came across a small muddy puddle from which they enjoyed splashing behind their ears.

When it was time, Kindani led the first group for the noon milk feed while Naleku led the second one. After the orphans had their milk, Naboishu led the herd into the water to cool off. It was a very hot afternoon, and the orphans took a break from browsing to relax under some trees until it was cooler. Naboishu engaged Mukkoka in a brief strength testing match before the day ended with a peaceful amble back to the stockades, guided by Esoit.

A misty morning shrouded Ithumba Hill as the orphans were let out of their night stockades. Kinyei settled to scratch her backside on a nearby rock as Sattao shared his lucerne with Naboishu. The orphans enjoyed a quick lucerne breakfast before embarking on the day's journey to the browsing fields, led by Naleku. On their way, they came across Dololo, Jotto and Musiara, who have spent the last few nights away. They were happy to be reunited this morning and the dependent orphans welcomed them with enthusiasm, eager to hear their stories.

While the orphans browsed, they were happy to come across Nasalot, Noah, and two wild bulls, adding to the day's excitement. Esoit and Lodo interacted briefly with young Noah as Bondeni, Kinyei and Kindani teamed up together to browse. Shortly later, Nasalot and her team parted ways with the orphans.

The orphans enjoyed their midday activities, which included a wallowing session that saw Kuishi and Esoit being the last to leave the mud bath. The afternoon was spent browsing in the cooler areas west of Ithumba Hill, with Suguroi, Naleku and Sagateisa opting to take a break under some trees as the temperatures rose, before Lodo led the group back to the safety of the stockade in the evening.

The morning at the stockade compound was bustling with activity as a considerable number of ex-orphans joined the orphans for the lucerne feeding session. Sunyei, Siku, Saba, Makena, Mundusi, Nasalot, Noah, Nusu, Yatta, Yogi, Mulika, Mkuu, Yetu, Yebo, Ithumbah, Iman, Lualeni, Lulu and Lexi all joined the orphans. The presence of so many older elephants and their babies created a competitive, prompting an early departure to the browsing fields under Kuishi's leadership. 

The rest of the morning unfolded with various interactions among the orphans. Esoit engaged Roho in a pushing game while Naboishu played with Mukkoka. Kindani teamed up with Bondeni to browse while Lodo played solo in an area of loose soil. Sattao, Jotto, Musiara, Mukkoka and Dololo moved away from their friends and enjoyed browsing as their own little boy-group for a while. We wondered if Jotto, Musiara and Dololo were trying to convince Sattao and Mukkoka to join them for a few nights out, away from the stockades. 

At the main mud bath after the noon milk feed, the dependent orphans were joined by the ex-orphans again and they all wallowed together for quite some time. Bondeni was the first one to leave the water, followed by best friends Kindani and Kinyei. The rest of the dependent herd eventually followed, leaving the ex-orphans behind still wallowing in the water. Settling to browse in the Kanziku area, Larro and Kuishi escorted their favourite little boy Esoit to browse separately away from the herd. Roho and Olorien took a break from browsing to have fun in a small water pan they came across. The orphans returned to the stockades in the evening for a peaceful night.

The orphans' lucerne feeding session this morning was once again interrupted by a large group of ex-orphans – Nasalot, Noah, Nusu, Gawa, Chyulu, Cheka, Charli, Naisula, Nyx, Esampu, Mteto, Maramoja, Musiara, Kilabasi, Kofi, Naseku, Olsekki, Naserian, Njema, Lualeni, Lulu, Lexi, Mulika and Mkuu all joined the orphans, creating a crowded atmosphere at the stockade. Roho found himself in a bit of a scuffle with Naleku during the morning greetings; Naleku was feeling a bit grumpy and pushed Roho aside, which Roho took offence to and retaliated by biting Naleku’s tail and running away! All this added a bit of drama to an otherwise peaceful morning. Suguroi met with Lodo and together they decided it was time for the dependent herd to head out for the day, and they started walking out towards the bush with the rest of their young friends following behind.

Kinyei and Kindani found some nice rocks that were the perfect height to scratch their tummies on. Naboishu, Larro, Mukkoka and Sagateisa walked down to the Kone dam for some water before they returned to their browsing activities. The orphans browsed slowly, walking in the direction of the mud bath and as the time for the milk feed drew closer, Olorien guided her friends for their bottles. It was very hot and as soon as they were done drinking, Bondeni led his friends into the mud bath to swim.

The orphans' day ended with their return to the stockade compound under the guidance of Roho and the Keepers. Shortly before dark, ex-orphans Wendi, Wimbi, Wema, Kinna, Kaia, Narok, Naserian, Njema, Wiva, Ukame, Gawa and Wanjala briefly stopped by the stockade compound for a drink as they headed east.

A serene morning greeted the orphans as they stepped out for their lucerne breakfast, with no wild elephants or ex-orphans in sight, allowing for a peaceful meal. The calm morning set the tone for the day, with Sagateisa leading the orphans out to the bush to browse.

The day had moments of playfulness, including mud baths and games among the orphans, showcasing their growing bonds and social skills. Bondeni and Esoit started their day with their usual wrestling match, trying to establish who between them is stronger. Olorien teamed up with Mukkoka to browse while Roho wrestled with Naboishu. Naleku, Suguroi, Lodo and Larro split from the main herd and browsed a short distance away. Kuishi chose to browse alongside her favourite baby, Esoit. Just before it was time to head to the mud bath, Lodo tried engaging Esoit in a pushing game, but Kuishi intervened and warned Lodo to keep away from Esoit. Seeing the signals between the Keepers, Suguroi knew it was time for the noon milk feed, and guided the herd towards the mud bath. After their milk bottles the orphans went in the mud bath, all except for Bondeni, Esoit and Kuishi who opted to stay out.

The afternoon was spent in leisurely browsing and relaxation under the shade, where the orphans were briefly joined by ex-orphans Makena, Sidai, Sita, Silas, Chyulu, Charli, Cheka and Ukame.

Later, Sattao, Suguroi, Roho and Kinyei took a break from feeding to enjoy soil dusting. Kindani and Bondeni came across two little dik diks which they playfully decided to chase after. The dik diks disappeared very fast, leaving the two orphans looking perplexed and wondering if they had imagined the dik diks after all! The day culminated with a tranquil walk back to the stockade compound led by Kindani.

The day commenced with a visit from Galana, Gawa, Wendi, Wema, Wiva, Wimbi, Kilabasi, Kofi, Loijuk, Lili, Makena, Olare, Ola, Nasalot, Noah, and a group of six wild bulls. One of the bulls was in musth and kept threatening the other bulls. The interactions were lively, with Naleku briefly engaging with Wimbi and then encountering a minor squabble with Lili over access to Ola. Roho decided to gauge his strength by pushing Gawa. Gawa didn't take this invitation lightly and retaliated with determination, until Roho decided to surrender. Wema played with gentle Suguroi while Esoit played with Bondeni as usual!

The day continued with the dependent orphans venturing eastward, leaving the ex-orphans behind. They enjoyed lots of spontaneous mud baths which can be found everywhere at the moment due to all the recent rain.

Naleku settled to browse with Naboishu and Roho, and later the herd came across a small water hole which they decided to splash about in before continuing to the main one. Jotto, Dololo and Musiara joined their friends on the way, having spent their night out once more. Naboishu and Sattao looked as though they were asking the three boys where they had spent the night, and we wondered if Jotto was trying to convince them to join them and find out for themselves! Eventually the three bulls wandered away from the herd without recruiting anyone else to their small group yet.

After having their noon milk feed, the orphans had a spectacular wallowing session. Sagateisa, Kuishi and Sattao were the last ones to leave the water as they were having such fun splashing about and hitting the water with their trunks.

The orphans spent the afternoon browsing in the Imenti area. Kindani teamed up with Kinyei while Larro teamed up with Dololo and Bondeni to browse. The day drew to a close with the orphans all peacefully sauntering back to the stockades for the night, led by Lodo.

The dependent orphans awoke to a quieter morning and quickly settled for their lucerne breakfast. Jotto, Musiara, and Dololo joined the group fresh from their night out, and Jotto promptly lay down to take a nap amongst his friends! Later, Kindani led the orphans out to the browsing fields, where they settled to browse in the Kone area. Kuishi teamed up with Esoit to browse and showed him how to peel bark from trees using their tusks. Esoit practiced and got it right in the end. Larro chose to browse with Musiara and Naboishu. Naboishu, Sagateisa, Olorien, Roho, Naleku and Lodo took a break from feeding to play and roll on the ground. Sattao settled to browse with Suguroi while Mukkoka teamed up with Bondeni.

Kinyei led the way for the noon milk feed. After having their milk, the orphans jumped into the water to cool off. As usual, Bondeni didn’t seem that keen on swimming and was the first one to leave the water, whereupon he walked over to a nearby fallen tree to scratch his tummy. As the orphans slowly resumed browsing on the nearby bushes while the Keepers had their lunch, Bondeni teamed up with Kindani and Mukkoka to browse. Lodo settled to browse with Larro while Naleku teamed up with Suguroi. The day came to an end with another peaceful amble back to the stockade compound, led by Sagateisa and Kindani.

A lively start to the day saw the orphans joined by ex-orphans Wendi, Sunyei, Makena, Galana, Loijuk, Lili, Vuria, and a few wild elephants during their lucerne feeding session. Sagateisa had a brief conversation with Lili before moving on to play with Gawa. The presence of the older elephants spurred the dependent orphans to head out to the browsing fields earlier, led by the ever-enthusiastic Lodo.

The orphans headed to the Kone area where they settled to browse. Naboishu settled to browse with Naleku as the ever-playful Suguroi started a game of charging and running around in the bushes. Her game attracted Lodo, Roho, Bondeni and Kindani but eventually the little gang exhausted themselves after running around for nothing!

Just before 11am Lodo led the way to the midday milk feed, after which the orphans enjoyed an exuberant wallowing session! Roho and Lodo took advantage of being in the water to enjoy climbing on one another. Once the orphans were out of water, Naboishu engaged Roho in a similar strength testing exercise, but their game ended in a draw.

It was a hot afternoon and Olorien, Kinyei, Sattao, Esoit, Kuishi and Larro took a break from feeding to relax under some shade for a while.

The day drew to a close with the orphans meeting up with Nasalot, Noah, and Nusu as they walked into the compound and into their night stockades. The mischievous little Nusu tried to block the dependent orphans from passing but he was cautioned by the Keepers, and he reluctantly gave way for the orphans to pass!

This morning, the orphans' departure from the stockade was marked by a playful blockade by Naboishu, aiming to challenge Roho. Naboishu is now in the same class as Roho and sleeps in the same stockade as him at night, and he decided to test this new relationship with a challenge! Roho resorted to deceiving Naboishu by moving back and pretending he didn’t want to come out, until Naboishu got bored of waiting and changed tactics. He moved further away and lay down on the ground, enticing Roho to come out and play on him! Roho was too smart though and came running quickly out, pinning Naboishu down on the ground for a while before running after the rest of the herd. Naboishu got up and ran after him, but instead he bumped into Mukkoka who stopped him from chasing Roho and warned him to leave him alone.

Naleku walked down to the water trough and was followed by Suguroi and Sagateisa. Later, Larro, Kuishi and Naboishu also joined them for a drink.

Out in the bush Naleku took to browsing with our independent little girl, Sagateisa, while Kindani came across an old anthill which was the perfect height to scratch her tummy. Kuishi decided to leave Esoit to his own activities this morning and instead teamed up with Larro. Roho took a break from feeding to play on the ground where he was soon joined by Esoit, Sagateisa, Sattao and Olorien.

The orphans, led by Lodo, soon made their way to the noon milk feed. Here they were joined by ex-orphans Makena, Wanjala, Vuria, Lualeni, Lulu, Lexi, Gawa, Yoyo, Sidai, Silas and Sita. When the seniors got into the water to enjoy wallowing, the dependent orphans decided it was time to get out and head back to the bush to continue browsing.

In the afternoon Bondeni and Esoit settled for a strength testing exercise that ended in a draw. Naboishu attempted to climb on Olorien much to her dismay, but she managed to get free and run away from the boisterous, playful bull. In the evening Kindani led the way back to the stockades for the night.

There was an early morning buzz in the stockades as Jotto, Musiara, and Dololo decided to join the dependent orphans after spending the night out. Naleku and Sattao were the first to decide they were done with their morning routine in the compound, and walked down to browse on the nearby bushes in front of the stockades while they waited for the others. Kindani and Suguroi enjoyed a quick scratch against a rock before walking down to join their two friends. Naboishu and Kuishi stopped by the water trough for a drink and slowly the rest of the herd all assembled to walk out to the bush together.

Later in the morning Kinyei, Kindani and Suguroi took a break from browsing to roll and play on the ground. Their game was disrupted by the playful Roho who came over and started climbing on them. This interruption was enough to convince the three girls to finish up their game and walk off to continue browsing. Roho didn’t follow them but continued having fun in the same spot the three girls had been rolling, so this was probably his tactic all along!

Slowly the orphans made their way to the mud bath, guided by Olorien, in time for the midday milk feed. During the mud bath after having their milk bottles, Sagateisa and Roho emerged as the swimming stars, enjoying the water the most exuberantly and for the longest! Lodo had a brief soil dusting exercise soon after wallowing before catching up with his friends.

Bondeni came across a fallen tree trunk which he used to scratch against. Larro came and stood beside him until he was done scratching and then they walked away together. Lodo and Roho came across a muddy area where they had fun smearing themselves with cooling mud. Suguroi briefly engaged Kindani in a friendly pushing game. The orphans returned to the stockades in the evening looking happy and content, led by Esoit.

Naleku and Suguroi began their day by first heading to the water trough. The orphans enjoyed their lucerne breakfast amidst playful interactions, especially between Roho and Bondeni. When Roho finished playing with Bondeni, Lodo took him down to have a drink of water before all the herd left to begin their day of browsing, guided by Naleku.

Sattao stopped to dust himself with some loose soil before catching up with his friends. Roho teamed up with Naboishu to browse but their foraging soon turned into a pushing game. Kindani came across a tree stump that she used to scratch her neck. Kuishi teamed up with Esoit and Sattao to browse, but Sattao left when Kuishi kept bothering him by picking food from his mouth, interested in what he was feeding on.

While browsing in the Kone area, the orphans were briefly joined by Mulika, Mwende, Mala, Loijuk, Lili, Mkuu, Nasalot, Nusu, Noah, Yoyo and Makena. Naleku was having a wonderful time playing with baby Mala, and the Keepers had to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t disappear with the ex-orphans when they decided it was time to leave.

The day continued with the orphans having their midday milk feed before jumping into the main mud bath to wallow and cool off. Later while browsing west of Ithumba Hill, Kinyei teamed up with Olorien to feed as Roho settled for a soil dusting exercise. Bondeni scratched the side of his tummy against a tree. Sattao, Naboishu, Sagateisa and Larro came across a puddle which they enjoyed drinking from and splashing behind their ears. Sattao and Naboishu seemed to have some kind of disagreement as we noticed them caught up in quite a rigorous pushing game. Mukkoka teamed up with Kuishi to browse before the day drew to a close with a peaceful walk back to the stockade compound, led by Kindani, marking the end of another good day for the Ithumba orphans.

The morning's calm was briefly interrupted by the arrival of ex-orphans Mwende, Mala, Mulika, Mkuu, Galana, Gawa, Makena, Loijuk, and Lili, who joined the orphans for the lucerne feeding, creating a lively atmosphere. Sattao took the initiative to lead the orphans out to browse, setting the pace for the day.

Roho decided to begin his day by messing about and rolling on the ground, which attracted his playful friend Bondeni who couldn’t resist coming over and climbing on top of Roho. Roho didn’t want to be interrupted this way though and got upset, fighting Bondeni from putting his full weight on him. Esoit briefly browsed alongside Kindani as Olorien teamed up with Naboishu to browse. The temperature was quite moderate today but still the orphans decided to wallow after the noon milk feed, before being led back out to the bush by Lodo and Esoit.

They settled in the Imenti area where Naboishu and Mukkoka had a strength testing match which went on and on as they tried to establish who was the strongest. The rest of the afternoon was peaceful as the orphans concentrated on browsing, wrapping up with a quiet return to the stockade, led by Suguroi, as dusk fell.

It was a misty start to the day at Ithumba today. Naleku came out of her night stockade and decided to head straight for the water trough, before joining the rest of the herd for a peaceful lucerne feeding session. Lodo was enjoying playing with some loose soil before Sagateisa came over and pushed him away from his coveted spot. Kuishi and Bondeni walked down to the water trough for a drink and were soon joined by Esoit and Larro. Esoit and Larro managed to squeeze themselves in between Kuishi and Bondeni. It seems as if Esoit might have been a little jealous and didn’t want Kuishi to abandon her affection for him in favour of Bondeni! Bondeni ended up walking away and Esoit was happy to see him go, leaving him with Kuishi and Larro’s undivided attention.

While browsing this morning Lodo teamed up with Suguroi. Sagateisa stopped to scratch her itchy ear against Roho but Roho wasn’t happy to oblige and walked away. Due to the moderate temperature today, only Bondeni, Kinyei, Olorien, Esoit, Naleku, Lodo, Sagateisa, Kuishi and Sattao decided to swim in the main mud bath after the noon milk feed, before the orphans settled to browse west of the hill. The day concluded with a tranquil walk back to the stockade compound, led by the ever-responsible Kindani, as the orphans prepared to rest for the night.

A wet morning greeted the orphans after unexpected rains the previous evening, making the surroundings damp but refreshing. Lodo, Kuishi, and Naleku made an early visit to the water trough. Naboishu and Roho had a brief strength testing match before the orphans embarked on their daily routine, browsing calmly in the Kone area.

When it was time, Olorien diligently guided the first group to the mud bath for the noon milk feed. Larro caused a bit of commotion when she tried to grab a second bottle of milk which belonged to Bondeni, who happens to be a slow drinker and doesn’t finish his bottles as fast as some of the others. The Keepers intervened and scolded Larro, who stomped off to the water trough, sulking at being denied another milk bottle! The slightly cooler temperature didn’t deter the orphans from enjoying their wallowing session, with Sagateisa and Kuishi being the last to leave the mud bath. Kindani and Kinyei enjoyed soil dusting soon after they came out of the water, having fun and drying off at the same time. The day wrapped up with an unexpected visit from ex-orphans Ishanga, Ukame, Tumaren, baby Tembo, Chaimu, Makireti, and Garzi to the stockade compound, but their visit was brief as they only drank some water before leaving again.

Suguroi was quick to lead the orphans out after their morning milk, setting a brisk pace for the morning. The orphans briefly enjoyed their lucerne breakfast before Sattao led the way out to the bush.

Kinyei, Roho, Bondeni and Naleku decided as a group to have a bit of fun soil dusting before going back to browsing. Olorien, Lodo, Esoit, Larro and Kuishi split from the main herd and browsed separately a short distance away. Kindani was having a nice time rolling on the ground and dusting herself, but her fun was rudely interrupted by Naboishu or passed by and decided to climb on her. Kindani made a lot of noise protesting, and the Keepers came running over to tell off Naboishu and to leave Kindani alone. Naboishu immediately got up and walked away, leaving Kindani in peace.

Lodo led the first group to the mud bath for the midday milk feed. After having their milk, the orphans enjoyed a spirited mud bath session. Mukkoka was the first one out of the water, while Kuishi and Sagateisa were the last ones to leave again! The orphans' afternoon was spent browsing west of Ithumba Hill, with a delightful bush mud bath session that saw Larro, Lodo, Kuishi, Roho, Olorien and Naboishu splashing mud all over their bodies using their trunks and feet. The day concluded with Kinyei leading a contented group back to the stockades for the night.

It was wonderful to see ex-orphan Kasigau this morning, who arrived and had a drink of water, before joining the orphans for their lucerne breakfast. Sagateisa and Sattao sidled up to stand next to Kasigau as if trying to secretly measure their heights against his, but Kasigau threatened to push them as he thought that they were after the lucerne he was eating. Roho had a brief interaction with Naleku, who was perhaps wondering why Roho no longer sleeps in the same stockade as her at night, as he recently graduated to the next class up. Kasigau soon had his fill of lucerne and ambled away. It was very sweet to see Esoit, Lodo and Bondeni raise their trunks up in his direction, as if bidding him farewell and at the same time, showing an element of curiosity at where he was going.

Soon the orphans, led by Larro and Sattao, ventured out to the bush with a spring in their step, happy to begin their day out in the Park. Jotto, Dololo and Musiara, who didn't turn up yesterday, joined the dependent orphans while they were browsing in the Kone area. The group browsed slowly but in the direction of the mud bath in time for their noon milk feed.

The orphans enjoyed a splendid wallowing session under the shining sun, with Jotto, Musiara, Dololo, Suguroi, Kuishi, and Mukkoka choosing a more secluded mud hole for their fun. Suguroi then went to play on some loose soil by herself. The afternoon's heat prompted the orphans to seek some shade, only resuming their browsing when the temperature became more favourable. The day drew to a close with Kindani leading the orphans back to the stockades for the night.

It was a serene morning, as Lodo eagerly led the orphans out after finishing their morning milk. The orphans enjoyed their lucerne amidst some playful interactions - Naboishu kindly shared his lucerne with Naleku while Kindani enjoyed a morning stretching session which involved sitting and rolling on the ground. 

As the orphans were preparing to leave the stockades, a group of ex-orphans including Sana Sana, Loijuk, lili, Ithumbah, Iman, Tumaren, Tembo, Makireti, Vuria, Ndiwa and three wild elephants showed up, adding a layer of excitement to their morning routine. This was amplified when Naleku, Suguroi and Sagateisa attempted to leave the dependent herd and instead follow the ex-orphans in the interest of looking after baby Tembo! It took a lot of persuasion from the Keepers to call them back to rejoin the Ithumba herd.

Out in the bush, Kuishi teamed up with Sattao to browse while Larro settled to browse with Naleku. Naboishu had a brief strength testing exercise with Roho. When the time drew near, Olorien led the first group for the midday feed near the mud bath, after which the orphans enjoyed a brief wallow. Mukkoka was the first one out of the water while Kuishi, as usual, was one of the last to leave.

The orphans concluded their day with a visit to a small bush mud bath which they have come to love, before Bondeni walked off with Suguroi and Lodo in their own little browsing trio for the rest of the afternoon. Jotto, Musiara, and Dololo made a brief appearance at the stockade compound before heading off again on their own little mission. The evening saw Kinyei guiding the orphans back to the stockade compound for another peaceful night.

Roho and Naboishu began their day by engaging one another in a playful tussle. Larro went over to a nearby rock for an early morning scratch. Overall the orphans' lucerne session was peaceful, with Naleku leading the charge out to the bush and beginning her day by joining Kuishi for a soil dusting session. Roho settled to browse with Sagateisa. Suguroi was up to her old tricks and started charging and trumpeting at empty bushes trying to get the rest of the herd worked up and excited, but she tired herself out and eventually got bored when she realised that her friends were simply ignoring her in favour of browsing. They are used to Suguroi causing a commotion over nothing.  

We saw Lodo's competitive spirit at the mud bath, as he raced Olorien to the milk feeding area. Olorien secured first place by blocking Lodo whenever he attempted to overtake him. The orphans only briefly wallowed after having their bottles and spent their afternoon browsing west of Ithumba Hill, enjoying the lush greenery. Kuishi teamed up with Esoit and Sagateisa to browse while Sattao, Mukkoka and Naboishu split from the main herd and browsed separately for a bit. The day ended with a peaceful return to the stockades, led by Kindani.

It was a morning filled with greetings and playful interactions. Roho met with Bondeni and the two young bulls entwined their trunks in greeting. The orphans relished their lucerne, with Olorien and Roho briefly pausing to engage in a friendly tussle. Naleku guided the herd out to begin their day out in the Park, and chose to walk in the direction of the Kone area where the orphans settled to browse peacefully for the morning.

Just before eleven o'clock, Roho led Naboishu, Naleku and Suguroi in the first group for the midday milk feed. After having their milk, the orphans went to wallow in the mud bath and when they were done, Mukkoka led the herd out of the water. As soon as they came out Naboishu and Roho engaged one another in a friendly pushing match. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill and had a quiet afternoon. Naboishu decided to make his afternoon a little more interesting by rolling around on a wet patch of ground he came across. The day concluded with the orphans, led by the diligent Kinyei, making their way back to the stockades for the night. At the moment this role seems to fall to either Kinyei or Kindani, who really enjoy leading the herd home after a busy day.

The orphans' day began on a quiet note as there were no ex-orphans or wild elephants around. As such they enjoyed a leisurely lucerne session followed by Naleku leading the herd down to the water troughs. The orphans then headed out to browse, where they spread out in small groups, enjoying all the lush greenery still available at Ithumba after the recent rains. Esoit and Mukkoka found a quiet spot to browse together, while Olorien and Suguroi shared a peaceful moment under the shade of a tree. Sagateisa livened up her morning by taking a break and rolling on the ground for a bit of fun. Kinyei browsed with Bondeni and Naleku while Kindani teamed up with Roho. As is often the case, Olorien took the lead of the first group to the mud bath in time for their midday milk feed, while Kinyei led the second group.

All the orphans wallowed enthusiastically after having their bottles, immersing themselves in the cool water and playfully splashing around. The afternoon's browsing session west of Ithumba Hill was peaceful, with the orphans still enjoying the abundance of fresh vegetation. They grab trunkfuls of leaves from branches and shrubs and shovel them into their mouths, evidently enjoying these happy days full of greenery compared to the harsh dry months they have been enduring.

The day's activities culminated in a bush mud bath, where all the orphans enjoyed coating themselves in thick red mud. When they were done Larro chose to browse alongside Kuishi and Esoit, who as usual enjoys his cosseted position being the favourite of these two older girls. Kuishi and Esoit enjoyed scratching their sides and the backs of their big ears against the same tree trunk. Eventually the orphans slowly ambled back to the stockades for the night, their bodies tired but spirits high from the day's adventures.

Ex-orphans Galana, Gawa, Sunyei, Siku, Saba, Lualeni, Lulu, Lexi, Neshashi, Sana Sana, Karisa, and Mundusi made an early appearance at the stockade compound and actually lay down to sleep outside as they awaited the dependent orphans and for the morning lucerne to be distributed. The milk feed began at 6am and it was funny to watch Neshashi and Sana Sana, who left the dependent herd last year, attempt to join in, reminiscing about their days as part of the dependent orphan herd. They lined up alongside Roho, Larro and Naboishu to see if they would be offered a milk bottle. The ex-orphans and the orphans shared a bountiful lucerne breakfast, with the two girls Olorien and Lulu briefly clashing, only to be calmed by Gawa's intervention. Naboishu played nicely with Siku while Suguroi played with Saba. After having enough lucerne, the ex-orphans headed east while the dependent orphans ventured southwards, led by Kinyei, for a day of browsing and exploration.

Kinyei settled to browse with Olorien while the rest of the herd scattered out amongst the bushes. It was chilly at the mud bath which meant the orphans were content to wash their feet and move on. In the afternoon Roho and Kindani took a break from feeding to play with some loose soil, while Bondeni came across a suitable fallen tree, ideal for scratching his tummy on. Kuishi teamed up with Esoit and Naleku to browse until the thoughtful Kindani led everyone home.

The milk-dependent group swiftly exited the stockade after their morning milk, with Bondeni leaving while still clutching his trunk in his mouth. As they settled for lucerne, a playful interaction ensued between Lodo and Larro, with Larro giving Lodo a gentle push. Kindani headed to a nearby rock for a satisfying scratching session. With a clear sky overhead, indicating a hot day ahead, the orphans quickly set off for the bush led by Naleku, eager to begin browsing before it became too hot.

The orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area, calmly browsing throughout the morning. As mud bath time approached, the sun beat down intensely, but only Larro, Kindani, Roho, Kinyei, Lodo, Suguroi, and Mukkoka fully participated in the wallowing exercise, while the others were simply content with spraying water behind their ears before engaging in a soil dusting exercise.

Following the soil dusting, Kuishi led the way back to the browsing field. In the evening, only a handful of ex-orphans made an appearance. Among them were Kilabasi, Kofi, Zurura, Lualeni and her offspring, Sidai and her two offspring, along with two wild elephants.

The cold morning saw the orphans eagerly consuming their milk bottles before heading out to enjoy a generous serving of lucerne, relishing the quiet as no ex-orphans or wild elephants chose to show up today.

The day's browsing took them towards the Kone dam, with Roho and Naboishu engaging in playful antics along the way. Kinyei, showcasing her leadership, guided the group to the mud bath for their midday milk and a refreshing wallow. The orphans were particularly playful because it was such a hot day! Kuishi, Sattao and Mukkoka didn’t come to the mud bath today as they are currently being weaned from their milk bottles, so they decided to forego the trip altogether and carried on browsing.

The afternoon's browsing was a lively affair, with the orphans enjoying all the fresh vegetation. Kuishi, Roho and Esoit browsed together as a little trio, and later in the afternoon it fell to Lodo and Olorien to guide a very satisfied group back to the stockades for their evening milk and to go to bed.

It was a quiet morning again for the dependent orphans, enjoying their milk and lucerne feed without the disturbance of any ex-orphans or wild elephants. Larro and Bondeni’s scratching antics added a playful touch to the morning. Eventually the herd headed out to begin their day, led by the independent Sagateisa.

Sattao, Roho and Kinyei browsed together in the bush until Roho went to play with Naboishu. Esoit, for once, was busy browsing alone without the devoted Kuishi watching over him! The herd browsed slowly in the direction of the mud bath, to arrive there in time for their midday milk feed. 

The whole herd decided to wallow today after the milk feed, and after swimming to their heart's content, they continued browsing peacefully throughout the afternoon. Only Lodo and Suguroi diverted to briefly play in a muddy pool before heading home for the evening. The day concluded with the orphans feeling full and content, returning to the stockades for their evening rest, their spirits buoyed by the day's peaceful and fulfilling activities. 

The morning was peaceful and the orphans began their day with their nourishing milk bottles, followed by a lucerne breakfast feast. All the orphans, particularly Kinyei, indulged in leisurely activities such as scratching against rocks, before they all ventured out to the bush to begin their day of browsing, with Larro taking up the helm and deciding which way to go.

The abundance of food in the bush allowed the orphans to browse contentedly. Sattao was spotted stretching his trunk high into a tree to reach the most tender and tasty leaves. Mukkoka, Sagateisa, Lodo and Larro each browsed on their own separately from others, looking for the tastiest shrubs. The day's heat prompted the herd to browse slowly along the dam near the junction to Kone and the Ithumba stockades, where they decided to have a drink of water. Larro and Roho browsed together for a little while, and then the whole herd made their way to the midday milk feeding area.

The mud bath session was full of playful wallowing, with Larro finding additional enjoyment in a separate water hole. Roho and Naboishu, as playful as usual, enjoyed wrestling in the water for quite some time.

As the orphans made their way back out to the bush for the afternoon they were in a very excitable mood after such a fun wallowing session. It was at this point that Sagateisa and Naboishu found ex-orphan Karisa browsing in the bush and went to join him. Naboishu started playing with Karisa and then decided to follow him when he started walking away. Sagateisa followed them trumpeting, wanting to keep up with them, and the small trio disappeared together and didn’t return all evening. The Keepers tried following but the thick bush once again hampered their efforts, although they expect them to return soon as they know the area well, especially Karisa who is living wild and would certainly return with the younger orphans at some stage. As the evening drew closer, the orphans, brimming with energy from their mud bath and browsing escapades, made their way back to the stockades for a restful night.

Later in the evening ex-orphan Tumaren and her baby Tembo made a brief visit to the stockades with some other ex-orphans, including Wendi.

The morning greeted the orphans with a quiet start, allowing them to savour their milk and lucerne feed, where they enjoyed the solitude of being the only ones. Bondeni and Kinyei shared lucerne together while Kindani scratched her head against the terrace wall.

It is still green all around and the orphans enjoyed their morning of browsing, with Kuishi and Esoit maintaining their usual bond and choosing to feed together. Once again Sattao was spotted stretching his trunk high trying to reach the highest leaves, as he obviously finds them the tastiest. When it was time the orphans made their way to the mud bath for their midday milk feed.

After having their milk, the orphans were reluctant to wallow and just stood at the water's edge, so it wasn’t long before they began their afternoon browsing session. They looked very busy and active, with the four boys Roho, Mukkoka, Lodo and Bondeni choosing to browse together. The orphans concluded their day with a peaceful return to the stockade compound, led by Bondeni and Kinyei. Unfortunately Sagateisa and Naboishu didn't turn up today but we are sure they are still with Karisa or even some of the larger ex-orphan herds. Naboishu has already been weaned off his milk but Sagateisa was still receiving some bottles — we will see what the next few days bring as we keep looking. 

The morning was lively as the orphans enjoyed their lucerne breakfast after having their milk bottles. Kindani and Roho shared some tender moments while Olorien was busy playing on her own. Olorien has always been such an independent and self-assured girl, even since the Nursery. The orphans then embarked on their journey to the bush, where Kindani's spirited mood, trumpeting and charging about, set a lively tone for the morning.

The mud bath was a hub of activity, especially when Wendi's ex-orphan herd arrived, causing a commotion among the Keepers. Wendi is a very naughty and mischievous elephant, despite being over 20 years old with three calves of her own! After the brief disruption, the orphans resumed their wallowing with renewed concentration.

Bondeni and Esoit took a break from browsing in the afternoon to play fight with one another. In the evening Chyulu and Lenana along with their babies Cheka and Lapa came to drink water from the stockade water trough. Sagateisa and Naboishu have not yet returned but we are still keeping an eye out for them.

The morning was filled with typical antics; while still in their night stockades Bondeni was misbehaving and pushing poor Esoit. If he keeps up that kind of behaviour that is usually a one-way ticket to graduating to the next ‘class’ and night stockade with older elephants, who he would very much have to behave around! Once outside Roho started playfighting with Bondeni and Naleku, but then the herd all walked round to the lucerne feeding area for their breakfast meal.

Just before it was time to head to the mud bath Olorien, Suguroi and Lodo were busy playing together. The mud bath was a delightful affair, with the orphans fully immersing themselves in the joy of wallowing. The afternoon browsing session saw the orphans spread out in the bush, each finding their own space to enjoy the lush vegetation or forming little groups to enjoy the best shrubs together. Mukkoka and Kuishi started browsing together while Roho and Sattao did the same. Eventually the herd regrouped to head back to the stockade for the night after another enjoyable day. After the orphans were shut away in their night stockades, Kilabasi and her baby Kofi showed up for a brief visit, before walking off into the bush again.

The day began with the orphans eagerly awaiting their milk bottles, followed by a leisurely lucerne feeding session. Roho had his fill and started rolling on the ground, trying to show his affection towards Kindani once again and get her to play with him. He then moved on to start a pushing game with Bondeni and then Lodo. As the orphans walked out to begin their day, Kindani decided to rest against a rock briefly, before catching up with her friends.

The bush browsing was productive, with the orphans taking advantage of the abundant food and the occasional cooling spots to beat the heat. The main mud bath was a communal event, with all the orphans getting into the water after having their milk bottles and participating enthusiastically, especially Lodo and Olorien. Naleku enjoyed wallowing by herself, slightly off to the side.

It was a very hot afternoon. Sattao walked away from the herd and the Keepers found him enjoying a refreshing drink from a puddle he found. The day concluded with the orphans contentedly making their way back to the stockade compound, looking a little tired and evidently fully content with their day!

The morning saw the orphans joined by ex-orphans Sunyei, Siku, and Saba for lucerne, before heading out to the bush for a day of exploration and browsing.

Naleku, Bondeni, and Kindani chose to browse together, while Kuishi opted to browse with her favourite little boy Esoit as usual. Larro opted to browse by herself this morning and looked very content. Later Naleku went to start a pushing game with Roho near to where Sattao and Mukkoka were browsing together. When Roho took a break to roll around and play on the ground, Bondeni came over to join him. Roho then got up to play with Olorien for a while, before returning to wrestle with Bondeni.

The mud bath was a highlight, with the orphans revelling playing in the water. Roho and Sattao were the last to leave as they were having such fun playing, and they had to catch up with the rest of the herd when they finally decided to leave the water. For the rest of the afternoon the orphans concentrated on browsing and filling their tummies, after all the fun and games throughout the morning.

Later in the afternoon we saw a big group of ex-orphans heading towards the new Kalovoto dam which is full of water. We decided to walk there to see if we could see Sagateisa and Naboishu. When we arrived, we found different groups of ex-orphans and wild elephants, with Sagateisa amongst them! She was with Kinna and Olare's herd and was dutifully taking care of Olare’s little baby Ola. We tried our best to convince the herd towards the Ithumba compound, but it was too difficult because of all the thick bush and Olare didn’t want to be separated from the other ex-orphans. Without wanting to lose more of the dependent herd amongst all the ex-orphans and wild elephants, we decided to leave Sagateisa with Olare’s herd, happy in the knowledge that she has a family and a strong purpose in helping to nanny and look after Ola. She didn’t want to listen or follow us at all, and was very happy with the ex-orphans, and looked happy and healthy. We didn’t see Naboishu in the herds of elephants but we are quite sure he is still with Karisa, another young bull who is slightly older than him.

The day ended with the dependent orphans returning to the stockades for the night, their spirits high from the day's adventures and interactions with the larger elephant herds.

The final day of the month began with a calm and refreshing morning, with the orphans enjoying their milk and a particularly enjoyable lucerne feeding session. Kinyei went to scratch an itch on her back while the rest of the herd went to drink from the water trough before beginning their day out in the Park.

The morning was very peaceful, the orphans fully indulging in all the lush vegetation and spending longer than usual browsing, uninterruptedly. They chose to browse together in little groups, like Kuishi with Olorien and Lodo. Roho started a play fight with Lodo and then it was time for the herd to make their way to the mud bath for their next milk feed.

It was very hot and all of the orphans decided to get into the mud bath to cool off. Roho loves to climb on his friends while in the water (much easier than on land) and today he was climbing on Naleku’s back as she tried to swim. The day drew to a close with the orphans making their way back to the stockades, their bodies tired from the day's activities but their spirits high, ready for the adventures the next month might bring.