Ndara enjoys a bath
Daily updates
July 1st
Ndara, who had not been seen in a few days, appeared at the stockades this morning and joined the younger orphans. After greeting each other they all browsed until midday when Ndara decided to lead them all to the water hole for a quick drink. Ndara then decided to cool down in the mud, splashing the younger orphans who were scared of getting in the water, but one by one the braver ones followed her in and wallowed cheerfully.
Ndara drinking with the orphans
Ndara enjoying the stockades fresh water at night
July 2nd
After the orphans had enjoyed their milk today, they once again followed Ndara for Lucerne feeding. Wasessa seemed to be unhappy with Ndara and decided to take himself away from the group. A big herd of wild elephants came to drink water after the orphans had left.
Wasessa in the bush
Wild calf and her mother at the stockades trough
Ndara enjoying a bath
July 3rd
This morning the orphans enjoyed some fun games. Shimba invited Layoni for a pushing game and they played roughly until Kenia intervened to help save Layoni from Shimba’s attempts to ride on his back. Lesanju soon decided to move on and led the others to the eastern side of the stockade where they all spent the rest of the afternoon.
Shimba playing
Layoni
Lesanju leading the others
July 4th
It was a cold morning today and the orphans didn’t spend too long feeding on supplements before heading off to the western side for the beginning of their browsing day. It was a long journey around Msinga Hill before reaching the middle water hole in the late afternoon. Lesanju, Sinya and Wasessa enjoyed themselves immensely whilst they scratched their itchy rumps on the sides of the walls, whilst Shimba coaxed Taveta into a pushing game.
Sinya out browsing
Taveta let playing
July 5th
All of the orphans were in a playful mood this morning after their milk and Lucerne. Sinya and Lempaute were being extra affectionate to the smaller ones today, stroking Rombo and Dabassa, whilst Mzima was busy following Kenia around trying to play a mounting game.
Dabassa and Kivuko
Mzima browsing
July 6th
This morning Emsaya joined in some games with Tassia and Wasessa, but she became overly excited and made the mistake of pinning Tassia down, who soon jumped up and chased Emsaya far afield. Tassia soon stopped the chase as Wassesa got involved, but Emsaya still kept her distance for the rest of the day and even left half her bottle of milk to run away from Tassia again.
Emsaya on the left with Wasesa
Tassia playing
July 7th
Lesanju, Sinya and Kenia took the others on an early morning walk to the eastern side of Msinga Hill, not giving them very long to play in the compound this morning. So Shimba and Taveta soon broke away along with Dabassa and Rombo, splitting the group in two for a while before reuniting. They soon arrived at the water hole but none of them decided to have a bath as it was too cold.
Kenia looking after the younger ones
Rombo browsing
July 8th
The bathing time was filled with much playing today as Mzima and Taveta had great fun with several water games, whilst Lesanju and Sinya had a brilliant dusting game before taking a rest in the shade.
Taveta out in the bush
Lesanju leading the others up Mzima Hill
July 9th
After deciding not to go into the cold mudbath water, the orphans moved north of Msinga Hill where they enjoyed the untouched bushes and long grass of the area. Wasessa and Emsaya led the rest of the family slowly back to the stockades in the evening.
Wasessa enjoying a bath
Emsaya in the bush
July 10th
Today Lesanju and Shimba took the lead of the other orphans and walked high up on the western side of the hill. On reaching a very rocky place, Lempaute convinced Kivuko into a running and charging game. Kivuko soon realized this was a dangerous game and walked away. On return to the stockade they were all met by a group of school children who were paying them a visit, and for almost an hour everyone had great fun.
Lempaute playing
School visit
July 11th
This morning Kenia’s group, which is the youngest group, queued quietly for their milk and Lucerne, whilst the older ones including Lesanju walked directly for their Lucerne, but Wasessa waited patiently for her baby Emsaya to finish her milk before they both walked together to the grass. Rombo and Kivuko had a little misunderstanding this morning and engaged in a head battling fight, if the Keepers hadn’t have intervened one of them could have got hurt. There was a report from Mgeno today about an orphaned baby elephant calf that was found alone and the rescue team was immediately deployed.
Kenia on the left enjoying a mud bath
Kivuko in the bush
July 12th
Today has turned into a very warm day after a chilly morning. Kivuko, Ndii and Taveta were first in the cool waters of the mudbath and even Shimba wallowed for a while to escape the heat. Tassia, Dabassa and Kenia soon joined in the fun and they were all rolling around and splashing together.
Ndii having a bath
Tasia playing with Kivuko
July 13th
Another very hot day forced most of the orphans into the water after their milk. Sinya took the lead followed by Lesanju, Wasessa and Lempaute who all had their fun before getting out and letting the younger orphans have their turn. Rombo had a wonderful day in the water today and soon found a mound of soil to roll around in, turning him completely red in colour.
Lempaute drinking from the bowser
Sinya taking the lead
July 14th
This morning Rombo and Dabassa started their hide and seek game, with Rombo chasing Dabassa all around the stockade. This game carried on for a while before they were forced to follow the other orphans out for a day of browsing around Msinga Hill.
Rombo playing around
Dabassa with Kivuko
July 15th
A herd of wild elephants visited the orphans today. Taveta and Tassia waited eagerly to see if they could find their age-mates to play with. Sadly there were no elephants of the right age and Taveta and Tassia were very disappointed. In the evening another wild elephant herd approached the stockade’s water trough whilst the orphans were in their stables. 3 big cows and 3 calves drank at the water trough for a good twenty minutes before moving off.
Wild elephant at the stockades
Tasia and Taveta playing
July 16th
Today is a very windy day but none of the orphans seemed to mind as they browsed cheerfully on the eastern side of Msinga Hill. Shimba was feeling extra energetic today and climbed higher up the hill than any of the other orphans. Taveta was being very naughty today and bullying the others at the waterhole, starting with pushing around Ndii and then Kenia, who gave him two hefty head-butts, which made him keep clear for the rest of the day.
Shimba in the bush
July 17th
On a rocky part of Msinga Hill, Tassia and Taveta enjoyed a fun game of hide and seek between the rocks. At one point when Taveta found Tassia he grabbed his tail, which made Tassia scream, scaring the other orphans who scrambled towards the safety of the Keepers, who soon calmed them all down.
Taveta
July 18th
Again Shimba climbed to a higher point on the hill than any of the other orphans, as a male elephant he is becoming more solitary. Because it wasn’t a hot day none of the orphans took a bath, but instead they had great fun dusting themselves in the red soil. Ndii had a great time of spraying the others with dust. Mukuki came to say jambo to the Keepers today, which was a great surprise as it is rare to see him and later in the evening a wild elephant visited the stockade’s water trough with her two-year old baby.
Ndii leaving the bath
Mukuki visits
Mukuki with the impalas
July 19th
Lempaute and Shimba led part of the group up Msinga Hill today were the best food is and they browsed until noon. When it was milk time, Kenia, Ndii, Kivuko and Dabassa were first to have their share before letting the others have their turn. As the babies then rushed to the water trough to quench their thirst, Lempaute and Lesanju decided to drink straight from the water bowser.
Lesanju at the bath
July 20th
At 2.30pm today we received a message about an elephant calf found alone in Mgeno Ranch. The Keepers quickly organised the rescue team and after an hour and a half drive they arrived and found a two-year old calf that was very weak, who had been captured by the rangers of the ranch. The calf was loaded into the vehicle and taken swiftly back to the stockades for treatment. Just as the calf was being placed in its new stockade another message was received about yet another elephant calf found alone at Bomani, near Zomeni Hill, not far from the Voi stockades. It took the second rescue team only a short while to get to the calf, which was only six months old, and bring it back to the stockades. It was a long and hard day for the Keepers but both new elephant calves were now safely sheltered and being looked after.
panda drinking water
Bomani's rescue
July 21th
With two new babies at the stockades this morning, all the Keepers were kept very busy making plans for them. The youngest calf is to be transferred to Nairobi today, whilst the other one will stay here as she is too old for the Nursery. The one from Mgeno Ranch has been named Panda, whilst the one from Bomani has been named Bomani. Both babies are suspected of being poaching victims.
Bomani being airlifted to Nairobi
Panda playing with the keeper
July 22th
Today a familiar wild elephant herd was waiting for our water troughs to be filled. They hide behind the bushes and wait for the tractor to leave before finishing all the water. Our orphans had to wait longer this morning for their water as the tractor carried in a second load. Panda is well settled in her new home and is taking her milk well from the Keepers.
Wild elephant at the water trough
Ndara drinking with the orphans
July 23th
Each morning the Keepers clean Panda’s stable and when they are inside Panda engages them for a pushing game. She will spend only a couple more days in her stable with her Keepers before heading out into the bush with the rest of the orphans. Her health is improving and she looks very happy.
Panda in her stable
July 24th
We had another school visit today who had come from a local primary school. Shimba and Taveta entertained everyone with a playful pushing game whilst Layoni was misbehaving and head-butting Kenia, who charged him roughly sending him fleeing out of sight.
Another school visit
Layoni having milk
July 25th
Today the orphans split into three groups. Shimba, Rombo and Layoni went up Msinga Hill, whilst Kenia, Ndii, Dabassa and Taveta stayed behind digging some tubers they found along the way. Lesanju and the rest of the orphans browsed farther afield. Another family of wild elephants passed close to the orphans and Tassia was first to run and greet them. Little Panda still continues to do well and looks very happy.
Shimba scratching his rump
Wild elephants
July 26th
The orphans had great fun charging the baboons and impalas today, whilst Kenia and Ndii started off with a skillful pushing game. Kivuko and Dabassa seemed to be settling an old score and they fought furiously until Lesanju got involved and separated them. Mukuki arrived at the stockades this evening with a group of impala and stayed there for a couple of hours before disappearing off into the night.
Mukuki disappears off
July 27th
Another peaceful day for the orphans. The afternoon became a little more playful when the boys started to test their strength against each other. Tassia and Taveta love to play and are building a good friendship after Tassia was abandoned by Wasessa for Emsaya.
Tasisa going back to the stockades
Bathing competition
July 28th
Kivuko and Dabassa are becoming very hostile towards each other, especially during feeding times. Dabassa is very greedy when there is milk around and he starts pushing, shoving, head-butting and screaming at Kivuko. The Keepers have a hard job at separating them during these times. In contrast, Rombo and Shimba are becoming very good friends, climbing the hill and browsing quietly together. Ndara came to visit the stockade this evening. She was given plenty of copra cake and spent the evening browsing on Msinga Hill.
Ndara with the other orphans
Dabassa and Kivuko
July 29th
Another rescue. A six month old calf was reported today having been found on Taita Ranch. This is one of the community ranches, which is struggling to fight the poaching in the area. Our rescue team was quickly deployed to the area and found the young calf. After a short while the calf arrived at the Voi stockades and was placed in a stable next to Panda for comfort, where she soon fed on milk. After a couple of hours the plane arrived from Nairobi and the baby was relocated to the Nursery.
New elephant orphan is rescued
Joseph Sauni writing the rescue report
July 30th
Lesanju and Lempaute led the orphans out for the day and soon met Ndara who was out browsing alone. All the orphans rushed to her to say jambo. Ndara was on good form and is doing well, walking around the park without difficulty. Her wounds have healed nicely and she is hopefully waiting for Emily’s group to come so that she can join them. Ndara then decided to leave the babies and arrived at the stockade where she knew she could get something to eat and drink.
Lesanju in the bush
Orphans on Msinga Hill
July 31th
Dabassa and Layoni were up to tricks this morning as they hung around the mixing area waiting for extra milk. They tried to confuse the Keepers that they hadn’t had any milk yet this morning and when that didn’t work they started a mock fight to get attention. Seeing their plans weren’t working they decided to take their frustration off on the baboons by charging them around the stockades.
Beautiful sunrise
Rombo in the bush