Kwale
Daily updates
July 1st
Kwale's condition continues to improve although he is not yet feeling 100% He is slow to take his milk and although he feeds on greens he does not eat as much as he used to. He continues to receive medication and we are doing all that we can and hope that he will pull through.
Orpahns dustbathing
July 2nd
While around their stockades this morning Orwa decided to enjoy a dustbath which drew the attention of Ngasha and Barsilinga who climbed on him while he lay down. Their fun and games came to a halt when Teleki joined in prompting Orwa to get up and engage him in a pushing game.
Orwa browsing
Ngasha at the dustbath
Teleki playing
July 3rd
It has now been a week since Solio last returned to the stockades. This shows that she has established her own territory in the park and is being accepted by the wild rhino community which shows her successful reintegration back into the park to live a wild life.
Solio on a visit to the stockade
Heading out after the mudbath
July 4th
The weather was warm today and as such the orphans thoroughly enjoyed a lengthy wallow at the mudbath during the public visiting hour. Kithaka, Lemoyian and Barsilinga submerged themselves in the water and put on a spectacular show for the visitors. Kithaka then enjoyed running along the cordon by the school children who thoroughly enjoyed his antics.
Kithaka and Barsilinga
Lemoyian playing with the spade at visiting
July 5th
This morning Balguda enjoyed playing pushing games with Faraja before running around the stockade compound, charging in and out of the bushes. It is lovely to see him having so much fun and we hope that Kwale will soon be feeling well enough to be doing the same.
Balguda
Faraja playing
July 6th
Solio walked into the stockade compound today at 3pm. We were all very happy to see her and see that she is healthy and in good condition. She greeted Maxwell and the two locked horns through the stockade bars playing for a while before Solio went to her stockade to enjoy some Lucerne before heading out again.
Solio near Maxwell's stockade
Maxwell resting
July 7th
It was a very cold morning which meant that Ajabu had two blankets on to keep her warm. As the cold weather prevailed none of the orphans partook of the mudbath enjoying a dustbath instead. Orwa and Teleki engaged in strength testing games as they each tried to remain at the top of the dustbath before Murera intervened separating the two.
Sweet Ajabu snuggles up to a keeper
Orwa feeding on cut browse
Teleki in the lead
July 8th
All the orphans, except for Kwale who is still not feeling well, enjoyed the 11am mudbath. The young males, Lemoyian, Barsilinga, Kithaka and Tundani enjoyed rolling around and climbing over one another entertaining the visiting public. The visit was enlightening for the school children who had never before seen an elephant and who thought that all wild animals are dangerous.
Tundani playing
Barsilinga with the football
School children watching Naipoki
July 9th
Little Ajabu was in a jovial mood this morning charging around after a wheelbarrow being pushed by one of the keepers. Sonje spotted Ajabu’s antics and watched her for a while before escorting her back to the rest of the group where Ajabu stood suckling on Sonje’s ear before returning to her keepers.
Ajabu in a playful mood
Ajabu and Sonje
July 10th
The orphans were in a playful mood as they left the stockade compound this morning. Once out in the field they ran around bush bashing and bumping into one another. Kihari, Sonje, Orwa, Ishaq-B, Murera, Teleki, Naipoki and Narok continuing long after the others had stopped to browse. Kwale’s who continues to recover is kept company by Laragai and Tundani who love his gentle nature.
Kihari
Ishaq-B on the left Narok on the right
Murera
July 11th
This morning we received news of an orphan in need of rescue. The young elephant had been found by the desnaring team operating in the Mtito Andei area. It was seen wandering along the Galana river with no other elephants in sight. The calf, a young bull of about 18 months was airlifted to the Nairobi Nursery and placed in the stockade next to Laragai who greeting and comforted the new comer who has been named Garzi.
Laragai holding the milk bottle
Orphans out in the bush
July 12th
Lima Lima, Kihari, Naipoki, Ishaq-Bi and Laragai all rushed to Garzi’s stockade to greet him before heading out for the day. Little Ajabu also passed by his stockade before joining the others out in the bush. Garzi spent the day in his stockade, feeding on milk and greens while getting to know the keepers. He was happy to see Laragai in the evening who was quick to come and see him and the two intertwined trunks through the gaps in the door between their stockades.
Lima Lima browsing
Naipoki with Peter
July 13th
Garzi is slowly calming down and beginning to trust the keepers and now approaches them and suckles their fingers. The other orphans take their milk feeds in front of his stockade comforting and reassuring him that he is in safe hands.
Garzi in the stockade
About to give Garzi milk
July 14th
Garzi is becoming more settled and comfortable in the presence of the keepers and is feeding well on milk and greens. Kihari, Naipoki and Ishaq-B are always the first to greet Garzi in the morning before heading out to the park.
Edwin with Garzi and Ngasha
Garzi enjoying greens
July 15th
This morning Garzi was joined in his stockade by Kihari, Naipoki, Ishaq-B and Laragai who led him out to join the rest of the Nursery group in the park where he was quickly surrounded by the rest of the group who wanted to greet and welcome him. Lemoyian, Faraja, Kithaka and Barsilinga tried to bully him but were prevented from doing so by the keepers. Garzi spent the day in the company of Tundani, Laragai and Kwale and was happy to greet the visitors at the public viewing.
Garzi out with the others
Kithaka browsing
Tundani and Garzi
July 16th
Little Ajabu has been a little dull during the past couple of days due to an abscess that she has near her neck which ruptured today and was quickly cleaned and treated by the keepers. Sonje is especially fond of Ajabu and when out in the bush is often found by her side or lying down and allowing Ajabu to climb on her.
Ajabu resting
Sonje with Ajabu
July 17th
Today was Garzi’s third day out with the orphans and he has settled in well with Tundani and Kwale being his closest friends although Orwa, Teleki and the other boys try to bully him as he is a newcomer to the group and they think they can take advantage of that.
Garzi browsing
Orwa browsing
Kwale feeding
July 18th
A bushbuck sprung into the middle of the orphan group as they were browsing this afternoon sending them charging and trumpeting into the bushes. It was a while before the keepers were able to get them back together and calm them down.
Kwale charging
Barsilinga running to catch up
July 19th
During the private visit at 3pm Kithaka was very naughty and bashed Lemoyian, who was busy drinking water from the barrel, knocking him into the barrel head first. Kithaka was quick to run away as the keepers helped Lemoyian who retaliated by charging at Garzi, blaming him for what happened as he was closest to him when the incident occurred.
Kithaka rubbing his eye
Lemoyian at visiting
July 20th
A rescue call came in this afternoon at 3pm and a team was quickly dispatched to Tsavo to get the orphaned calf who had been spotted in the morning on its own near Mazinga hill. The tour operator alerted the Voi keepers who rescued it and transported it to the airstrip to be flown to Nairobi. The calf had an arrow wound on the left hind leg, leading us to believe that it is a poaching victim. The calf named Karibu was extremely weak and emaciated and had to be put on a drip as it collapsed upon rescue.
Arruba playing with the water trough
Bomani sucking a keepers fiingers
Karibu feeding on greens
July 21th
In the morning Kihari, Naipoki, Ishaq-B, Laragai and Lima Lima rushed to the new orphans stockade to greet the new arrival who having spent the night on a drip to help her recover was still resting. Later in the day Karibu collapsed again and placed on a drip after which she rallied, got back on her feet, and drank a little bit of milk.
Kihari
Lima Lima feeding
Naipoki checking for more milk
July 22th
After spending a second night on a drip Karibu sadly died this morning which was a blow to the keepers who had worked so hard to try and get her to survive. There was however little time to grieve as another orphan was in need of rescue. The new calf had been found at Taita ranch the previous day and upon rescue had spent the night at the Voi stockades. The calf was found to have serious injuries as both the front and back legs on its left side were severely swollen. The calf, which was named Duruma, took milk before being x-rayed in order to ascertain the cause of the swelling.
Barsilinga with Ajabu
Faraja and Naipoki
Karibu relaxed in the stockade
July 23th
The Keepers devoted time and care to Duruma today whilst they awaited Dr Sanjay, the Nairobi veterinarian, to come and assess her condition and take further x-rays of her right front and back leg. It was clear to everyone that she was in a lot of pain, unable to stand properly, despite enjoying her bottle feeds and greens with the company of Barsalinga next door. After a while in the stockade with Duruma, the veterinarian had fully analysed the young calf’s injuries and with the use of the x-ray machine concluded that Duruma had a severely broken back leg with extensive swelling to the front leg. The findings left everyone depressed as such a condition for a young calf, or even any wild animal is known to be generally untreatable.
Getting ready for the xray
Xraying Duruma
July 24th
The previous evening and all morning everyone at the DSWT has been making every effort to find a solution to Duruma’s terribly injuries. Advice was sought from several different veterinarians concerning whether there was anything more that could be done for the calf. Despite being in terrible pain, Duruma was still feeding well but she was in agony when trying to stand, it was heart-breaking for the Keepers to watch as they were unable to make her feel better. By noon the distressing decision was made by everyone that Duruma should be put to rest, as the pain she was experiencing and any hope for a recovery leaving her anything but disabled was out of reach. Dr Sanjay returned at 3pm to stop Duruma’s suffering and surrounded by her loving human keepers, this innocent baby elephant left the world.
Sweet little Ajabu
Teleki in the bushes
July 25th
Garzi who is now completely settled in the Nursery Unit has become very greedy gulping his milk down and looking for more. The keepers have to keep a close eye on him as he often tries to sneak back to the stockades and the mudbath in search of milk. Kwale has shown a marked improvement in his health and is now taking all his milk and eating more greens.
Garzi
Kwale reaching for browse
July 26th
Jasiri, Faraja, Barsilinga and Tundani have been moved into different stables and stockades which they are not happy about. Tundani and Barsilinga have to be pushed into their new quarters by the keepers as they refuse to enter them and try to go into their old stockades. This evening Solio came to the stockades following a long absence and the keepers were all happy to see her. She played horn locking games and enjoyed some Lucerne before returning to the park.
Jasiri loosening dirt
Tundani sucking a keepers finger
Solio visiting
July 27th
Ajabu is teething and has two molars that coming through on her upper jaw. She is doing well and is pushing through the usual teething problems. Arruba has become very interested in the boys strength testing games and enjoys engaging Ngasha, Barsilinga, Kithaka, Tundani and Lemoyian in pushing bouts.
Ajabu with Mishack
Arruba and Lemoyian
Kithaka
July 28th
It was very cold and drizzling as the orphans left their stockades this morning to spend the day in the bush. Due to the weather none of the orphans were in a playful mood and spent the day feeding.
Waiting for the orphans to come for their milk
Ishaq-B reaching for browse
Kwale munching on a branch
July 29th
Murera started to return to the stockades early this afternoon arriving back at the compound at 4pm accompanied by Sonje. As the two were very early they waited for their milk until 5pm when the rest of the group returned for the night.
Murera browsing at mudbath
Sonje reaching for grass
July 30th
The orphans were in a jovial mood this morning as they headed out to browse. They enjoyed rolling around and climbing over one another. Kithaka and Lemoyian were busy playing pushing and strength testing games while Barsilinga tried to separate them.
Lemoyian left and Barsilinga pushing games
Ngasha with Faraja climbing on him
July 31th
This afternoon there was a rescue of an orphan from Voi that had been found at Taita Hills ranch. The calf, a young bull, was about a year and a half old, and although was rather wild and pushy was willing to take milk from the keepers. The new addition to the orphan unit has been called Vuria.
Keepers in the bush
Naipoki with Amos
Narok sucking his trunk