To no one’s surprise, the month began with Kapei drama. After finishing his milk bottle, the greedy bull demanded another. The Keepers ignored his request, but Kapei refused to leave the feeding area and loitered with his trunk aloft and his mouth wide open.
Today, when the elephants came out from their night stockades, Mwana looked very calm and not very playful. Her mother, Murera, didn't seem very bothered, but the Keepers were surprised and wondered what could be wrong.
They soon realised that Mwana was fine — she was just sulking because her mother wouldn’t allow her to breastfeed. Mwana is now a big girl and eats lots of greens, but she wants to nurse all the time. After a night of breastfeeding, Murera needed a break. She pushed Mwana away and told her to go elsewhere. Amali moved to investigate why the little girl was in such a bad mood, but left her alone when she went over to Lima Lima and Zongoloni. Lima Lima and Zongoloni are pregnant and producing milk, which Mwana helps herself to.
In the afternoon, when the orphans changed their browsing direction to the Kenzili area, some wild herds joined them. These herds included small babies and some bigger boys who played around with Kiombo and Maktao. When Maktao found the wild friends too strong for him and couldn't push them back, he left to look for Kiombo, whom he usually plays with.
However, he couldn’t find Kiombo anywhere because Kiombo had been taken away by Mwashoti, who remains a good trainer for young boys. Mwashoti was with Kiombo on the slopes of Kenzili Hills along with a bull they had just met under the shades. Kiasa and Quanza then moved to where Mwashoti and the wild bull were, following them to browse together.
Kapei had a disagreement with some of his friends when they arrived for the midday milk feed. After finishing his bottle, he demanded another, but a Keeper warned him against it. Despite this, Kapei refused to leave and raised his mouth wide open, begging for more.
Kapei found himself in trouble when Maktao saw him pushing Amali aside to take her bottle. Maktao had to discipline Kapei for being troublesome, chasing him far away as he screamed loudly for help. None of the girls listened to him because they knew Kapei was in the wrong. While some orphans were happy about Maktao disciplining Kapei, others like Sonje were not pleased. Sonje felt sorry for Kapei and went to talk to him, understanding that although he was demanding more milk which he didn't deserve, he deserved comfort.
After the midday bottle feeding incident, the orphans took a break in the bushes to find some shade as the sun became too hot. Their Keepers also went for their lunch break under their usual picnic tree. The orphans know that after the midday feeding, the Keepers rest under the shades. Meanwhile, monkeys and bushbucks made lots of noise. Amali got out to investigate and found monkeys crossing the area. She then ran back to where she left the big herd waiting for the Keepers. All the elephants later moved to see what was happening and subsequently changed locations.
Today at the stockade, many wild elephants came in large numbers, accompanied by Lima Lima and her team of nightclubbers. Mwashoti and Alamaya were the only ones missing. Zongoloni and Lima Lima successfully brought the wild guests to visit their home, spending some time together as comrades. Mutrera, sensing potential danger, left in a hurry with her baby Mwana after some of the wild herd moved towards her. She followed the Keepers for safety.
The wild herd sensed the presence of the Keepers close to the orphans. One bull raised his trunk to locate the smell of the humans. Murera and her baby blew trumpets in alarm while the Keepers moved away. It was fortunate they did, as the bull became unfriendly. Alamaya and Mwashoti stepped in to help: Mwashoti stopped the bull while Alamaya tried to distract him, confusing the wild bull and allowing the orphans to cross over to where Murera was with her baby. The young boys successfully played their tricks, saving the orphans from being bothered by the wild herd.
After the morning incident, the orphans calmed down and peacefully rested under the shrubs. Enkesha and Kiasa persuaded Amali and others to follow them to the waterhole for swimming. Before swimming, Enkesha tested the water and found it cold, informing Amali. However, Amali didn't listen and jumped into the mud bath, followed by Mwana. Enkesha was left alone while the rest enjoyed the mud bath. Amali blew trumpets loudly, encouraging Kiombo to join in, who was waiting onshore. Mkatao also followed, and soon the waterhole became a delightful scene with all the babies taking a shower and enjoying themselves.
Mwashoti and Alamaya were the first among the nightclubbers to report home early this morning. The head girls reported very late after the orphans had already gone away with the two old boys. This angered little Mwana, who had eagerly been waiting to see Lima Lima and Zongoloni so she could nurse from them. When she saw the boys running in, she hoped to see Lima Lima, but she was very disappointed when she didn't show up.
Amali and Enkesha decided to walk Mwana to her mother, but Murera ignored her because she found Mwana's constant pulling at her breast for more milk annoying. Mwana, now older, doesn’t get as much milk from Murera but cannot be convinced to stop trying.
The day was very cold, which made the orphans hesitate to go into the waterhole to swim. None of the elephants tried to splash water on themselves due to the cold weather. They only went to drink and then moved away to the dust pile for dusting before heading out into the bushes. Sonje stayed behind, playing on the dust pile. When Murera realised her friend wasn't walking with them, she rumbled a call, prompting Sonje to follow them.
The elephants had a hard time when they encountered a tsetse fly trapping cloth swinging over a tree like a flag. When Quanza and Mwashoti noticed the cloth moving in the wind, they couldn't believe what they were seeing. They moved backward with great speed, which caused the other orphans, who were relaxing in the shade, to get up and escape. Amali and Kapei ran far away, trumpeting noisily as they charged toward the Kenzili area.
Kiombo and his friend-rival, Maktao, began their usual playfighting immediately after they came out of the stockades. Before evening, everyone walked to the gate. Once outside, they didn't realise that Alamaya had been watching them for a long time. Alamaya approached and pleaded with them to stop their rough play, especially since Maktao was almost poking Kiombo's eyes with his long tusks. Alamaya wanted them to separate and stop fighting.
However, Maktao didn't listen. He dodged and took a corner where Alamaya couldn't see him, which made Alamaya angry. Mwashoti then joined them, picked up Kiombo, and left Alamaya to deal with Maktao. This intervention by the two big brothers worked, and both stopped fighting. Maktao ran away into the thicket to hide from the big brothers who were chasing them. Alamaya stopped following them and headed towards the Umani Springs area, where Sonje and the herd had gone.
Later, Alamaya found Kapei lagging behind and jumped onto his back. Young Kapei screamed for help from the older elephants. Most of the older girls went to help Kapei. They surrounded the young bull, pushing Alamaya out and warning him not to go near Kapei again.
Our half-wild orphans, Ziwa, Faraja, and Jasiri, who had been away for a long time, decided to visit their orphan friends at the stockades today. Jasiri arrived first, and it was a big surprise to the Keepers to see him. He looked huge — almost unrecognisable — but when the Keepers called his name, Jasiri confirmed his identity by responding warmly.
Shortly after, Ziwa arrived, followed by his friends. They waited for Ziwa before heading back to the Chyulu Hills. Kapei attempted to follow Ziwa, but the wild young boys in the group pushed him away. They only permitted Ziwa to be with them. After Ziwa left, Jasiri and Alamaya joined the orphans.
Meanwhile, Maktao and Kiombo followed Jasiri, who had gone to find Ziwa and his wild herd. As a result, they missed their midday bottle feeding — Jasiri, having given up bottle feeding years ago, did not plan to bring them back for it. Instead, Jasiri took the young boys to the swimming pool.
Early this morning along Umani Hills, the Keepers heard some big rumbling elephants. Sonje raised her trunk to get the scent of where the rumbling was coming from. A few minutes later, two huge bulls emerged. Sonje went to meet them with Zongoloni. Meanwhile, the other nannies took the babies to the hills. The girls walked their wild bull friends to the hills, where the orphans were already browsing.
Zongoloni and Sonje arrived with their friends at the top of the hills, which did not sit well with Murera. The Keepers saw Murera trying to escape, with the little nannies and Mwana following her to the side. Murera did not want to associate with the wild bulls and preferred to leave them with Sonje and Zongoloni.
After realising Murera had taken the little babies away, Sonje, Zongoloni, and Lima Lima followed her. Only Kiombo, Kapei, and Maktao stayed behind with the wild bulls. Lima Lima soon went back to collect them, as she wanted to ensure the little ones, especially Kapei, got their milk bottles.
When it was time for the midday bottle feeding, the Keepers led the way, with Mwana eagerly following behind them. Upon arriving at the bottles, Mwana first went to the swimming pool to drink, then entered the waterhole. She waited for more orphans to join her, and soon Enkesha and Kiasa joined in. They didn't swim for long before Mwana moved to the dust pile.
Amali then blew her trunk, signalling the start of chasing some buffaloes away from the dust pile. The buffaloes were not ready to leave and ran around in circles until Amali and her friends got tired and sought shade under the trees. The orphans rested while waiting for the Keepers to finish their lunches. Later, they all moved to the Kibwezi Forest for more browsing time throughout the day.
Today, buffaloes invaded the waterhole. Mwashoti led the herd in trying to confront the buffaloes, but they were outnumbered. Kiasa realised a victory was not possible and returned to the orphans. The Keepers called everyone back, and Amali came running hard towards their call. Moving swiftly, Murera and the other babies leave the buffalo-infested area. The older females provided strong protection for the younger orphans, especially Mwana, who was surrounded as the little Umani princess.
After the babies settled down, Lima Lima moved the herd out from their refuge under the bushes, where they had taken shelter from the buffalo invasion. When Lima Lima and Quanza felt it was safe, they led the babies to the Chyulu Hills for more browsing along the Kibwezi Forest. One tortoise found itself in a rough situation when Kiombo, hurrying to catch up with Lima Lima and Zongoloni, accidentally stepped on it. The tortoise was kicked and left upside down due to Kiombo's weight. Miraculously, he did not crush its shell, and the tortoise was unharmed. The Keepers removed it from the path to prevent it from being stepped on again by other elephants.
When it was time for the orphans to start their journey back to the stockade, the Keepers called them earlier than usual because of Murera's slow walking pace. Amali took the lead to guide the herd back home, with Enkesha joining her at the front.
In the early morning, as the sun was just rising and the bushes were still dark, the Keepers could not see well as the orphans were having their morning pellets. Mwana began to complain loudly, prompting Kiasa to rush over to see why she was making such a big fuss. She was next to Lima Lima, and the Keepers also wondered why Mwana was screaming so much. As the Keepers gathered to identify what was happening, they realised Mwana was trying to alert them to a potential danger. A wild bull was approaching, and she was signalling for everyone to be alert and move away for safety before the bull found them unaware.
The big bull entered the herd, unaware of the humans around. He began pushing Quanza, causing Murera and the other babies to run away. When the bull caught the scent of humans, he took off towards the springs and left the herd. The Keepers later concluded that the bull did not have any bad intentions; he was just crossing over to join Alamaya, his friend.
Sonje and Lima Lima moved to where Amali was with the other nannies, planning to take the orphans to a different browsing area near the Kenzili Hills. However, two fighting male antelopes crossed between the bushes, causing Kiombo and his rival-friend Mkatao to return to the safety of their Keepers. The disruption by the antelopes changed their plan to move to the hills.
Amali felt ready to play with Kapei, engaging in the playfighting that Kapei had adopted from Kiombo and Maktao. However, when Kapei tried to playfight with Amali, she ran to Enkesha and Kiasa, knowing that Kapei was too strong. She also knew that Kapei would not follow her to the nannies' side, as he would likely be pushed away by them.
It was amazing to see a wild bull elephant patrolling with the orphans. Wherever they walked, he was with them, closely shadowing Murera, who was keenly watching him to ensure he didn't come into contact with her or her baby. Murera, aware of her own vulnerabilities, always keeps a safe distance from wild visitors. She left Sonje and the team of nightclubbers to handle the bull. Quanza tried to join them but found herself in a precarious situation when the wild bull confronted her. Worried, she began screaming and running away, trying to find Murera and the other nannies.
Enkesha approached Kapei, but he underestimated her because she was a girl. When he tried to push her, thinking it would be easy, Enkesha quickly stopped him, causing Kapei to retreat to where Mwashoti, Alamaya, and Kiombo were browsing. Enkesha returned to her female friends to play with the baby on the anthills. Amali and Kiasa were having a lot of fun rolling around, which attracted Mwana to join them.
Later at the waterhole, all the babies joined the mud bath. Murera kept a watchful eye on them, waiting for an opportunity to enter. When she spotted a little space, she walked into the waterhole and gently pushed Kiombo aside to make room for herself. Kiombo didn't question her authority and quickly vacated the space for the matriarch, as her decisions were not to be challenged.
The orphans woke up early this morning, full of energy and ready for a new day. It was nice to see Enkesha, Amali, and Kiasa moving backward to relieve Murera of her baby, knowing she must be tired from a night of nursing. Amali quickly took Mwana, but everyone wanted to be with her. In the end, Kiasa and Enkesha took over due to their age and the respect they command over Amali. When they encountered Lima Lima and the older nannies, Lima Lima took Mwana into the bushes for nursing, leaving Kiasa and Enkesha behind. They eventually followed her to the hills.
As the Keepers investigated some unusual noises from the bushes, they discovered a bushbuck chasing his female friend. Further away, a mix of wild elephants and buffaloes were together, although the buffaloes were wary and kept a close eye on the elephants due to their larger numbers.
As the orphans made their way back to the stockades from the Chyulu Hills, Alamaya and Mwashoti unexpectedly appeared from the bushes, having been absent all morning. Maktao and Kiombo, who both adore the peaceful Mwashoti, followed their older friend. Mwashoti often acts as a peacemaker, separating them when they play-fight, almost like a boxing trainer.
Sonje took over leadership, guiding the herd back, but Amali later assumed the role, leading them home. Kiombo and Maktao, however, were led astray by Alamaya and Mwashoti and failed to return on time. They arrived at the gate several hours after bedtime, but the Keepers allowed them in. Later than usual, everyone was safe and accounted for.
A tug of war emerged between Kapei and his older brothers, Maktao and Kiombo. The three were having an argument over a stick Kiombo was using to scratch his chest. Kapei wanted the stick and tried to take it from Kiombo, who retaliated by hitting Kapei hard with his tusks, causing Kapei to scream. Maktao then joined in to help Kapei, making Kapei feel supported and bold enough to challenge Kiombo. With two against one, Kiombo struggled to fend them off. Kapei pushed hard, and eventually, it was Kiombo who ran away. When Kapei followed him into the bushes, he found himself alone as Maktao had walked away. Realising he was without backup, Kapei ran back to the herd for safety. With help, he could defeat Kiombo, but alone, it would be an easy victory for the older bull.
Sonje and the other older girls didn't join the group in the morning, leaving the leadership to Enkesha, Kiasa, and the overall matriarch, Murera. As the orphans walked and browsed their way towards the Chyulu Hills, they encountered Alamaya and Mwashoti. Later, a wild herd approached from behind the bushes. Mwashoti spotted the wild friends first and moved to give one of the larger bulls a hug. Despite the bull's imposing presence, Mwashoti approached him slowly and confidently. The wild bull relaxed and allowed Mwashoti to embrace him. They then engaged in some playful fighting until Alamaya stepped in as a referee, stopping the playfighting before it escalated.
A herd of wild elephants joined the orphans along the Chyulu Hills. Quanza and Sonje were the first to encounter the wild elephants inside the thick bushes. Later, the Keepers saw Alamaya and his wild friends joining the babies from the tail end of the herd. They realised that Alamaya was introducing his friends to the orphan herd.
Amali stayed close to her baby sister, Mwana. When Quanza tried to separate them, Amali managed to evade her and stayed with Mwana. Enkesha soon joined them, followed by Kiasa. Alamaya, sensing that Sonje was waiting for him somewhere and mindful of not bringing the wild friends too close to Murera and the babies, joined the group under an old acacia tree.
Some of the boys were peeling its bark. A conflict broke out between Kiombo and Mwashoti when Kiombo noticed that Mwashoti was taking most of the bark for himself. Kiombo wouldn't allow this greediness and wanted everyone to have a share of the acacia bark.
In the afternoon, the orphans approached the waterhole. Unlike their usual routine, they found the water too cold for swimming and initially retreated to the dust pile. However, after it got a bit warmer, they eventually all entered the swimming pool and had fun. At the dust bath, Amali climbed to the top of the dust hill, competing with Kapei for space. Kapei attempted to take the entire space and push Amali away. Sonje rushed over and separated the fighting babies.
Faraja and Ziwa appeared together today, accompanied by the herd of wild friends who have adopted Ziwa. It was surprising for the Keepers to see Faraja among them, and they wondered what he was doing with the wild herd. The Keepers wondered whether Ziwa had welcomed Faraja to also be adopted by the wild herd or whether Faraja had simply gone to visit Ziwa and would return to his own group of ex-orphans, the nightclubbers, later. However, Faraja seemed to enjoy the company of the wild herd and did not return to his friends. Ziwa and Faraja stayed together all day, even as they walked to the waterhole.
Faraja travelled a long distance with the herd. When the matriarch of the group led everyone to the caves of the Chyulu Hills, Faraja stopped — to the Keepers, it seemed that he was afraid of continuing into the caves. Eventually, he returned and walked back alone, leaving Ziwa to keep up with his wild friends.
Meanwhile, Amali and Kapei moved to the open field and began play-fighting. Amali did not want to allow Kapei to mount her. When Kapei tried, Amali rumbled loudly, attracting the attention of the older friends. Kiasa was the first to arrive and chased Kapei away to protect Amali. Amali then walked to Sonje to report what Kapei had done. The Keepers observed Sonje wrapping her trunk around Amali's belly, which calmed her down. Amali did not want to return to Kapei, who had not been playing nicely with her.
One wild bull known to the Keepers as Pembe Moja, meaning ‘One Tusk,’ is infamous for his unfriendly behaviour towards humans. His presence always puts the Keepers on high alert. Today, after the orphans received their midday bottles at the water hole, Kiasa raised her trunk to signal his presence. Shortly after, Lima Lima and Zongoloni approached the keepers to warn them about Pembe Moja.
Murera, having sensed the danger early on, distanced herself and the orphans from the bull. Only Enkesha, Maktao, and other little nannies followed Murera. Murera cleverly maintained a safe distance, ensuring her baby, Amali, and the rest of the group stayed out of harm's way.
The Keepers, heeding Lima Lima and Zongoloni's warning, left the area and followed Murera and Mwana to the hills. Pembe Moja, on his own mission, showed no interest in the orphans except for Lima Lima and Zongoloni, who interacted with him to distract him and allow the Keepers and Murera to leave safely. Later, Lima Lima left Pembe Moja with Zongoloni and Kiombo, who seemed eager to learn from the wild bull.
Amali was playful with Kapei, but the interaction turned rough when Kapei pushed her too hard, causing her to roll into a dust pile. Amali dodged Kapei by escaping into the shrubs, blowing her trunk to trumpet her distress. Enkesha heard her call for help and came to her little sister’s aid.
Later, Kiasa gathered Mwana from Murera and brought her to the other girls. The little nannies, gathering as if in a meeting, listened intently to Kiasa. Perhaps they were making a babysitting plan for the day
As the orphans prepared to return to the stockades, a large wild herd arrived and took over the water hole, blocking their path. Kiombo and Mwashoti attempted to join the herd, but a baby started screaming at the interlopers. Poor Mwashoti was roundly disciplined by the herd, who thought he was responsible for the baby’s distress. He eventually rejoined his orphan friends, who were waiting to head back to the stockades for the evening.
Faraja and Ziwa returned today after a long absence. The Keepers were delighted to see them. They arrived around midday, accompanied by a group of wild elephants their age.
Ziwa seemed wary of the Keepers. When they called out to him, he approached but maintained a cautious distance. Eventually, he rejoined the wild group, leaving Faraja behind with Lima Lima, Zongoloni, and Sonje. The Keepers called Faraja to confirm his identity, and he responded calmly. Though Faraja had some cuts on his ears, which he didn't have before, and Ziwa had noticeably worn ears, their behaviour reassured the Keepers that these were indeed the elephants they knew.
As Faraja stayed with Lima Lima, Zongoloni, and Sonje, Kiombo joined them. He saw that Faraja had pulled down lots of tasty branches and wanted to have them for himself. Lima Lima, noticing Kiombo's tactics, stopped him from stealing the food. Faraja was too busy greeting Sonje to notice.
Later, Murera guided Quanza and the other nannies on where to take the babies next, as it was getting closer to home time and the afternoon was heating up. When the orphans reached a waterhole on their way back to the stockades, they all went straight in to cool off. Amali and Enkesha led the herd home, allowing Murera to walk at her own pace, unhurried, as the nannies took charge of the baby. Mwana was given the security she deserved as they made their way back home.
A junior wild bull joined the babies immediately after their midday bottle feeding time. The Keepers noticed Kiasa and Enkesha trying to sniff out the wild bull's scent as he approached the herd. The orphans were initially fearful of him. Kiombo and Kapei tentatively followed him, giving him space to see what his intentions were. Alamaya observed that Kiombo was very nervous, so he moved to support Kiombo and Kapei. Alamaya knew the wild bull as his great friend, which was why the bull visited the orphans. The girls were shy about approaching him.
Murera stayed away at the waterhole, waiting for Amali and Kiasa to bring the baby to her so she could keep her distance from the bull. The Keepers also kept their distance from the wild bull. Lima Lima and Zongoloni did not want to associate with the bull either, which was a clear sign for the Keepers to stay away. The Keepers respect Limalima's advice and warnings, which have always been accurate. Lima Lima remains loyal and responsible, even now that she is in a maternity mood. She is always vigilant and protective, ensuring the safety of the orphans and Keepers.
At the dust pile, where the elephants were playing, Amali did not play as much as usual. When she saw Kiasa and Murera beginning to walk away, she followed and led them into the bushes, ready for the afternoon browsing time.
Great friends Kiombo and Maktao, as usual, opened the day with their hard pushing games. Kiombo felt very ready for it and began jogging towards Maktao. Meanwhile, the peacemaker Mwashoti was watching them, in case things got out of control. Maktao tried his own tactics to defeat Kiombo by looking for a hilly side, hoping to get Kiombo on the lower ground for an easy win. However, before Maktao could succeed, Mwashoti arrived and pulled his tail from behind. Maktao was surprised and abruptly stopped pushing his friend. Mwashoti's plan worked perfectly and the game stopped before it escalated into rough behaviour.
Trumpeting elephants were heard from the bushes towards the side where Kiombo had run. The Keepers soon realised it was a wild bull coming to join the herd with Alamaya behind him. Upon arrival, Quanza acted as the orphans' herd receptionist, moving to receive Alamaya first with hugs. However, when the guest bull tried to put his trunk on Quanza, she moved aside. Only Lima Lima and Sonje welcomed the guest bull into the herd.
Kiombo later joined the wild bull and tried to play with him. He was completely outsized, but the bull was a kind playmate.
Meanwhile, Enkesha and Amali found a good hiding place where they went to play. Mwana silently followed them and then surprised the girls by jumping on top of them, showing how much she missed them. Later, Kiasa tried to join them, but Lima Lima — who was on standby to provide support if Mwana needed help — denied her entry to the group.
Today’s chilly weather made it impossible for the orphans to wallow in the waterhole. After seeing how Murera and Sonje avoided the water, the other babies followed suit. Lima Lima and Zongoloni directed the babies to the Kenze area, where they knew they would have more food than the Umani Hills.
Alamaya later joined the group, accompanied by a very different, much larger wild bull. The Keepers have noticed that Alamaya is an adventurer. He likes making new, older friends who help him learn the ways of the wild.
Alamaya and his wild friends pulled down a big acacia branch, which they proceeded to feast upon. The place became crowded, and the orphans found themselves without any room to join the feast. But then, matriarch Sonje stepped in. She pushed the bigger elephants away, so Amali, Kapei, and Mwana could have space to enjoy the food.
But the drama over the branch continued. Alamaya and Mwashoti were upset to be denied the sweet branch and pushed Kiombo and Maktao out of the way. They also kicked out Quanza, who promptly reported their actions to Murera. Murera slowly walked over to investigate. Finding the reports true, she showed her leadership by banishing Alamaya and Mwashoti, forcing them to retreat to the bushes. Everyone else could then enjoy the branches in peace.
A friendly wild bull elephant visited the orphans today and spent a long time browsing near Kiombo and Maktao, along with his host friends, Alamaya and Mwashoti. The Keepers and the other orphans initially thought the bull was a regular visitor who would behave peacefully. However, this seemingly friendly bull had other plans.
Throughout the day, he remained calm and friendly. It wasn't until the evening, when the orphans were winding down to head back to the stockades, that the Keepers realised his true intentions. As Enkesha and Quanza led the herd towards Umani Springs, they noticed that Kiombo, Maktao, Alamaya, and Mwashoti were missing. It turned out that the wild bull had lured Kiombo and Maktao away on an adventure, taking them with him as he left.
The Keepers weren’t worried about Kiombo and Maktao’s unexpected adventure; the boys are old enough to spend some nights away from the stockades, provided they have company, and older friends like this bull will help teach them about life beyond the orphan herd.
Meanwhile, Murera received an extra bottle of milk since Kiombo wasn't there to take his share. The Keepers decided to give Murera the additional milk, because she is eating for two — Mwana is still nursing as often as her mother permits her to!
Kiombo and Maktao, who went on an adventure with wild friends, found their way to the nightclubbers during the night. They waited until morning for Lima Lima and friends to walk them back home. The boys waited at the gate, eager to get into their stockades for their bottles. Kiombo became restless, moving back and forth when he saw Murera being given her bottle. Maktao remained calm and patient, knowing his bottle would come.
When the Keepers finally called them into the compound, both boys came running, afraid the gate might close before they arrived. After having their bottles, Kiombo stayed put, looking for more, as if wondering what happened to the bottles he missed the previous evening. The Keepers told them that they had missed their opportunity for last night’s dinner and instructed them to join the rest of the herd in the forest.
The orphans, with full bellies, moved to the bushes. Sonje stayed back with Kiombo while Maktao was taken away by Mwashoti, the peacekeeper, to forage in the Chyulu area. Amali and Enkesha started to follow, but were stopped by Quanza and Kiasa’s rumbling behind them. It was a warning that made Amali and Enkesha return to where Quanza and Kiasa were.
Quanza placed her trunk on Amali and led her over to Kiasa, who was pulling down branches to enjoy. Kiasa was trying to keep the herd together, as she remembered how Alamaya had led Kiombo and Maktao to be (willingly) kidnapped by the wild bull yesterday. Amali and Quanza, our responsible girls, had duties to perform back at home, helping Murera with baby Mwana.
This morning was extremely chilly, causing the orphans to move slowly. Murera and Sonje, who have leg issues, were walking even slower than usual due to the cold.
By midday, however, it had warmed up significantly. After finishing their bottles, Amali and the other babies eagerly walked to the waterhole. It was a fun time at the swimming pool, with Lima Lima leading Mwana into a splashing party. After the more boisterous orphans left the pool, it was Murera, Kiasa, and Mwana's turn to enjoy the water.
Kiombo and Mwashoti were seen interlocking their trunks and clashing tusks. Alamaya joined their meeting, and the boys had a peaceful pushing match.
In the forest, baboons climbed an acacia tree for pods, while bushbucks waited below for any dropped pods. The elephants thought this was an ingenious tactic, and Enkesha and the little nannies also waited beneath the trees for any pods dropped by the baboons.
Lima Lima, always ingenious, decided to take matters into her own trunk. She reached high and shook the branches, causing a storm of acacia pods to drop down for Enkesha and her friends, causing the baboons to move away. Amali was seen picking pods and sharing them with little Mwana. However, Mwana thought Amali was eating too quickly and pushed her aside to get more pods.
Maktao and Kiombo kept up their adventurous spirit. Today, it was Maktao who decided to wander off with some wild friends just as the orphans were preparing to return to the stockades for the night. When he was noticed missing, the head girls — Sonje, Lima Lima, Zongoloni, and Quanza — worked together to get their little friend back. Fortunately, Maktao arrived back at the stockades just in time to find his bottle still waiting for him. He drank his milk with lots of joy.
Enkesha, Maktao’s neighbour, welcomed him back — but his return came with some drama. Maktao cheekily attempted to steal food from Enkesha’s stable, which made her very upset. A big fight ensued. Maktao, feeling guilty for his actions, eventually stopped and left the branches he had taken. He realised his mistake and felt remorseful for trying to take food from his good neighbour.
At night, Amali and Kapei were restless due to the presence of hyenas walking around and screaming loudly. The noise even alarmed the Keepers. Kapei was particularly worried and let out a big scream, which caused the entire herd to become upset. Murera, Kiasa, and Kiombo joined in the loud screaming, pushing against their gates for good measure. The hyenas eventually walked away, but it took the babies a long time to relax. The Keepers stayed up until the hyenas had completely left the area, only returning to bed late into the night once their babies had calmed down.
Today, Mwana found herself in a difficult situation. She eagerly approached Lima Lima with the hope of breastfeeding, as she usually does, but Lima Lima ignored her. Undeterred, Mwana tried again, only for Lima Lima to move further away. Frustrated, Mwana let out a loud, strong scream, accusing Lima Lima of denying her milk. Despite the loud screaming, her mother Murera remained calm and did nothing, understanding that Mwana's demands were unreasonable. Murera knew it was important for her baby to learn to be more independent and not rely on Lima Lima for additional milk.
Rejected by Lima Lima, Mwana then moved to Zongoloni, who accepted her and allowed her to breastfeed. However, Zongoloni stopped her after a short time, causing Mwana to feel even more frustrated. She returned to her mother, who had moved out to the bushes, followed closely by Kiasa and Amali.
Lima Lima’s actions puzzled the Keepers, as she usually allows Mwana to nurse, but they suggest that Lima Lima was now preparing for her own baby. She understands that it is time for Mwana to rely more on her own mother, Murera, and less on others. Lima Lima is wise, knowing that when she has her own baby, she needs to have enough milk for it. Mwana, being older now, should learn to adjust and not expect milk from Lima Lima.
Mwana was disappointed by the day's events, but she learned valuable lessons about boundaries and independence. The other orphans spoiled their ‘little sister,’ but they also understood that Lima Lima was in the right to instruct Mwana this way.
Faraja arrived with Alamaya as the orphans were already headed out for the new day. No one expected Faraja or Alamaya to appear today, especially since they had only come a few days ago. The Keepers thought they wouldn't report back so soon. They often bring wild friends along, so Sonje tried to sniff around to see if wild elephants were hiding behind the bushes. None were discovered, which relieved everyone.
A little drama unfolded when Kapei unkindly pushed Amali. Quanza, unhappy with Kapei’s behaviour, intervened to help Amali and settled the squabbling toddlers. Quanza acted as a peacemaker.
A hadada ibis flew over a nearby tree, making a lot of noise and startling some of the babies. Mwana, not understanding the noise, ran to her mother, Murera, for protection. The other nannies came and shielded the area to ensure Mwana couldn’t run away. Once Mwashoti and Kiombo realised it was only a hadada ibis. They moved over to the tree it was perched on and pushed down a branch to scare the bird away.
Murera then walked out, leading the other babies. She took a little stop to rest, during which time Mwana tried to nurse. Murera wasn’t in the mood after a night of breastfeeding and denied her baby, which caused Mwana to make a loud scream. When Mwana tried again, Murera warned her with her trunk. Mwana then sought comfort from Zongoloni and Sonje, who sympathised with her and allowed her to nurse. They understood that she had been ignored by her mother, who still needed some rest.
The early morning dust bath turned into a battleground, with several territorial fights breaking out amongst the babies. Alamaya was the first to climb the dust pile and start applying dust on his face. He was followed by Kapei and Amali, who like to climb to the top of the hill to rub their bellies with dust. Kiombo then rushed over to where Kapei and Enkesha were resting, and a fight ensued when Kiombo tried to push Enkesha out of the dust hill. Enkesha refused to move, ignoring Kiombo’s attempts to displace her. Kapei joined Enkesha to defend their territory and started back-kicking Kiombo with his hind feet.
Maktao came to assist Kapei, raising his ears as a warning to Kiombo. Realising he was outnumbered, Kiombo ran away to the bushes, leaving Enkesha and Kapei to continue dust bathing on their own. After enjoying a brief but blissful dust bath, Sonje arrived with Zongoloni, and the younger babies rushed off the hill to give the big girls space.
Murera was in a bad mood today, turning away and pushing the other babies who tried to get close to her. Even her best friend Mwashoti was not spared. Only Amali was on good terms with Murera because of her special friendship with Mwana. Sonje chose not to intervene, knowing that when Murera is moody, it is best to leave her alone until she calms down.
Faraja appeared with two wild bull friends at the waterhole just after the orphans had left the mud bath. Kiombo attempted to return and join Faraja and his friends, but one of the wild bulls warned him to stay away. Kiombo heeded the warning and followed Murera and the orphans back to the Kibwezi Forest, where they found shade to cool off from the hot day. Mwana nursed and slept before the next walk began.
This afternoon, the orphans encountered Ziwa and his adopted mothers — wild elephants who have only daughters, but chose to adopt Ziwa as their baby boy. Ziwa greeted the orphans warmly. The Keepers and the orphans inquired about Jasiri, who has not visited for some time. Faraja, Alamaya, and Mwashoti, along with the head girls, have been frequent visitors this month, but Jasiri has been absent.
Before the group could leave, Faraja appeared with Jasiri. When Ziwa’s matriarch and her daughters heard the Keepers speaking, they headed back to the Kibwezi Forest, all the way to Chyulu. Kapei and Kiombo tried their luck to follow them, but were denied entry into Ziwa's group. The daughters were protective and did not want to see Kiombo and Kapei join their herd. Disappointed, Kiombo and Kapei returned, holding large bunches of greens in their mouths as they walked to Lima Lima and Quanza at the dust hill.
At the dust hill, Kiasa went down on her knees, ready to take a nap. Immediately, Amali and Mwana saw Kiasa on the ground and rushed over to play with her. Mwashoti admired the scene and wanted to join Kiasa, but Zongoloni stepped in to stop him. Zongoloni did not want the old boy Mwashoti to squeeze into the small space meant for the little babies. She ensured that the babies had the space to enjoy their playtime without being crowded by the bigger boys.
This morning was unusual, because Mwashoti, Alamaya, and Sonje arrived without Lima Lima or Zongoloni. Typically, the herd walks together, and only Alamaya sometimes ventures away. It was unusual for the big girls to be absent.
However, Lima Lima and Zongoloni soon appeared from behind the fence line, not far from the orphans. Amali spotted Lima Lima and rumbled to her, which caught Mwana’s attention. The baby abandoned her nanny, Enkesha, and rushed over to suckle Lima Lima, which she generously allowed. Mwana was delighted to be with her favourite big nanny.
Meanwhile, Kapei, Maktao, and Kiombo teamed up and moved towards the hills. On their way, Kapei made the mistake of grabbing Kiombo's tail. In retaliation, Kiombo whirled around, roughly pulled Kapei with his trunk, and attempted to mount him. Kapei ran away, screaming for help. Sonje heard the commotion and came to Kapei's rescue, escorting him back to his friends at the waterhole. They played next to some buffalos, who were patiently waiting for the elephants to leave so they could enjoy the mud bath.
Today, some bull elephants arrived with Kiombo. When Kiombo reached the orphans, he left the bulls behind, not wanting Murera to see him with them. Murera and the other nannies were not ready to welcome the giant bulls into their herd. As one bull approached Murera, she raised her ears, signalling to the Keepers that she was uneasy with the strangers. Then, she ran into the deep bushes, followed by Kiasa, Enkesha, and Amali, who trusted her decision as the matriarch.
At the waterhole, the babies were still feeling the morning’s excitement and decided to relax in the mud bath. Kapei tested the water with his trunk, followed by Amali. Murera stood at a distance, waiting for the space to clear after the babies finished swimming. Maktao walked to a scratching post to relieve an itch.
After the swim, the babies rushed to the dusting pile for a dust bath. Amali climbed to the top of the pile, rubbing her belly in an extravagant display. Kiombo joined her, much to Amali’s dismay: The big bull squeezed her space, ruining her nice view of the Kibwezi Forests. A fun-filled afternoon complete, the babies slowly moved back into the bushes.
Today, a large number of wild elephants arrived, overpowering our orphans. Their numbers made it difficult to see where Amali and Mwana were, as the wild herd included many little babies, some even younger than Mwana. Remarkably, Mwana didn't lose her way; she followed Murera’s scent with the help of Enkesha and eventually ran back to her mother. Sonje followed to ensure Mwana was reunited with her mother.
Trumpeter hornbills flew over the tree where the orphans were relaxing, causing a commotion. The elephants under the fig tree ran away in fear of the hornbills. In the chaos, Kapei lost direction and unwittingly joined the wild herd. He realised his mistake when one of the wild babies pushed him around. Kapei started looking for a way back to his group. Mwashoti heard Kapei's trumpeting for help and went to retrieve him, bringing him back to the herd at the waterhole.
As the orphans prepared to walk to the mud bath area for their midday bottles, Kapei led the charge with great energy, reminding us of Lima Lima's old habits. Kapei and Kiombo were the first to reach the bottles and drank all their milk. Despite Kapei's pleading for more by raising his head and opening his mouth wide, the Keepers didn't give him extra. He settled for drinking water at the waterhole to fill his stomach.