Burra at the stockade
Daily updates
May 1st
As the Juniors were enjoying their daily ration of supplements, Ex Orphan Bulls Burra and Lolokwe turned up unexpectedly and un-noticed behind them, scaring Ndii and Dida, who were calmed by a “trunk kiss” from the Mini Matriarch, Lesanju. The two Senior Bulls remained with the Juniors throughout the morning, but eventually parted, heading towards the airfield, presumably to meet up with the rest of Emily’s Ex Orphan unit. Siria headed off with them, but the call of milk brought him back to rejoin the Junior set.
Siria following the others
May 2nd
Today, the orphaned baby ostrich decided to become part of the Junior set, following the elephants and their Keepers, something about which Lesanju was not too happy! To begin with Lesanju attempted to expel the ostrich, but finally all the orphans warmed to her, enjoying the chasing games which the ostrich easily won! Whilst out in the bush the little ostrich joined a wild male ostrich for a while, before returning to the Keepers and joining the elephants as they headed back to the Stockades in the evening.
Lesanju not happy about the ostrich
The orphan ostrich out in the bush
May 3rd
The Juniors had an uneventful day browsing, taking a bath at the large waterhole at noon where Shimba and Mzima enjoyed a game of trumpeting and charging around before scratching their buttocks against the banks. Lempaute joined them briefly. In the evening Ndii led the orphans back to the Stockades.
Shimba in charging games
Orphans enjoying a bath
May 4th
Today the Juniors browsed all round Mazinga Hill, beginning at the Southern Side and ending up at the eastern end, with a break for the mudbath in between. Mzima and Siria enjoyed a friendly Pushing Game, which was easily won by Siria, who has had a lot of practice with members of Emily’s Senior set.
Mzima lying on top of Siria
Lempaute on Mazinga hill
May 5th
During a shower of rain, Wasessa and Lesanju led their unit high up the Southern side of Mazinga hill to browse. Taveta moved higher still and began bellowing when he thought he was lost and alone. The Keepers retrieved him and escorted the Juniors to the Stockades for a noon mudbath and their milk, after which they returned to the hill, on this occasion Taveta making sure he was with the others at all times!
Lesanju in the lead
Wasessa browsing while walking
May 6th
Today the Juniors met up with a troupe of baboons which they enjoyed chasing on their way out to browse. In the evening Ex orphaned kudus, Mkuki and Aruba came back to the Stockades to greet the Keepers. Mkuki’s horns have grown huge.
Aruba and Mkuki at the stockade
Shimba left and Tassia near the water trough
May 7th
Today as the orphans were browsing the Northern side of the hill, they became visibly nervous, continually raising their trunks and remaining very close to the Keepers. Eventually the Keepers went to investigate ahead and discovered 4 large lions feeding on a buffalo they had killed. The Keepers took the elephants to a different browsing area on the eastern side of the hill.
The four lions that made the orphans nervous
One of the lionesses on Mazinga Hill
Siria browsing
May 8th
Emily’s group came to the Stockades early this morning to enjoy the Juniors’ supplements. Burra engaged Siria in a wrestling match during which Mzima chased after Tassia, hoping to be able to mount him. However, Tassia ran straight to Wasessa who warned Mzima off! Emily’s group accompanied the Juniors as they headed out to browse, but branched off midway to go elsewhere.
Burra left and Siria wrestling
Mzima chasing Tassia to mount him
May 9th
The orphans enjoyed a game of hide and seek at the compound, Lempaute and Sinya tossing huge chunks of dust into the air with their trunks. Wasessa and Lesanju then led the group up Mazinga hill to browse, Lesanju alerting them when it was time to return for their noon milk feed and a mudbath.
Sinya in front browsing
Lempaute scratching on a rock
May 10th
Emily’s group came to the Stockades, but just missed the Juniors who had already left. With Emily was Tsavo, who came once last month with a wild friend, but on this occasion the wild friend was not with him. Tsavo was a little shy at first, but soon interacted comfortably with all the others. He has huge tusks now, by far the biggest tusker in Emily’s unit.
Emily's group enjoying a drink at the stockade
Tsavo at the stockade
May 11th
Solango came alone to join the Juniors after their noon mudbath. Solango spent the rest of the day with the Juniors, with them when they returned in the evening. He hung around the Stockades until midnight.
Solango with the youngsters
Solango arrives at the stockades
May 12th
Today Lesanju was focused on Dida, spending most of the day by her side, something that made Sinya and Lempaute a little jealous since they wanted to be close to Dida as well. All enjoyed the mudbath today and it was Kenia who led the group back in the evening.
Dida browsing
Kenia browsing with the others
May 13th
Today, unusually, the orphans skipped their usual Stockade games, but instead headed straight out to browse, led by Shimba and Mzima. After the noon mudbath, they went to an erosion gully where they all had a lot of fun playing with each other, sliding down the banks and rolling in the earth.
Lempuate having fun in a trench
Mzima leading
May 14th
Mzima led the group to the northern side of Mazinga hill, where they rested under shade during the heat of the day. All had a wonderful noon mudbath, Tassia climbing onto Taveta, Lesanju playing with Sinya and Siria challenging Mzima.
Orphans resting
Orphans having a lovely mudbath
May 15th
Today saw amazing Stockade games before the orphans headed out to browse, Dida enjoying a dustbath before noticing that Mzima was sneaking up on her, alerted to this fact by her friend, Ndii. Just before the noon mudbath, Siria tried to entice Tassia into a Pushing Game, but Wasessa would have none of it!
Tassia browsing
Siria playing
May 16th
Emily’s group came to the Stockades at 4 p.m. in the afternoon, and then went to meet up with the Juniors who were browsing on the eastern side of Mazinga hill where a very highly charged greeting took place, with trumpeting, rumbling and urinating. Solango was with them and took the opportunity to have a wrestling match with Siria, with whom he forged a strong bond of friendship during the convalescence of his leg. The two groups socialized for half an hour before the Juniors began heading back home.
Emily group meets up with Lesanju's group
Eve following Sweet Sally
May 17th
The orphans woke early for their morning milk feed after which they went off to browse, taking a break to play, Tassia, Taveta and Ndii throwing loose soil over their backs, soon joined by Dida and Kenia. Lesanju moved in to take control of the game from Mzima. After the mudbath, the orphans browsed the northern side of the hill.
Lesanju playing
Dida feeding on Lucern
May 18th
Emily’s group joined the Juniors as they were playing the usual Stockade games, forming a very large group of orphans. Burra and Siria enjoyed a lengthy wrestling match, Burra remaining behind with the Juniors when Emily’s group moved off. However, he later rejoined them out in the bush.
Burra and Siria enjoying a pushing game
Irima
May 19th
The weather turned cool today, heralding the end of the rains, but there is still green vegetation around on which the orphans can browse. Due to the weather, none of the orphans opted for a mudbath today, but instead Shimba played a game of hide and seek with Dida and Ndii while Siria showed Taveta how to dig up soil using his toenails and spraying it over their backs.
Dida
Shimba left and Mzima
May 20th
Emily’s group was sited on the southern side of Mazinga hill. Eve was enjoying the company of her Nanny, Sweet Sally. Later in the evening, there was a light shower of rain when Lempaute enjoyed playing in the erosion trench.
Eve
Lempaute in a trench game
May 21th
Today, Wasessa, Ndii and Kenia overtook Lesanju who was leading the group out in the morning. Once at the browsing area Mzima and Siria began a mounting game while Taveta and Tassia sorted out a disagreement by head-butting each other. All enjoyed the waterhole today and fed near the lower Spring Gate before returning in the evening.
Mzima dusting up
Lesanju at the lead
May 22th
Emily and her group linked up with the Juniors on the Eastern side of Mazinga Hill and brought them back to the Stockades at 3.40 p.m. where all enjoyed a hand-out of Copra Cake. They all played around the Stockades for about half an hour before moving to the southern side of Mazinga Hill. Kenia, Ndii and Dida were very interested in Edie’s baby (Ella) who was kept from them by Nannies Mweya and Vita. Emily’s group separated from the Juniors during their walk back in the evening.
Edie coming to the stockade
Ella feeding on copra cake
May 23th
Icholta, Burra, Mpala and Solango came to the Stockades without the rest of Emily’s group and greatly enjoyed interacting with the Juniors. Icholta and Mpala cornered Siria in a Pushing Game, Siria overpowered and backing out but then trying to mount onto Kenia to hide his shame, Mzima also trying to take advantage of Kenia. The Keepers warned the two off!
Icholta
Mpala and Icholta corner Siria
Mzima riding on Kenia's back
May 24th
It was a hot day, so the Juniors enjoyed a cool dip in the large waterhole during the morning browsing session, led by Lesanju to enjoy another briefer one at noon and spending the remainder of the day browsing.
Lempaute right with Wasessa after mudbath
Lesanju left with Lempaute
May 25th
Today Ndara and Icholta came on their own to greet the Youngsters without the rest of Emily’s unit. Icholta was surrounded by all the Youngsters like a Queen, enjoying the tender touch of their trunks while Ndara engaged Siria in a wrestling match. Later Icholta approached Wasessa for a wrestling game, but Wasessa declined and remained close to Lesanju. The orphans later met up with a wild herd at the eastern side of Mazinga hill when Wasessa took a great interest in a wild calf, following it around, but later returned to rejoin her group.
Ndara left wrestling with Siria
Wasessa left wrestling with a wild calf
May 26th
The day turned very hot so Dida, escorted by Lesanju, went to take a bath in the Big Waterhole. Sinya attempted to join them, but was deterred by Lesanju. Later the orphans browsed around the waterhole, waiting for their noon bottle of milk.
Orphan ostrich resting in the shade
Tassia on Mazinga Hill
May 27th
Kenia led the Juniors out today. En route Mzima hid behind a bush, Taveta and Tassia searching for him, soon joined by Siria who became frustrated and pushed Taveta, thus ending the search. Mzima then emerged, and all focused on feeding for the remainder of the day.
Siria playing
Dida
May 28th
Today Seraa, from Emily’s group, came alone to escort the Juniors out to browse, taking them half way up Mazinga Hill. She returned to the Stockades with them at noon to take their milk and a mudbath, stretching her trunk out to touch the Keepers’ faces as though asking for a bottle of milk as well! After a Pushing Game with Siria, later leaving the Juniors as they headed for the Big Waterhole at noon.
Shimba left and Seraa
Siria left engaging Seraa in a game
May 29th
It was a hot day, so Siria joined a herd of impala under the shade of an Acacia tree, not bothering about them at all. Later the impalas mingled with the orphans as they all browsed together.
Siria near a herd of wild Impala
Tassia
May 30th
The Juniors found a large herd of elephants at the Big Waterhole today, who had already finished off all the water in the bins. The Juniors joined the wild herd in the waterhole, Siria and Wasessa choosing wild friends with whom to play while Tassia and Mzima focused on a small wild calf, but were warned off by the mother. The wild group eventually left, leaving the orphans feeding around the Waterhole. In the evening another small wild family came to drink at the Stockade trough, after the orphans had already entered their Night Stockades. The group comprised a large cow and her calf and a middle-aged bull.
Orphans at the mudbath with a wild group
Wasessa left, Mzima and Tassia follow a wild calf
Wild group drinking at the stockade
May 31th
Icholta, Mweya and Seraa came to join the Juniors at the Stockade in the early morning. Icholta and Mweya had to combine effort to take on Siria while Lesanju encouraged her group to leave. However, the others caught up with them, making Lesanju very uneasy, obviously fearful that the Big Girls might entice away members of her unit. She was very relieved when the three Ex Orphans decided to separate!
Ndii out and about
Mweya scratching