A Keeper attends to the orphans at the Mudwallow
Daily updates
November 1st
At around 11 a.m. Napasha heard the tractor which prompted him to rush off ahead of all the others to get his milk. After the mudbath, the orphans browsed, and on the way back to the Stockades, Napasha led the others back through the mudbath so that they could drink and cool themselves.
November 2nd
Yatta led the group back to the Stockade today. In the evening Tomboi had an altercation with Taita and Mulika intervened to separate them.
Yatta
November 3rd
The day was spent just browsing without any funny incidents.
November 4th
Kinna and Mulika led the orphans towards the East of Ithumba Hill, where the browse is better.
The orphans scratching against a rock
November 5th
The day was very cool and in order to warm up Napasha began a shoving game with Nasalot and then took on Yatta. Only he went into the mudbath, but exited quickly because it was so cold!
Napasha with Julius
November 6th
Yatta wanted Taita to take the lead, and tried to coax him forward, but he was reluctant. During the mudbath Napasha shoved Taita
Mudbath time
November 7th
Heading for the mudbath, the orphans went in a straight line and today Tomboi was Leader. In the evening Napasha tried to mount Yatta, and for that, got into trouble.
Keepers leading the orphans
November 8th
In the morning, Wendi happened upon a pair of dikdik sleeping and was scared, so trumpeted. This woke them up, and before Wendi could gather sufficient courage to chase them, they ran off. It was hot today, so the orphans enjoyed their mudbath.
Wendi, Olmalo and Napasha
November 9th
Mulika and Wendi led the others into the bush today. At noon Wendi and Napasha tested their strength, but Wendi could not withstand Napasha, so ran away. In the evening, because she was so thirsty, Kinna led the orphans back through the mudbath before proceeding to the Stockade.
Mulika and Selengai
November 10th
A wild elephant visited the Stockade at around 1 a.m. The orphans all raised their trunks to test his scent, but when the wild elephant heard the Keepers’ voices, he left. In the morning Yatta led the others, following the visitor’s tracks, but they never caught up with him.
Olmalo playing in the sand
November 11th
Although the day was very hot, the orphans enjoyed a game, chasing each other around their Keepers. Only Olmalo and Selengai didn’t participate. At the mudbath, Yatta pushed Napasha in first to test the temperature, and when he lay down, the others joined him.
Olmalo on the ground with Taita on the right
November 12th
The day was hot, like yesterday, with no sign of rain. At the mudbath Olmalo and Taita went straight in, before taking water, and having cooled themselves returned to drink water. As usual Napasha was first to roll in the mud giving Tomboi, Taita and Selengai a rare opportunity to lie on top of him taking turns, whilst Mulika, Nasalot, Olmalo and Wendi occupied the other side to roll in the mud.
Mud bath time
November 13th
Having left the Stockade, Selengai and Olmalo went to drink in anticipation of a long hot day in search of food. At around l0 a.m. Tomboi, who doesn’t see eye to eye with Napasha, snatched a piece of greenery that Napasha wanted. This led to a fight, over which the Keepers had to intervene. Napasha had moved a step backwards and was going to charge Tomboi and knock him down, but the Keepers warned him by pointing fingers at him, so he reluctantly moved away “swearing in his heart” to teach Tomboi a lesson when the Keepers were not looking!
Tomboi and Wendi browsing
November 14th
Mulika and Selengai were first to leave the Stockade and lead the others into the bush. It was very hot, with heavy cloud, so we expected rain, but it did not come. Because of the heat, the orphans went to the mudbath early.
Greetings to Olmalo in the front
November 15th
The orphans left early to browse near Ithumba hill. By 1 p.m. the heat was unbearable, so Nasalot led the orphans (and the Keepers) to shade.
Napasha leaning on a tree
November 16th
Clouds began to gather at around 9 a.m. Taita and Olmalo spent most of the day browsing near Yatta whilst Tomboi isolated himself until it was time for the mudbath. However, before the end of mudbath, the clouds evaporated.
Olmalo and Taita
November 17th
There was light rain in the morning, which made the orphans very happy. Kinna led the group, leaving Olmalo and Taita behind playing with the damp soil. Just before crossing a small valley, Kinna turned rapidly and ran back to the Keepers, making the other orphans to do the same. Listening carefully, the Keepers could hear the sound of running hooves and upon investigation, found that it was a buffalo.
The Ithumba orphans enjoying the wet grounds
November 18th
Today was like any other, with no rain.
Wendi and Kinna
November 19th
For the first time ever, little Olmalo was the Leader, but after a while, stood aside to allow Napasha and Taita to overtake her. By l0 a.m. it was so hot that the orphans moved from tree to tree, seeking shade and flapping their ears. They had a wonderful mudbath, all rolling in the mud as though in competition, but, as usual, Napasha emerged the winner. At around noon, the Vet arrived to inject Mulika, Selengai, Olmalo, Wendi and Taita as a precaution against rabies.
Taita resting infront of Nasalot
November 20th
Again heavy clouds gathered on a calm day, and everyone hoped for rain, but the day ended without a drop
The Ithumba orphans playing
November 21th
The day passed as usual, with the orphans browsing next to their Keepers, and no rain.
Tomboi and Wendi leading to the stockade
November 22th
Nothing unusual happened today. The day passed as usual
November 23th
At the mudbath, Yatta was scared by a warthog who was coming to drink, but when the warthog spotted the Keepers, it ran away, prompting Yatta to chase it, trumpeting.
November 24th
Olmalo and Taita enjoyed a game, scooping up soil with their trunks, and throwing it over themselves. Wendi and Napasha joined in, but Napasha spoilt the game by trying+to rough up Wendi. At mudbath Olmalo tried to entice Tomboi in to play, by lying in front of him, but he ignored her.
The Ithumba orphans enjoying a soil bath
November 25th
Finally, the long awaited rain arrived at about 2 a.m. and continued throughout the morning. At first Olmalo, Selengai, Tomboi and Wendi were very scared of the thunder and lightening, and squeezed together whenever the lightening struck. When the rain subsided, the orphans had a wonderful time playing in the puddles. Shortly before 11 a.m. Olmalo came across a moving crab which “mesmerized” her, prompting the Keepers to go and take a look!
The orphans taste the fresh rain water
November 26th
The orphans again enjoyed playing in the puddles and smearing themselves with red mud
Ol Malo charging through the rain water puddles
November 27th
At the mudbath Napasha pushed Wendi as she was taking her bottle. Later Yatta led the group to the bush, but Olmalo remained behind with her Keepers. After 4 p.m. Napasha and Taita played a game of breaking the vegetation around them, whilst Wendi lay down to play and allowed Tomboi to roll on her. Yatta and Olmalo stood aside to watch with their trunks down.
The orphans enjoying the new water site
November 28th
The morning was cloudy but the afternoon became hot, making the orphans flap their ears to remain cool. Tomboi took a nap, but stood up when he noticed Napasha homing in on him. On the return to the Stockades, Selengai and Tomboi had a fight over who would lead the other, which Tomboi won, prompting Selengai to go and join Mulika.
The orphans enjoying the rain water
November 29th
It drizzled with rain in the early hours of the morning. After mudbath Wendi and Tomboi browsed close to one another while Mulika fed close to her favourite, Selengai. On the way back in the evening, we passed by the mudbath for a drink.