Napasha leaving the stockades in the morning
Daily updates
October 1st
Whilst the orphans walked to take water from their trough this morning, we noticed that Napasha was limping, having been disciplined by Yatta after he tried to mount her favourite Olmalo during the night. We sprayed his leg with deep heat, and the orphans fed close by. Mulika and Nasalot, sensing that Napasha was slightly injured, empathized with him by feeding near him, and touching his affected leg with their trunks. Napasha spent most of the time under shade, and refused to walk far, although Mulika and Nasalot tried to persuade him to follow. However after 2 days of deep heat treatment, he was again in fine fettle, and up to racing for his bottle of milk again!
October 2nd
The orphans were very happy today, because it looked as though rain would fall. They enjoyed a soil bath near a warthog burrow, when Taita knocked down Olmalo. This annoyed Yatta, who sent him off. At the mudbath Ndomot and Madiba remained behind the others and benefited from the watery mud they splashed over themselves
Warthogs at the stockade mud wallow
October 3rd
Kinna and Nasalot led the group to browse today and ran into a bunch of baboons. Without hesitation they both charged, trumpeting, something that drew the attention of the entire unit, who joined in the chase, sending the baboons up trees. The orphans then returned to their Keepers.
Kinna & Yatta charging
October 4th
Yatta led the orphans towards the West today. Taita tried to mount onto Selengai in a thicket of bush, but she took cover near Mulika. The larger orphans had a spectacular mudbath, whilst the younger set concentrated on a soil bath.
Mulika, Kinna & Selengai resting
October 5th
The day’s fun and games were initiated by Taita and Tomboi in a pushing game. They were joined by Ndomot who was eager to hone his pushing tactics and exchanged shoves with Tomboi. Madiba spotted a rock hyrax, who was enjoying the morning sunshine on top of a boulder and he charged it, tossing his trunk in the air. The hyrax screamed and this scared Madiba, who took to his heels, charging and trumpeting, knocking down bushes as he hastened to join the others. Sunyei and Selengai enjoyed a game during the wallow.
Taita & Tomboi resting after their fun & games
October 6th
Early in the morning, having taken water, the orphans spent time scratching themselves on the nearby rocks, waiting for their Keepers to lead them into the Park. At l0 a.m. a tough fight broke out between Taita and Wendi over a piece of grass secured by Taita which Wendi wanted. Taita stood up to Wendi, and won the prize! Later he enjoyed a game with Sunyei.
Wendi & Taita with trunks entwined
October 7th
The orphans gambolled ahead of the Keepers on their way out this morning. They had a marvellous mudwallow today, and then walked far afield before resting under shade. Napasha angered Yatta by chasing Olmalo round the tree in an attempt to mount her. She grabbed his tail, which made him bellow and remove himself. He grumbled at a distance, but was not allowed back due to his mis-conduct.
Kinna & Selengai sharing a special moment
October 8th
Yatta took the group to the southeast along the slopes of Ithumba mountain, where Sunyei, Madiba, Ndomot, Galana, Wendi and Kinna spent a fun time soil dusting themselves in loose earth near an aardvark hole. After the mudbath Napasha, Wendi and Galana enjoyed a joyful moment rubbing themselves against rocks.
Kinna, Napasha & Madiba soil bathing
October 9th
At 6.30 a.m. Olmalo and Selengai encountered a mother lesser kudu with a small baby. They drove them away by charging and trumpeting, which drew the attention of all the others, who joined in. At 9 a.m. Taita amused us by demolishing an anthill, and as he knelt down to dust himself, he was mounted by Tomboi. Just before leaving for the mudbath, Wendi indulged in a rolling game. Tomboi saw his chance and tried to mount onto her back. Because it was very hot, the orphans thoroughly enjoyed their mudbath.
Taita & Tomboi taking a break
October 10th
Two warring baboons scared the orphans this morning when they ran right through the group, leaving them highly disturbed, trumpeting and screaming. Sunyei and Wendi rushed back to their Keepers for protection, whilst the other youngsters sheltered alongside the older orphans. The mudbath was spectacular, since it was a hot day. In the evening Madiba and Ndomot had a trial of strength in a pushing game which was short lived because Galana intervened on the side of her friend, Ndomot.
Galana & Ndomot wallowing in the mud
October 11th
The big orphans stood aside to allow the youngsters out first. They all went to the water trough for a drink. Just before l0 a.m., a domestic dog appeared out of the bush which frightened the orphans greatly. The Keepers mobilized to deal with it, but it disappeared into the thickets, but reappeared a few minutes later. The Big Orphans were very reluctant to engage it, recalling the incident a year previously when they were attacked by a rabid dog in their Night Stockade. After the mudbath, the same dog appeared again, but then disappeared again rapidly. The orphans were very nervous all day, remaining close to their Keepers.
The orphans having a drink of water
October 12th
Tension was high this morning following the encounter with the dog yesterday, and because hyaenas came to drink at the Stockade in the dead of night. The Keepers did their best to calm the elephants, but they remained nervous throughout the day.
Kinna, Olmalo & Yatta resting
October 13th
The Keepers led the orphans northwards along a dense valley between rocky hills. Sunyei, Madiba, Ndomot, Galana and Wendi kept close to the Keepers following the recent hyaena and dog scare. At the mudbath Napasha, Olmalo, Sunyei and Galana enjoyed a dramatic rolling game together.
Galana, Sunyei & Ndomot playing
October 14th
When the orphans were drinking having left the Stockade, they were scared by a jackal which was ambushing two dikdiks. Wendi and Sunyei steered the babies rapidly back to the Stockade, rumbling and screaming, followed by the Big Orphans, who were also disturbed. The elephants calmed down once they were well away in their feeding area.
The orphans frightened by a jackal
October 15th
Olmalo and Sunyei enjoyed a pushing game today out in the feeding area. At the mudbath Madiba, Sunyei, Galana and Selengai led the way in wallowing.
Madiba with the other orphans at mudbath
October 16th
A midnight visit by the hyaenas, who again came to drink at the Stockades, making a laughing sound, sent shivers down the elephants’ spines. They rumbled loudly for help, and the Keepers came out to drive the hyaenas off. In the morning, all the elephants were very scared, recalling the midnight intruders. The elephants actively mud-wallowed since it was very hot, and later Kinna and Taita enjoyed a pushing game. Taita did his best to overcome Kinna, but had no chance.
The orphans at mudbath
October 17th
Yatta led the group Eastwards, communicating in a low tone. At l0 a.m. Wendi and Taita engaged each other. Later, all headed hastily to the mudbath, because it was very hot.
Taita tries to lift Wendi
October 18th
At 6.45 a.m., Sunyei and Madiba had a playful moment charging and chasing off 2 dikdiks that they happened upon. All the elephants were very joyful today, pushing one another on their way out to the feeding grounds. They had a wonderful mudbath, Napasha, Olmal, Sunyei and Galana putting their heads into the water. Tomboi saw his chance and tried to mount onto Sunyei but Wendi pushed him away.
Sunyei charging towards a dikdik to chase it off
October 19th
At 8 a.m. Yatta and Mulika met up with a male lesser kudu, whom they chased off, trumpeting and knocking down bushes in the process and reinforced by the entire unit. The orphans had a prolonged mudbath today because it was very hot, resting under shade until it cooled down a bit.
Nasalot & Kinna resting
October 20th
This morning Yatta led the group following a trail used by a wild elephant during the night. Wendi and Galana became embroiled in a pushing game, which Napasha interrupted to engage Wendi. At milk time Ndomot pushed Madiba off his bottle, and got warned by the Keepers.
Kinna sniffs the air
October 21th
Cloudy conditions prevailed in the morning, as the Big Orphans urged the babies to hurry along to the feeding grounds. There they all browsed happily, the youngsters enjoying branches pulled down by the bigger elephants. They were disturbed by some rowdy baboons which forced them to retreat to their Keepers for protection.
Nasalot & Selengai leaving the stockade
October 22th
It was a cool morning with light showers, which the orphans greatly enjoyed as they went about their business. They only took their milk and water at the mudbath because it was cool.
Sunyei playing by herself
October 23th
Another cool morning, enjoyed by the orphans. Selengai kicked Galana away from a green branch she had secured from Mulika, knowing it was meant for her because she is Mulika’s favourite baby. Yatta, Mulika, Kinna, Selengai and Olmalo enjoyed a joint dustbath,taking advantage of a collapsed anthill.
Napasha sniffs at Mulika's mouth
October 24th
Leaving the Stockades today, Sunyei, Madiba, Tomboi and Wendi walked shoulder to shoulder with their Keepers, nervous to lead the way. At 11 a.m. Nasalot and Napasha had an exciting moment, but Napasha decided against challenging Nasalot who is more powerful. They all enjoyed an extended mudbath.
Napasha, Selengai & Nasalot form a little group
October 25th
The orphans enjoyed soil dusting with earth dampened by a shower during the night. Heavy rainclouds gathered, and it was so hot that the orphans spent a long time in the mudbath.
Taita, Napasha & Sunyei muddy from mudbath
October 26th
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, the rain came and the elephants enjoyed every moment as they left the Stockade, skidding on the wet ground. At 9 a.m. the rain stopped, and sunny intervals appeared. Wendi and the younger set spent the entire day playing in the puddles.
Sunyei leading the group
October 27th
Yatta led her group Eastwards to feed along a river line with plenty of pasture. Taita and Tomboi enjoyed a pushing game, won by Taita. It was too cool for a mudbath today, and in any case, the orphans had been doing little else all day! They enjoyed their milk and a drink of water only at mudbath time.
Galana & Tomboi feeding themselves
October 28th
In the early morning, the smaller elephants played pushing matches with one another. Sunyei was leading the orphans to the mudbath when she encountered 2 dikdiks who were treated to a charge, Sunyei backed up by all the others. All entered the mudbath highly charged, and enjoyed a wonderful wallow because it was hot, after which Yatta and Napasha had a pushing game, while all the others concentrated on feeding.
Sunyei charging
October 29th
Soon after leaving the Stockade in the morning, Wendi, Sunyei and Tomboi were scared by 2 dikdiks who were near the drinking trough. They retreated rapidly, rumbling, after which Yatta went to investigate but found the dikdiks gone. Because it was cloudy, the elephants chose not to mudbath today. Ndomot and Galana enjoyed an exciting pushing match which was interrupted by Tomboi, who chased Galana all round the bushes, trying to mount her. His behaviour was short lived, because the Keepers warned him!
Nasalot and Yatta
October 30th
The weather was overcast, promising rain. Yatta and the Keepers led the orphans East to a place where food was plentiful. Taita and Tomboi engaged each other in a pushing match, which was won by Taita. Sunyei and Madiba enjoyed rolling over Kinna as she lay in the mudbath.
Sunyei leading the way