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DIARIES : |
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Monthly Diary Reports
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Morani tried to mount Seraa at noon, but Seraa managed to avoid him. The day (1st December 2003) was extremely hot with no sign of rain. The orphans mudwallowed happily and extensively. Morani, Seraa, Pmpala and Burra went to dust themselves by rolling on a nearby anthill. Encounters with other species include coming across a dead buffalo killed by lions, which terrified all the orphans; chasing out an old bull buffalo who was occupying their mudbath; Natumi and Edie seeing off 4 zebras, Seraa, Mvita, Morani and Laikipia ganging up to corner a tiny warthog baby, and being ignominiously chased off by the mother! Irima, Mpala, Mulika, Ilingwezi, Laikipia and Edie ran for the protection of the Keepers when two kudu bulls ran out unexpectedly, but Mweiga, Sosian, Morani and Ilingwezi felt good when they were able to separate two warring Impala rams. A low flying Helicopter scared the entire group (always does) and Mweya, Kinna and Sweet Sally were very interested in a newborn buffalo calf, following this baby and the two cows that were with it for a long way until the buffalo cows became irritated and saw them off! At l0.20 a.m. Aitong and Seraa left the other orphans to join a group of 4 wild elephants who had a small baby of about 3 months. They rejoined the other orphans at the mudbath. Seraa remained behind with Mweiga, who was trailing the group as they approached the mudbath. Mweya insisted on leading the younger elephants towards their grazing area, blocking Burra he tried to overtake her. Mpala, Seraa and Solango enjoyed a game chasing guinea fowl, trumpeting happily and running hither and thither in amongst the birds. There was a tussle between Seraa and Thoma, and between Burra and Mpala during the noon milk session. Later, they all browsed peacefully together, the disagreement forgotten. Encounters with other species include an abortive attempt to chase off a buffalo herd numbering 2,000, which was a bit too ambitious, a running “battle” with a lone buffalo bull at the base of Mazinga Hill, Sweet Sally managing to chase of an ostrich, but losing face by becoming scared when she realised she was alone in this task. Seraa, Tsavo, Mulika and Ilingwezi ganged up to chase off some warthogs, whilst Alama and Laikipia broke up a waterbuck fight. Lissa’s wild calf, Lara, joined Ndara in charging a tortoise, but the orphans enjoyed browsing peacefully amongst a herd of seven zebras! At 8.20 a.m. Nyiro and Seraa enjoyed a game of hide and seek, spoilt by Nyiro when he tried to mount Seraa. Lissa and her two babies, Mpenzi and Uaso turned up at the Stockades at 5 p.m. They greeted the other orphans happily when they returned, stretching out their trunks to caress them. Today, it was very hot, so the orphans took an extensive mudbath. Seraa, Tsavo, Mulika and Ilingwezi chased off 2 warthogs that wanted to join them and take a drink at the mudbath. All the orphans ran to their Keepers for protection at 8 a.m. when a wild bull who was amongst three others bellowed loudly. Later the orphans joined this wild group, parting on their way to the noon mudbath. Nyiro and Seraa had a wonderful dustbath today after the noon mudbath. Their fascinating game was interrupted by Mukwaju. 4 large Bachelor bulls scared Natumi, Seraa, Mweiga and Tsavo on the 9th, but when the younger orphans saw that Emily and Aitong welcomed the bulls, all the orphans calmed down and spent quality time with them. Contact with a wild herd of 12 who had a 2 month old calf was made on the 12th, when the younger orphans showed great interest in the baby, the mother keeping a wary eye on them. On the 17th the orphans joined l0 wild elephants, and when the other orphans left, Aitong and Morani remained behind with the wild herd, but rejoined the orphaned group later. Nasalot stepped in to discipline Solango who was being somewhat of a pain trying to mount his particular Nursery friend, Seraa. Solango and Seraa both came from Shaba National Reserve in the North, both having fallen into a natural rock catchment, so it is likely that they were friends even before becoming orphaned. Sosian seems much better behaved in this month’s Diary, even playing peacemaker along with Sally and Burra to discipline Nyiro for jumping on Solango. It is particularly rewarding to see how comfortable the latest arrivals to the Tsavo group are with the wild elephants, especially Morani, who is a very popular member of the Orphan Group and who remembers his wild family, as does Mpala. This is not therefore surprising, but what is surprising is how well Seraa has fitted into wild groups. Mpala has waltzed up to a wild cow and been allowed to suckle an ear, and all the babies have enjoyed wallowing right in amongst wild elephant herds. For instance, Burra, Thoma, Morani and Seraa all climbed onto an 18 year old wild cow who lay down so that they could do so in the mudbath. However, it is also evident that they were all somewhat daunted by a cow with exceptionally long tusks, and another very large lone bull, who would have liked to make friends with the orphans, but not when they sought the protection of their Keepers. Encounters with other species have included the usual buffalo incident when an old tailless bull scared Seraa, Mweya, Mvita, Tsavo and Mpala, but was then roundly seen off by Aitong, Salama, and Mukwaju. A “friendly” warthog tried to join the orphans in their mudbath, but found himself surrounded and forced to make a dash through Nyiro’s legs! Running zebras scared the babies, as did a Monitor Lizard initially, but which provided chasing sport for all later. Friday 18th June was another Big Day in our Nairobi Nursery, for this was the day scheduled for Seraa, Mpala, and Morani to leave the Nairobi Nursery and embark on the long journey of gradual transition back into the Elephant World in Tsavo East National Park. Seraa, is now a plump and healthy 19 month old, well over the life threatening pneumonia that almost took her from us on New Year’s eve, 2002. The loading of the elephants began, as usual, very early at first light. With Seraa and Morani safely inside enjoying their morning milk, Mpala had to be physically wrestled in, protesting loudly! However, he found he was no match for about 5 stalwarts under the direction of Roy Carr-Hartley, whose expertise at handling wild animals spans a lifetime. First to come to greet them were what is known as “The Baby Group” headed by Mweya, whose group includes those fairly recent arrivals who had shared the Nursery with Seraa and Mpala - namely Thoma, Burra, Solango, and Sosian, whose joy at being reunited with Seraa and Mpala was extremely touching. Recognition was instant and Solango, especially, was over the moon to see Seraa again, since both share a common origin in Shaba National Reserve, and could even be from the same herd. Trunks enveloped the newcomers, many laid across their back in a gesture of love, and they could not help but feel immediately part of this larger family of larger elephants – in fact, a veritable “herd” of elephants, led by the Matriarch, Emily. Seraa was the only one of the three who probably would not remember her elephant family clearly, because she came in so young, but she was too over-joyed to see Solango and Thoma again, that she remained remarkably undaunted surrounded as she was by so many older admirers. Daphne, Angela and Robert joined all the orphans at their noon mudbath the next day, and it was difficult to identify Seraa, Mpala and Morani in amongst a sizeable group! They were all very relaxed and very much “at home” in their new environment, although they were feeling the heat somewhat. Back in the Nairobi Nursery, it was little Ol Malo who suffered most from the absence of the bigger elephants, and especially Seraa, of whom she was particularly fond. She went into a serious depression, standing dejectedly alone apart from the others, passing loose stools. There was tremendous excitement on the 20th upon the arrival of Seraa, Mpala and Morani, and instant recognition between Seraa and Solango, both of whom arrived in the Nursery within 2 days of each other, and both of whom come from Shaba National Reserve. The Tsavo orphans were brought in to greet the newcomers in separate groups, in order not to overwhelm the babies and it is interesting that it was the females of the older group who noticed their presence first before the bulls, namely Natumi, Yatta, Kinna and Nasalot. Emily’s senior group arrived in a rush, obviously knowing that something was up and Emily immediately tried to coax Seraa between her legs (an expression of immediate “adoption” and love). Mpala was slightly daunted and kept close to the Keepers but Morani immediately took a “shine” to Aitong. On the 23rd the orphans again joined 6 wild elephants who had two calves the size of Mweya. Only Mpala and Seraa were slightly wary and remained close to the Keepers whilst all the others interacted. Again on the 24th 2 wild bulls joined the orphans, daunting Mweya and Seraa, but Morani immediately enjoyed their company, and even climbed on one when he lay in the mud! In fact, Morani would have liked to go away with them, but was restrained by the Keepers. On the 28th Emily and Aitong spent the entire day with the newcomers, Emily favouring Morani, and Aitong, Mpala. Meanwhile, Natumi, Kinna and Yatta vied with each other for possession of Seraa, a tussle that was won by Kinna who spent the entire day close to Seraa. Back at the Stockades Solango and Mweya had an altercation over who should have Morani, which was won by Solango. He lay his trunk across Morani’s back in a gesture of love. It has been a peaceful and satisfying month in our Nairobi Elephant Nursery, with all the little inmates now healed, both mentally and physically, and all now settled, happy and thriving. Morani’s horrendous bullet wounds are now just a painful memory, and instead of wanting to kill every human in sight, he now gentles them all, as forgiving as only an elephant can be. Seraa’s pneumonia of 2 years ago, that almost took her from us, is an even more distant memory, for she is now plump and healthy, Mpala and little Ol Malo who, for weeks, could not sleep at night being so psychologically traumatized, now enjoy untroubled and peaceful sleep, nightmares a thing of the past. Tomboi and Selengai have cut their first molars, over all the teething problems these usually bring and, Wendi, who owes her life to Thoma’s blood plasma, has been one of the fittest babies we have ever had, ever since! She is Mini-Mum to Selengai, firmly in control and resisting any competition for this role, whilst Seraa respects this whim, and is happy to shower Ol Malo with protective matriarchal affection. Morani and Mpala are best buddies, always feeding a little apart from the junior set and always together, and all the babies have greatly enjoyed the puddles, the mud and the greens brought on by the recent rains. On the morning of the 30th, the Keepers, who were sitting, chatting to one another, were puzzled by the behaviour of Seraa, who kept running forward a few paces, with ears out and a squeaky trumpet, then returning to them, kicking them with a hind leg, and repeating the performance again and again, until Keeper Julius understood that she was trying to tell them something important. The Keepers got up and went forward to see what was troubling Seraa, and sure enough, there was something very threatening, crouched low in the grass, watching the little elephants with a lean and hungry look. It was a lion – one of the very few left in Nairobi National Park, most having been speared by the Masai inhabitants of the Kitengela dispersal area to the Park. Seraa arrived in the Nursery when just 3 months old, the equivalent in age to a 3 month old human baby. If she had ever seen a lion at all, it must have been in her Shaba homeland when less than three months old, yet she knew immediately that she had to alert her human family to something she knew instinctively represented danger. To the best of our knowledge, Seraa had never seen a lion before, yet, somehow she knew that her Keepers must be alerted to this threat and she did this in the way a mother elephant would wake up her sleeping baby – by kicking it gently with a hind leg. Working with animals is a humbling experience. They are so much smarter than arrogant homo sapiens in so many ways and certainly the elephant babies are a never-ending source of wonder and amazement to us who are privileged to be able to count them as “family”! Olmalo is one of the easiest orphans we have ever had, simply because she arrived in such good condition. The next morning she was out and about with the others, a hot favourite with Seraa, who has allowed Wendi to take control of little Sungelai. Whilst Seraa is resigned to allowing Wendi to be “mother”’to Sengelai, she is determined that Olmalo will be her “baby”, and wants her close at all times whilst Tomboi is happy to be everyone’s baby! Wendi is not unlike Mweya in character, a very “pushy” and determined little elephant, who enjoys downing unsuspecting visitors, something that will now have to be energetically discouraged for she is nearly 6 months old. Having been newborn on arrival, the transfusion of plasma taken from Thoma’s blood has made her one of the fittest little elephants we have ever had, even cutting her first molars without the usual tummy upsets. Even Morani, who has benefited from being within a wild elephant herd for over a year, finds her rather badly behaved, and gives her a hard shove whenever she is rude to one of the others. However, he and Mpala prefer to keep to themselves, slightly apart from the juniors and Seraa. Immediately upon arrival, little Selengai settled in, drinking copious quantities of rehydration and during the course of that first night downing 15 pints of SMA Goldcap milk - not a bad start, although 18 would have been better. She was exhausted and slept well, cuddled up beside a Keeper and covered in a blanket. As usual, she was given the usual prophylactic injectible course of antibiotics. The welcome from the others the next day was very touching. They were all delighted to see her, Seraa acting as a little "mother", but Wendi also eager to play that role, pushing Seraa aside in a determined way. Tomboi looked a little confused confronted by another of exactly his size, despite the fact that he is now three months old! Mpala became immediately protective, facing outwards with ears out, warning all and sundry to keep their distance! Seraa and Mpala are growing apace, and both now have tiny tusks that have broken through the lip and are visible when they proudly raise their trunks to show them off. Wendi is a very assertive little elephant, not unlike Mweya, who has a mind of her own and enjoys displaying her strength by charging the visitors, revelling in the raction! Tomboi obviously admires such antics, and hesitantly sometimes tries to do the same, but is a much gentler personality, and also a diminutive elephant. Wendi adores little Selengai, and wants to be her "mother", shoving Seraa aside whenever she tries to take control of the calf! Seraa is placid and long-suffering, and allows this precocious baby to get away with it and, of course, the time will come when she will have to be disciplined for charging the visitors! Seraa and Mpala continue to grow apace and thrive. Mpala's tiny tusks are now visible when he lifts his trunk and are proudly displayed to onlookers who visit him in the evenings in his night quarters. Seraa us becoming quite plump and portly, but is still a squat little elephant. No doubt she will shoot up once she is down in Tsavo. These two Nursery inmates will be ready to join the Tsavo group after the next rains in May, and can be assured of a rousing welcome from Thoma, Burra, Sosian and Solango who will remember their shared Nursery time together. Seraa is a very proud mini Matriarch of the two smaller babies, and also very protective of Mweya, especially when our Vet visits her! Mpala is something of a loner, and just gets on with whatever he is doing. He is plump, happy and doing fine, as is Seraa. The stars of the daily mudbath hour are, of course, tiny Wendi and Tomboi, who enchant everyone with their playful behaviour and trusting antics. |
