Olare, the orphaned elephant fostered by RedCarpetRoxy.com photo: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Here are the keepers’ latest updates and journal entries for Olare, the orphaned elephant whom I foster at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.
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Monthly summary for Nursery Unit : April, 2010
The very sudden and unexpected death of a great Nursery favourite, Nchan, during the early hours of 15th April came as a devastating blow for us all. We had nurtured Nchan in the Nursery for a full year and she had always been a very happy and playful little elephant who appeared to be in good health with nothing untoward to warn us of such an impending disaster. She was deeply loved, both by all her Keepers as well as the other Nursery babies – a very caring and gentle little elephant who had the makings of a wonderful Matriarch and who enjoyed life to the full right up until the moment she was suddenly taken ill.
Unusually she refused her 3 p.m. milk feed the previous afternoon, but we thought that she had probably simply eaten something that did not agree with her. However, obvious stomach pain turned alarming, so the Vet was hurriedly summonsed, who came and gave her Buscopan and an anti- inflammatory injection to ease her discomfort. Much to everyone’s relief, she seemed to be on the mend by evening for she took her milk feed at 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and also at midnight, but then suddenly began rolling on the ground in agony, her stomach rapidly distending like a balloon. The Keepers rushed to wake up Daphne and Angela who joined them in trying to massage Nchan’s blown belly, and get her to stand in order to walk her around in an effort to disperse the bloat, having given her another Buscopan injection. But, she was unable to stand, and her breathing was laboured. She died a short while later, surrounded by her sorrowing human family who were left in shock with no dry eyes.
An autopsy the next morning determined that peritonitis from a burst duodenal ulcer was the cause of death, and that there was nothing any of us could have done to save her. Whilst there was small consolation knowing this, we were left wondering why on earth Nchan developed an ulcer, for she was certainly never stressed whilst with us. Such a condition, according to the Vet, was probably as a result of earlier trauma and certainly Nchan’s rescue last April had been extremely traumatic. Having fallen down a well dug in the sands of the Milgis Lugga, she could only hear her elephant family walking away having given up all hope of rescuing her. Furthermore, having been hauled out by the Milgis Trust scouts literally moments before the lugga flooded in a raging torrent, she was left unattended during the night, in the hopes that her cries might bring the elephant family back to retrieve her. Although the scouts were keeping vigil over her to ward off the hungry hyenas that were gathering, Nchan must have been terror-stricken alone and so vulnerable during the hours of darkness. Having given up all hope of ever seeing her again, her elephant family had long gone, released from their dry season range by the rainwater that was suddenly available to them. Nchan had then to be over-powered by her human captors again, and flown to the Nursery the next morning.
Aside from this tragedy, the month has been dominated by intense daily competition between all the older Nursery females – Olare, Suguta, Ndii and Dida to secure possession of the smallest and latest Nursery baby, tiny Sities, so named because she came in last month on the day the delegates at the Doha Cites Conference voted in favour of the elephants on the ivory issue.. Every morning all the older females rush to Sities’ night stable to be at hand to welcome her the moment she emerges and offer up their ears for her to suckle. Olare, being the oldest and strongest, usually wins out, but Suguta, who is the main Matriarch of the small baby group accompanying Tano, Mutara, Shukuru, Chemi Chemi, Turkwel Kalama and Kimana who remain closer to home when the older elephants go out to browse, does not give up easily. Sities herself has selected Suguta as her favourite mother and unless hijacked by one of the other females, enjoys nestling beneath Suguta’s chin and sucking on her ears. On the 21st however Suguta arrived to find Olare already with Sities, and this didn’t go down well with her. Pretending to walk away, she then rapidly swung round and charged at Olare, taking her unawares and knocking her to the ground, but then knowing that reprisals would come, ran to hide behind the stables. It was poor Sabachi, an innocent onlooker, who bore the brunt of Olare’s wrath and found himself knocked down in place of the culprit. His bellows brought the Keepers hurriedly to his rescue and once the older elephants had been escorted out to the forest to browse, Suguta re-emerged to take possession of Sities and the other babies.
This month little Sities has been cutting her first molars and has been slightly off colour as a result, which is not unusual during the teething process, but always makes us anxious. By month end most of the first molars had erupted through the gum and she was feeling a little better, albeit having lost condition – no longer the plump baby she was on arrival. Again, this is not unusual as newcomers adjust to their new circumstances and different milk.
The very close friendship of Kilaguni and Kibo endures. The two are inseparable and each morning finds them seeking one another out to indulge in their favourite pastime – a pushing test of strength. Such bouts usually find Kilaguni dominant but as a very gentle little elephant, he is humble in victory and quick to comfort his opponent. However, Kibo had the satisfaction of winning one contest on a rainy day when Kilaguni lost his balance and slipped in the mud. Sabachi often longs to partake in the daily Kibo/Kilaguni games, but the two boys are quick to ignore his input.
Chemi Chemi on the other hand has proved a handful for his peers, taking every opportunity to shove them around, so much so that he has earned been nick-named “Al Quaida” by his Keepers. This “pushiness” is a frequent aftermath in the wake of losing the elephant family, and something that gradually corrects itself with the passage of time. For instance, Turkwel was the same on arrival, but to a lesser degree, and is now a very gentle and caring sub Nannie under Suguta, who is entrusted with little Sities, when Suguta takes time out to play with her friends or disperse the warthog family who are always around, since they feel safe close to the elephants and their Keepers. That said, a lion managed to grab an elderly mother pig, who has earned the name “Pembe” because she has one broken tusk, but fortunately the Keepers were at hand to save her. Having been bitten and scratched in the rump, she took to lying in the mudbath, refusing to budge for any elephant, and was sufficiently trusting to allow Angela to give her a penicillin jab which helped her recovery. The warthogs can always be relied upon to provide a distraction for the orphans, who enjoy chasing them providing they oblige by running away. The seasoned mother pigs often confront the elephants, which sends the orphans into disarray leaving them totally un-done for hours!
Since his arrival Chemi Chemi’s “pushiness” has been directed at his elephant peers, and never the Keepers, of whom he is very fond. Perhaps there was another little boy of his age in his erstwhile wild herd against whom he harboured a grudge or possibly he is resentful about losing his natural family. We will never know, but what we do know is that this behaviour is transitory and does not last once the orphans have recovered psychologically and are settled to their new circumstances. That said, however, Turkwel retains an antipathy towards Kalama for some reason, and likewise Kimana and Chaimu seem to have a score to be settle. Their pushing games often end up in a tough fight in which either one of the older elephants or the Keepers have to intervene. Olare has emerged the main Matriarch, ably assisted by Ndii, whilst Dida, who, in fact, is older, seems happy to take a back seat.
An interesting incident occurred on the 21st when Suguta mounted a demonstration of how to eject an intruder, something that was eagerly watched by Tano, Shukuru, Mutara, Turkwel and Chemi Chemi. With her ears out, she repeatedly charged and trampled down small shrubs, even attempted to go after birds flying overhead, all the while trumpeting. Mutara, Shukuru Tano and Turkwel then followed suit, soon joined by Chaimu, who had been feeding some way off. She curled her trunk up underneath her chin, and with head held high, charged bushes at high speed! Clearly all the youngster were suitably impressed by this demo!
Shukuru is totally besotted by one Keeper – the favourite of all orphaned elephants, and a man who has been with us since l987 – Mischak Nzimbi – the Keeper who helped Emily’s dying calf back to the Voi Stockades. If Mischak is around, Shukuru is glued to him, and becomes extremely possessive, wanting him all to herself. Every morning she mounts a search for him.
Frequent light showers of rain throughout the month have made the month of April entertaining for the Nursery elephants, who have enjoyed playing in the puddles, small running streams of rain run-off, and, of course, mud at every turn. Aside from the tragedy of losing Nchan, it has been a happy month for the orphans, several of whom are now ready for the transition to Tsavo, sporting small tusks, having passed their second birthday. Transfers will be taking place shortly, although the decision about who goes, and who stays has yet to be finalized. For instance, Suguta should be one to go, but her absence could upset Sities and compromise the health of a fragile baby who has only recently cut her first molars. Kilaguni and Kibo will probably be heading for Ithumba, where they will remember Meibai, and Dida and Ndii to Voi to join those they loved in the Nursery who have preceded them.
The Rhinos:- It has been a peaceful and uneventful month for our three rhino orphans. Shida continuing to turn up on a daily basis to check out blind Maxwell and indulge in a mock battle through the separating poles of their adjoining stockades. Maxwell looks forward to Shida’s visits, his cut greens, his mud and soil baths, a romp around his stockade, a rub up against the stumps of shrubs he has demolished, his filarial abrasions anointed with essential oil insect deterrents, accompanied by a tummy rub and his daily milk and porridge treats, even though he is almost fully grown, taller even than short Shida and no longer milk dependent! Maalim’s routine follows the same procedure each day, i.e. 4 hourly milk feeds, the rounds of rhino dungpiles and urinals during the hours of daylight in order to leave his specific “visiting cards” which are the pre-requisite to being accepted as part of the Park’s resident wild rhino community, a mudbath after all the visitors have left, so that he is not tempted to playfully “down” any of them, and by 6 p.m., back in his stable for a massage and a sleep beneath the beloved mattress during the night! 
Monthly summary for Ithumba Unit : April, 2010
Intermittent heavy rain fell throughout the month, providing a great deal of entertaining diversion for all the Ithumba elephants, eight of whom remain Keeper and Night Stockade dependent,, escorted out each morning by their Keepers. These are Loijuk (now the main Matriarch of this group), Makena, Chyulu, Zurura, Loijuk, Kenze, Sian, Lenana and little Meibai. That said Kenze and Lenana were taken by Yatta after the Juniors’ noon mudbath towards the end of the month on a trial run at being “wild” but were returned to the Stockades by Yatta in the evening, obviously having had second thoughts about it all! Meanwhile, it would appear that Lualeni has obviously been detailed by Yatta to spend time chaperoning the Youngsters for much of the month since Wendi has been largely conspicuous by her absence this month and has only put in one appearance this month to collect Lualeni from the Stockade in the evening, and return her to Yatta’s unit, because she arrived the next day in amongst Yatta’s satellites!.
Yatta remains the main Matriarch of the 23 ex orphans who are now fully rehabilitated and Keeper Independent leading normal wild elephant lives and fraternizing freely with wild companions. Sub Matriarchs within Yatta’s group, mainly Wendi and Naserian, who previously were Leaders of the Junior orphans in their time, often split from Yatta’s main group (probably with Yatta’s approval) to travel independently along with whoever wants to come along as well, keeping in regular touch with the Youngsters. Previously Wendi mainly fulfilled this function but this month has seen a change since Wendi has only made one appearance, obviously enjoying “time off” while Yatta herself has taken on this role during the month, keeping in almost daily contact with the dependent group, and missing only a few days following heavy rain storms.
Meibai, the smallest and youngest Ithumba orphan, basks in the special attention and outpouring of love of all the other Ithumba orphans. Loijuk adores him and keeps very close watch over him, but so do all the others whenever they meet up and spend time together. It is as though all are very aware that they are lucky to have him still alive amongst them, since his two peers, Enasoit and Naimina, who were transferred from the Nursery along with him and were also drought orphans, died suddenly, and unexpectedly probably as a result of the hookworm transmitted by cattle. They died within a day of one another and mysteriously, due to that inexplicable elephant perception, all the ex orphans now living wild turned up at the Stockades as Enasoit was dying, as though alerted as to the tragedy that was unfolding. Thereafter, they spent time with the Youngsters as though to comfort them during a period of deep grief.
Interactions between the Keeper dependent orphans and those now living wild have been frequent this month. Naserian came with Napasha, Lualeni and Kora to join the Youngsters at their noon mudbath on the 5th, leaving Napasha behind to spend the rest of the afternoon with the Juniors and escort them back to their Night Stockades in the evening. The next day (6th) after a week long absence, Yatta made a brief stop at the Stockades accompanied by Mulika, Kinna, Selengai, Taita, Rapsu, Orok, Tomboi, Challa and Buchuma and after greeting the Keepers, proceeded to the mudbath venue, just missing the Juniors who had already left. However, Yatta’s group joined them during the afternoon, when there was a joyful and highly charged reunion ceremony – trumpeting, rumbling and urinating accompanied the loving inter-twining of trunks. Inevitably, Meibai was, as usual, the focus of attention for once the greetings subsided, all the ex orphans homed in on him, which un-nerved Loijuk, who obviously feared that they might take him from her! However, having escorted the Juniors back to the Night Stockades, extending “tight security” top Meibai in their midst, the ex orphans made no attempt to take him and were happy to allow him to follow Loijuk into the Stockade for the night.
The following day at 3 p.m. Yatta’s group again joined the Juniors out in the bush and when they decided to depart, left Napasha and Lualeni to chaperone the Juniors and escort them back to the Stockades in the evening. However, at first light the next morning (8th) Lualeni was waiting at the Stockade doors for the Youngsters to emerge, obviously having spent the night nearby and remaining with them all day, moving off only when the Juniors were safely ensconced for the night. Surprisingly, Wendi turned up to collect Lualeni that night, and obviously escorted her back to Yatta, for the next morning Lualeni was again waiting at the Stockade Gates for the Youngsters to emerge. She was with them again all day, and that evening returned with them actually into a Stockade as of old – an unusual treat for the Juniors. Thereafter Lualeni remained a part of Loijuk’s Junior group until the 11th when Yatta’s group joined them briefly, this time accompanied by the young wild bull recruit named “Mgeni” plus two other wild friends. Having greeted the Youngsters Yatta and her entourage, headed westwards, leaving Lualeni and the youngsters moving in an easterly direction for the day, but that evening Yatta returned to the Stockades and took Lualeni off with her!
The next day (12th) Yatta’s group and the wild friends turned up early in the morning and browsed with the Youngsters for two hours before separating. Lualeni was once again left on Junior duty. However, Yatta and her wild friends were back to join the Youngsters at 8 a.m. the next morning and were with the Youngsters throughout the morning and at the noon mudbath, only departing from them later in the afternoon. Yatta’s group again passed by the Stockades briefly the next day after the Juniors had left.
That day there was a heavy rainstorm which provided a great deal of entertainment for the Juniors, who were all soon plastered in red mud, and according to the Keepers, looked like red anthills in amongst the lush vegetation. The ex orphans chose to also enjoy the wet conditions and were absent until the 16th when Mulika, Selengai, Taita and Kinna joined the Juniors at their noon mudbath and enjoyed wallowing with them. However, the Juniors left the mudbath venue leaving their now wild peers the ex behind to savor what had turned into a mini lake.
The 17th was the day that Yatta decided that Lenana and Kenze have some wild initiation and went off with them, having spent an hour feeding amongst the Juniors. Yatta brought them back to join the Juniors at their noon mudbath but then left with them again. However, that evening Kenze and Lenana were returned to the Stockades by Yatta, probably having had second thoughts!
On the 25th the Juniors were joined again by Lualeni who arrived with Naserian, Kora, and a very nervous wild bull, who sheltered behind Kora with his ears standing out indicating mounting unease about the presence of the Keepers! However, he plucked up sufficient courage to tag along on the return journey to the Stockades in the evening, but must have been very relieved when Naserian, Lualeni and Kora left.
Yatta’s group, which included Naserian as well as two wild elephant friends were seen passing by the Stockades at 7.30 a.m. on the 28th and on the 29th Yatta came running past pursued by a randy wild boyfriend. Both disappeared into the thickets beyond, so what happened next was not witnessed by the Keepers and must remain a secret! Yatta was quite obviously not comfortable with this particular bull, so even if she ended up being raped by him, stress would probably inhibit conception. The month of April has certainly been action packed for the Ithumba orphans with a great deal of contact between those now Keeper independent and those that have yet to make the transition.
Monthly summary for Voi Unit : April, 2010
Currently, 10 young elephants remain at the Voi Stockades in the process of rehabilitation back into the wild community, orphan Shira having recently chosen to attach herself to a wild herd. Although the Keepers have been keeping an eye out for her during their routine motorized patrolling, so far they have not been able to spot her, but we are hopeful that once the dry season takes hold again, Shira will return for supplementary feeding. She has always been eager to forego milk in order to resume a wild life again, previously tempted on many occasions to go off with Icholta from Emily’s group.
Emily and her satellites have returned to the Voi Stockades just once this month, on the 13th, when baby Eve, being wild-born, gave the Keepers quite a run around, whilst Emily kept a close watch on events! Some of the young bulls from Emily’s unit have been spotted away from Emily’s main group, perhaps, being teenagers, encouraged to become more independent, which is normal. Solango turned up alone to join the Keeper Dependent orphans on the 19th, and made himself unpopular by trying to mount the youngsters, prompting the intervention of the Keepers. Kenia voiced her disapproval loud and long but nevertheless the youngsters had to put up with Solango’s company since he returned to the Stockades with them in the evening and would have gone in had the Keepers not barred him!
The Voi unit orphans encountered 2 wild bulls at their noon mudbath on the 1st, with whom they briefly exchanged greetings. A wild cow who had been browsing half way up Mazinga hill, left her group on the l0th to follow the youngsters, but they were in too much of hurry for their milk to bother about her. Two large bulls who appeared at the orphans’ mudbath on the 12th and 23rd were likewise ignored, the orphans too much in awe of them to be tempted to approach.
The daily routine of the Voi group follows the same general routine – a milk feed first thing in the morning upon being let out of their night quarters, with a romp around the compound before heading out to browse during the morning. They then make their way to the mudbath venue of the day, where the midday milk ration awaits them, and following the mudbath (which is dependent upon the temperature of the day), they usually enjoy soil dusting to dry off, before browsing again throughout the afternoon, gradually making their way back to the Stockades in the evening. There another milk feed awaits them before they go in for the night, cut Grewia branches stacked inside to provide a night-time snack of nutritious bark.
Favoured feeding grounds are around, or up, nearby Mazinga Hill, or alternatively down the hill in the main section of the Park. When browsing takes place around the hill, the mudbath and noon milk feed happens back at the Stockades but if browsing takes place down the hill, in the main section of the Park, the orphans enjoy a mud wallow in one of the rain-filled natural waterholes after their noon milk ration. Thereafter they dry off with a dust-bath and rest under shade in the heat of the day, before resuming the afternoon browsing as they make their way back in the evening. The third milk feed of the day awaits them at the Stockades, after which they go inside for the night, with cut browse stacked for their night-time snack.
Mzima and Siria are best friends and pushing mates, always eager to take on each other, whilst Shimba is more of a loner. Lempaute, ever the imp of the group, devised a new trick this month to gain Taveta’s attention. She plucked grass with her trunk and laid it on her back so that he could help himself! Thereafter, Taveta showed his approval by remaining close to her all day. Tassia is Wasessa’s favourite, and should he happen to disappear from her view, she becomes very disturbed. These two are never far apart and Lesanju, Lempaute and Sinya are close friends. It is always a great treat to lead the herd, a privilege that has been evenly shared this month between Lesanju, Sinya, Kenia, Mzima and Taveta. All the Voi Unit orphans love their new base, and have thrived, both food and water being abundant all year.
Below are the last five entries for Olare in the daily review of the Keeper’s Diary: Total listings found: 85
Listings below from Page #1 of 18 : From 1 – 5
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| 6/30/2010 | This morning the orphans left their stables and Stockades very early, being filmed for Daphne’s presentation in London in September at the Royal Geopgraphical Society. All headed out into the bush in one straight line with Kandecha leading. He likes feeding apart from the others, although Olare has tried very hard to win his love, but so far he does not appear interested, probably because he is missing his elephant family. Suguta was very protective of little Sities, escorting her out into the bush.
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| 6/29/2010 | Suguta is very protective of her herd, and resents outsiders coming to film the orphans whilst out in the bush, sometimes blocking them, especially if they crouch down. This proves that she, and not Olare, is the main Matriarch of the Nursery Unit.
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| 6/22/2010 | Today was the first day that the newcomer, Kandecha, was allowed out of his Stockade to join the other orphans in the bush. All the orphans came to his Stockade to accompany him and he behaved so well that one would not have believed that he was a wild elephant just a few days ago. He was welcomed very warmly by Olare and the others and even at the mudbath, surrounded by human visitors, he didn’t cause any trouble at all. He is thoroughly enjoying his milk now, but his stools have a lot of worms. He will be de-wormed just as soon as he is a little stronger.
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| 6/16/2010 | It was another very cloudy and cold morning, so the babies had to have heavy blankets to keep them warm, Sities, Mawenzi and Turkwel with the heaviest ones. Sities and Shukuru led the column out into the bush with Melia and Mawenzi bringing up the rear. Olare and Kalama began a rolling game, joined by Melia and Kibo and later, Tumaren who inadvertently stepped on Kibo’s tail. Kibo was furious and jumped up, head butting Tumaren, who almost fell down and thereafter engaging her in a fight, until Olare separated the two.
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| 6/15/2010 | It was a fun-filled day for the Nursery orphans. The babies came first to the mudbath with Mutara and Shukuru running ahead of the others. Having downed their milk, they all enjoyed playing in the large pile of soft red earth. Kalama and Kudup went to play with the hundreds of school-children who turned up for today’s mudbath while Sities once again stole the show displaying her football skills. Once the babies had left, the older elephants came in highly excited by such a lot of onlookers. Olare and Suguta ran around with their ears out, because the school kids were making such a lot of noise. Suguta began kicking the football around, the visitors keeping a close eye on her so that she did not charge the noisy guests.
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