One of the major things
that have happened while I have been offline, is how well the youngest orphan
Mphamvu has been doing. When I last updated he was just starting to socialise
with the other orphans free-contact style (with no barriers between) in the outer
boma. I have summed up a few of his major developments here:
Walks outside the outer boma with keeper
(mid November 2014):
Mphamvu had been enjoying socialising with
the other elephants at lunch time and during the evening, but he was not quite
strong enough to go out on the long walks with the other orphans. However, it
is important that he could have bit of variety in his environment, to graze in
different vegetation and to be able to mud wallow in new area. So after the
other orphans set out on their morning walk, Keeper Eldridge coaxed him outside
the boma using his milk bottle and led him to the Ox-Bow just outside the outer
boma. He soon realised this new area was very interesting and enthusiastically
began grazing on the soft fresh grass by the water. He then spent a few hours
in this area, coming back into the boma peacefully with the other elephants at
lunch time. His condition improved further and gaining strength every day.
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| Here Mphamvu is being coaxed out of the boma with his milk bottle and enjoying the variety of grazing at the water |
