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We knew we were nearing the end of the dry season, but were pleasantly surprised by a rainstorm this week. It was a real soaker, so the rainy season has officially started off with a bang. Before the shower began, one of our caregivers noticed that Kenya was scenting the air, with her trunk up in the direction of the storm, kind of like a snorkel. After a minute, she turned around and walked into the bushes. We don’t know if she’s ever experienced storms like this one before (Mendoza averages 9-11 inches of rain a year while the closest city to the sanctuary averages 71-79 inches a year). Our rainy season storms can be significant–so it makes sense that she was extra curious. 

On rainy days, the Asian elephants often get really silly. They seem light and playful and we’ll often find them covered in mud or in the pond. The African elephants seem to have similar reactions, which is lovely to see. For her part, Kenya started getting rowdy in the trees. We could tell where she was because we saw the top of a tree wiggling back and forth, and then heard a loud crack–and the tree stopped wiggling. She emerged from the bushes seeming delighted with herself. Meanwhile, Pupy took the opportunity to play in the mud wallow she created by the water trough. Rain, of course, means even more muddy goodness and she was making quite a mess. 

Both elephants decided to have dinner together in Yard 1, and they stood next to each other throughout. Pupy continues to move toward Kenya from the side rather than face-to-face. She’ll walk near and then turn her bottom around, edging closer that way. This behavior is typical of an elephant who is being submissive and a little bit protective of herself. Kenya has never approached her in a way that was remotely aggressive, but Pupy’s history with Kuky and Mara may be impacting how she enters into this new relationship. Both girls appear to be enjoying their time together and their time apart, since they separate and do their own things but come back together all rumbly, before heading back out on their own again.

P.S.: Now that we’ll have more frequent and substantial rain, Kenya’s skin is going to truly begin recovering. Steady rain is going to condition her skin better than any hose or bath ever could, because it saturates more effectively. Some of the layers will start to peel off and there should start to be a visible difference after several weeks, though it will certainly take many months to really resolve. 

Kenya enjoying a snack of alfalfa hay as Pupy watches on in the background