Getting Started Aſt er breakfast, it’s time to leave the nursery. T is is a cold morning. A keeper named Amos puts a wool blanket on Murka’s back. She has never worn a blanket before. Amos ties an old pair of stockings over the blanket and around her middle. It makes a perfect belt. Now the blanket won’t fall off when she walks. In the wild, baby elephants rely on their
herd. T ey live with their mothers, sisters, and aunts. T e oldest female leads the herd. She is the matriarch, and she is in charge. Each day, the matriarch leads the herd to
search for food and water. Elephants eat up to 180 kilograms (400 pounds) of plants each day. Because they eat so much, they need room to roam to find what they need. On this day, Mishak will act like the
orphans’ mother. T e baby elephants line up behind him. Murka lines up, too. T en Mishak leads them into the forest. Here, the elephants play with one another and with the keepers. Murka watches as the elephants and men chase a soccer ball. Some orphans shove each other with their heads or trunks. T ey are trying to see who is stronger. Murka flares her ears and curls her trunk. She shows that she is not ready to play with the others yet.
Lessons Worth Learning T e morning passes quickly. Now the sun is warm. T e elephants no longer need blankets. It’s time for Murka to learn some important
lessons. A mother elephant usually teaches her baby how to survive. She keeps her baby close to her for the fi rst year. T e mother will not let her baby wander beyond the reach of her trunk. She teaches her baby what plants are safe to
eat. She teaches the baby how to stay safe from predators. She also teaches a lesson about mud. In the wild, elephants learn to coat their skin
with a layer of wet mud. T is keeps them cool in the heat. It also makes a thick crust on their skin when it dries. T is keeps insects away.
Mud Bath Today, Murka will learn the mud lesson from Mishak and the other orphans. T e herd of orphans finds a large, muddy puddle. One of the orphans charges in. It slips
and slides on the slick mud. T en it sucks up a trunkful of mud. It sprays it into the sky. A shower of mud rains down on the baby elephant. T e keepers laugh. It’s bath time! T e other orphans join in. T ey squirt one
another. T ey stamp their feet in the mud. T at kicks up gooey clumps of mud. With loud trumpeting, they call to Murka. T ey are telling her to join them. Murka stays by the edge of the mud puddle.
This elephant gets a friendly pat from its keeper.
She’s not sure what to do. Mishak scoops up some of the runny mud and pours it on her head. It dribbles down her back. T e mud is cool. Suddenly, she understands.
She takes a small step forward into the puddle. She sucks up some mud with her trunk and sprays it on her back. Aſt er a long day, the orphans follow Mishak
back to the nursery. Soon, it’s time to go to sleep. T is time, Amos comes to tuck Murka in. She gently sweeps her trunk across his face.
He knows why she is doing this. She wants to get to know him. She touches his nose, his cheeks, his eyes. He sings to her soſt ly until she falls asleep.
MAY 2013 15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24