Notty the Zebra
We’re at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi for a brief visit. We’ve stopped off on our way to our volunteering assignment in schools around Wamunyu to experience the Elephants that Sheldrick have rescued. Firstly, though, it’s Tytan the Rhino and Notty the Zebra. Both were rescued at almost the same time and have an entertaining inter-species bond.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust are only open for an hour a day and respect their animals’ rehabilitation enough to manage their contact with people the rest of the time. There’s a small audience which is close but a respectful distance.
Notty is still being hand-fed milk from a large bottle. It’s no substitute for a mother. She drinks it eagerly.
There are three distinct species of Zebra. The most common in Kenya is the Plains Zebra. That’s what Notty is.
There are leaves for her to browse as well as the milk. I love the sensitive hairs on her chin and lips.
And there are funny faces to pull, which show just how closely related to horses and donkeys the zebras are.
I wonder how many of the classic Zebra sounds Notty will be able to make, given her separation from her mother? As we say goodbye to Notty, I’m hopeful that bray, whinny, neigh, snort, and squeal will all be part of her vocabulary.
Now we are promised Elephants. Inside I’m squealing.
More adventures in Kenya
A Lion so close I could pet it There's a Lion in the Masai Mara and we're on safari to see it. Four of us are in an… read more
Hooded Vultures assemble There's a corpse in the long grass. We think it's the remains of a Buffalo. That means Hooded Vultures, Necrosyrtes… read more
My first views of wild African Elephants There is a small family group of Elephants in the distance. Seeing them in the landscape is something new for… read more
Black-Backed Jackals We're out on a safari drive in the Masai Mara in Kenya. Our guide and driver, Gladys, is an expert… read more
Even-toes Animals with hooves are either odd-toed or even-toed. The odd-toed ones are horses, rhinos and tapirs. The even-toed ones are… read more
A tiny Dik-Dik on my lawn Here at Mara Ngenche Safari Camp, in the Masai Mara in Kenya, the luxury is slightly overwhelming. When I booked… read more
A gorgeous Three-Banded Plover and a Lilac-Breasted Roller We're in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. I think it's an indestructible Toyota Land Cruiser. Gladys is our local Kenyan guide for… read more
On safari in the Masai Mara The twelve of us who have been volunteering in Kenya for Kenya Connect for the past eight days have been… read more
The rooftop retirement party and the revelation of my Spirit Animal It's been a hectic week volunteering on a literacy programme in Kenya for Kenya Connect. I've had little time to… read more
Muthoki Country Lodge and a Grey-Headed Kingfisher Muthoki Country Lodge has been our home in Wamunyu for the week, with luxurious tents and fabulous food. We have… read more
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, the National Bank of Kenya, and the Reading Road Rally We're out in Kenya Connect's Institution Bus on a road trip for the Reading Road Rally. It's part of my… read more
The boy who would only play with sand Before I came to Kenya, my colleague Liz told me she had been to a special school on her last… read more