No sooner had young Chucky settled in, another came along.

This one is a 3 months old bush pig. The medium size one amongst the three wild pigs found in Kenya. The largest, of course you knew, is the elusive giant forest hog.

This little piggy was actually found by our equestrian amazon friend Rose Caldwell.

On one of her daily outings on the slopes of Mount Kenya her horse shied away from some crows busy picking at ‘something’ in a ditch. Rose moved closer only to discover a tiny newborn and terrified piglet about to be assassinated by the crows sharp beaks.

She managed to scoop it up just in time and walked it back to the safety of their farm house. It would be unusual for crows to go after a bushpig even a small one but, trapped as it was in a ditch they saw their chance. No one knows what happened to “mom.” No doubt she was no longer around, because not only would she have managed the crows she would most certainly have had a go at Rose’s mare’s legs in defence of her young.

Rose reared the little pig on an infant bottle filled with milk, egg and sugar and the little bundle thrived, grew and soon made digging up the garden her favourite sport. So much that inevitably trouble brewed in the Caldwell household and to avoid total destruction not only to the beautiful garden but also their many years of happy marriage, the Caldwells decided it was time Piggy went somewhere she would meet creatures more her match and be prepared for a future in her ancestral wilderness home. That is how she came to us.

She is yet too young for return to the wild and must stay a few months longer before she begins her eventual journey back to the wild. Meanwhile she has exchanged digging for chasing the other orphans who jovially tolerate her antics. Our little Buffalo “Bella” is however specially taken with her and they are beginning to bond. One thing is for sure: Bella will always be bigger than the Ms. Piggy and that fact of life, she will probably continue to respect!

Ms. Piggy is looking for your sponsorship in fostering or adoption…
adoption.animalorphanagekenya.org

Minute and vulnerable, he was forcefully separated from his mother and siblings.

The pair of mighty martial eagles that have been spotted now for a few days signal the onset of baby season for warthog families. The prolonged drought has forced many expectant hog families to leave their parched savannah homes for the still relatively healthy pastures of the mountain slopes. Here they compete with the rest of the game living under the protection of the MKWC and we wonder how long the food will last with the added burden.

As the martial eagles patiently wait in the trees, their powerful eyes focus on the warthog dens. A few days after giving birth the

sow gets ready to move her new litter to confuse nocturnal Jackals and foxes. She is not aware of the imminent danger from the sky. With his over 2 meters of wingspan the eagle descents silently casting a sudden shadow over this happy family outing. By the time the sow sounds the alarm and her piglets scatter, the powerful claws of the mighty bird have already grabbed one of their number and in one hasty swoop the bird and its prey are airborne – the spectacle of nature is over in seconds. This is how inexperienced mothers lose inexperienced piglets. When she stops to count noses one or more fugitives are already out of her earshot and unaware of her call. By night the jackal, the smaller cats, or the fox will find the easy meal.

Not this time, as one of our alert game scouts found the lone piglet squeaking for help he became its saviour and delivered it unharmed to Fundi at our animal Orphanage.

Our loyal friend and Conservancy supporter Chuck Simmons came through at once with a significant sponsorship for the comical piglet, hence named: “Chucky”

Chucky has already dutifully taken up his position as Orphanage clown endearing himself to all he meets. Not unlike most parents that see their own children as smarter and nicer, I must say, “I think this one is different, he really is smarter!!”

He not only follows Fundi all day, he also delights in greeting those of us he can already identify, such as my blue car for instance which sends him racing up to the gate to greet me.

I think we have a winner: “World’s smartest mini hog!!”