TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT REPORT MAY 2019

SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT MAY 2019

Introduction

9 Cases in May

7 Poaching Cases

100% Success

May Report by Dr. Jeremiah Poghon The month of May returned mixed fortunes for Tsavo Conservation Area with moderate increase in rainfall across the ecosystem hence plenty of lush forage and water was available for wildlife. On the negative side the region witnessed an increase in cases of arrow and snare injuries, targeting mainly elephant bulls in the southern and northern sections of Tsavo East National Park. This was attributed to poaching attempts as they targeted only elephant bulls with big tusks. In the month under review a zebra that had strayed into community area was captured and translocated to Chyulu National Park, a big Tusker named “ wide Satao� was treated for a fresh arrow wound, a waterbuck was desnared along Voi River, a former orphan elephant bull was treated for an arrow wound in Ithumba while 3 other bulls were treated for arrow wounds in Murondo area in Tsavo East National Park. Finally, an elephant bull was saved from a deep cutting wire snare on the front limb near Ithumba area of northern Tsavo East.

Acknowledgement The unit acknowledges the support of its sponsors ViER PFOTEN through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) for their huge financial support to the unit. We also thank Kenya Wildlife Service through the Assistant director Tsavo conservation area and the head, veterinary and capture services department for their support.

Case Details Date

Species

Area Found

Reason for Intervention

Outcome

10-May-19

Elephant

Tsavo East NP

Arrow

A fresh arrow injury with an arrowhead sticking out the side of the body

Successfully Treated

13-May-19

Zebra

Tsavo East NP

Human Wildlife Conflict

Zebra kept with cattle for several weeks until the story was aired by the media

Task Successful

14-May-19

Waterbuck

Tsavo East NP

Snared

Waterbuck was spotted with a wire snare around the neck

Successfully Treated

14-May-19

Elephant

Tsavo East NP

Arrow

A fresh arrow wound on the left pelvic area with blood oozing out

Successfully Treated

18-May-19

Leopard

Tsavo East NP

Human Wildlife Conflict

A problem leopard that preyed on their goats

Task Successful

20-May-19

Elephant

Tsavo East NP

Arrow

Injury to the left hip area, an arrowhead was retrieved from the wound

Successfully Treated

20-May-19

Elephant

Tsavo East NP

Arrow

The injury was on the right thigh. Arrowhead was retrieved from the wound

Successfully Treated

20-May-19

Elephant

Tsavo East NP

Arrow

The injury was to the groin. Arrowhead was retrieved from the wound

Successfully Treated

21-May-19

Elephant

Tsavo East NP

Snared

Cutting wire snare around the left front limb and arrow wounds to the body

Successfully Treated

SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations May 2019

Case 1 – 10th May 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Dakota, Tsavo East National Park

Tsavo Trust Team reported that a huge elephant bull named Wide Satao had sustained a fresh arrow injury.

The vet team drove to the area where they found the bull alone foraging. There was an obvious injury to the right abdominal area with an arrow head sticking out.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Darting equipment and immobilization drugs were prepared before the team approached the elephant slowly in a vehicle and darted him in the rump. He was trailed from a distance as he ran off. The team tried to push him onto the correct side, but he was too heavy and he fell on the injured side after seven minutes.

There was an arrow wound to the right abdominal area near the inguinal with blood oozing out. The wound had to be enlarged before the arrow could be pulled out. The wound was flushed with antiseptics to wash out pus and tissue debris, then doused with Tincture of Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray before finally being covered with green clay. The elephant was also administered with long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl. Reversal and Prognosis The anaesthesia was reversed by use of M5050 at three times the Etorphine dose. The bull stood up and walked away calmly. Prognosis is good.

Case 2 – 13th May 2019 Zebra

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Athi River, Ikutha

The warden at Mutomo station reported a zebra near Athi River that had ventured out of the Tsavo East National Park and entered a community area. The zebra was hosted by a community member who kept it with her cattle for several weeks until the story was aired by the media. The Tsavo vet team asked for assistance from SWT teams at Ithumba to assist with a pickup truck to move the Zebra.

Immobilisation and Relocation Immobilization drugs containing 7 mgs of Etorphine Hcl and 60 mgs of Azaperone were loaded into a daninject 1.5cc dart. The zebra was easily approached on foot, as it had entered a community member’s compound, and darted in the rump.

The zebra ran for about 200meters and went down on sternal recumbency. The eyes were covered and water poured on the zebra to cool it down.

He was loaded onto a truck and transported to the fenced Chyulu National Park where he was offloaded and anaesthesia reversed.

The Zebra woke up and moved away slowly.

Case 3 – 14th May 2019 Waterbuck

Snared

Voi River, Tsavo East National Park

This male waterbuck was spotted at the Voi Wildlife Lodge waterhole with a wire snare around the neck by a tourist who made the report to the Tsavo Vet unit. The vet team rushed to the area to find the waterbuck lying down alone as the rest of the herd foraged not far from him.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Darting equipment and immobilization drugs were prepared. The dart barrel was filled with 5 mgs of M99 mixed with 40 mgs of Xylazine Hcl in a 1.5cc dan-inject barrel. The waterbuck was approached with a vehicle and darted in the rump; he went down after 8 minutes.

The wire snare was cut loose and the injuries treated with antiseptics and topical antibiotics while antiinflammatories and parenteral antibiotics were administered intramuscularly.

Reversal and Prognosis Finally, the anaesthesia was reversed by administration of Diprenorphine at three times the Etorphine dose and Xylazine reversed by use 0.5 cc of Atipemazole Hcl. The animal woke up and ran off.

Prognosis is good.

Case 4 – 14th May 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Ithumba, Tsavo East National Park

The report was received from the SWT Ithumba stockade team of an injured former orphan elephant bull that visited the stockade waterhole that morning with an obvious injury to the body flank near the pelvic region. The vet was airlifted by the SWT aeroplane to Kaluku then boarded the Trust chopper to Ithumba.

The elephant bull was easily spotted as the Ithumba de-snaring team kept an eye on him.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Darting equipment and immobilization drugs were prepared containing 18 mgs of M99 in a 3 cc Dan-inject dart barrel. The elephant was approached on foot and darted in the rump. The bull became nervous and kept on running but finally went down after 7 minutes. The trunk and the ear were positioned correctly to aid in breathing and plenty of water poured on the ears to cool down from the high temperatures.

The elephant bull had a fresh arrow wound to the left pelvic area with blood oozing out. The wound was enlarged and after probing a sharp arrow head was retrieved from deep inside the muscles with difficulty.

The wound was cleaned with water mixed with Hydrogen peroxide, doused with Tinture of Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray. The wound was finally covered with green clay. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl. Reversal and Prognosis After the anaesthesia was reversed the bull stood up and walked away calmly. Prognosis is good.

Case 5 – 18th May 2019 Leopard

Human-wildlife Conflict

Manyani, Tsavo East National Park

Complaints were received from Manyani prison the borders Tsavo West National Park of a problem Leopard that preyed on their goats that necessitated KWS problem animal team to set up trap cages in the area to capture the problem animal involved.

Examination and Relocation A male leopard was finally captured and brought to the Tsavo vet unit for examination. The leopard was fed on meat and water.

The leopard had to be examined to see if it was fit to be released back to the wild; this is done by immobilizing the animal and checking the canines to see if they are worn out by aging.

He was immobilized by darting with 100 mgs of Ketamine Hcl and 1 mg Meditomidine Hcl. The teeth were declared in good condition. After one hour the leopard was placed back into a cage to recover from the anaesthesia after administration of Yohimbine to reverse one of the anaesthetic drugs.

The leopard recovered well and was released back into the expansive Tsavo East National Park.

Case 6 – 20th May 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Murondo, Tsavo East National Park

The Company commander E coy reported an elephant bull that had sustained an injury near Murondo area of southern Tsavo East. The bull exhibited lameness when walking with blood oozing out from the wound.

The vet team drove to the area where they found 3 injured elephant bulls in the herd. There were obvious injuries on all the three elephant bulls. The one that was oozing pus was first to be darted.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Darting equipment and immobilization drugs were prepared and the dart barrel filled with 18 mgs of M99.

The elephant was approached slowly with a vehicle and darted in the rump. He was trailed slowly from a distance as he ran off and joined the herd. The injury was to the left hip area with pus exudates draining out.

He went down on the right side after 7 minutes.

The pus was cleaned out and the wound enlarged and probed with a long tissue forceps. Deep in the tissues a metallic object was felt and after several attempts an arrow head was pulled out. The wound was flushed with antiseptics to wash out the pus and dead tissue debris. It was then doused with Tinture of Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray and finally covered with wetted green clay. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl. Reversal and Prognosis The anaesthesia was reversed and the bull stood up and walked away calmly. Prognosis is good.

Case 7 – 20th May 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Murondo, Tsavo East National Park

Shortly after treating the first elephant bull with an arrow wound, the team embarked on looking for the second injured bull. The bull was easily located nearby with obvious injury on the right thigh area. There was swelling but minimal oozing.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant was approached slowly with a vehicle and darted in the rump with 18mgs of M99. He was trailed from a distance as he moved off with his group. He went down on the right side after 6 minutes.

Having fallen on the injured side, two landcruisers were used to flip the bull over.

Tissue and pus exudates were cleaned out and the wound enlarged and probed with a long tissue forceps.

Deep in the tissues a metallic object was felt and after a two hour struggle an arrow head was pulled out.

The wound was flushed with antiseptics to wash out the pus and dead tissue debris. It was then doused with Tinture of Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray and finally covered with wetted green clay. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl intramuscularly and intravenously respectively. All this time copious amounts of water was poured on the ears to cool him down.

At some point anaesthesia became light and had to be topped up twice with 5 mgs each.

Reversal and Prognosis The anaesthesia was reversed and the bull stood up and walked away calmly. Prognosis is good.

Case 8 – 20th May 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Murondo, Tsavo East National Park

After treating the second elephant bull with an arrow wound near Murondo, the team embarked on looking for the third injured bull. After about 30 minutes of searching the elephant bull was found with his herd, about a kilometer away. There was swelling on the left groin area with marked swelling and oozing of blood.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment A dart was prepared and filled with 18 mgs of M99. The elephant was approached slowly with a vehicle but he ran off and had to be followed for several minutes before the vet was able to dart him. He was trailed from a distance as he moved off with his herd. He went down on the right side after 10 minutes. The trunk and the ear were positioned correctly to aid in breathing and water splashed on the ears to cool him down.

There was a penetrating wound to the left groin area with marked swelling and bleeding. The wound was probed using long forceps and a metallic object felt deep inside. The wound was enlarged and an arrow head pulled from deep within the muscle tissues. The wound was flushed with Tincture of Iodine and covered with green clay. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and ant-inflammatory drugs intramuscularly and intravenously respectively.

Reversal and Prognosis Having administered all the treatments, and the bull given a clean bill of health the anaesthesia was reversed.

The bull stood up and walked away calmly. Prognosis is good.

Case 9 – 21st May 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Ithumba, Tsavo East National Park

A day after treating the three elephants with arrow wounds in Murondo area of southern Tsavo East the vet team headed north to Ithumba where a snared elephant bull had been spotted by the SWT helicopter during an aerial patrol in the area. The vet travelled by vehicle to the Kaluku SWT airstrip then boarded the trust helicopter for the 20minute journey to Ithumba. The bull was easily spotted at a waterhole nearby.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment A dart was prepared and filled with 18 mgs of M99. The ground teams were directed to an area near where the animal had been seen. The chopper approached the elephant bull, which had an obvious snare injury, and guided him to a clearing where he was darted in the rump. The bull was herded by the chopper so as to fall in a good area but it moved and fell in a bushy shrub area. There was a deep cutting wire snare around the left front limb with bleeding and infection. There were other arrow wounds on the body.

The wire snare around the left front limb had cut through tissues causing a deep wound around the lower leg. The snare wire was a high tensile wire with many strands commonly used to lift heavy loads in cranes or pulleys in vehicle winches. Attempts to cut the wire using wire cutter was unsuccessful and a hacksaw had to be used instead. It was finally cut loose after a 30minute struggle. The wound caused by the snare was cleaned by use of diluted Hydrogen peroxide and splashed with Tincture of iodine and finally covered with green clay. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs intramuscularly and intravenously respectively.

A penetrating wound was seen near the tail so a decision was made to turn over the elephant bull to observe the left flank. The Ithumba vehicles which were stationed nearby were called in. After several minutes of trying the bull was flipped over. A total of 5 arrow wounds were discovered on the left flank. All the wounds were cleaned, disinfected and covered in green clay. 6 mgs of M99 was added to maintain the anaesthesia.

Reversal and Prognosis Having administered all the treatments, and the bull given a clean bill of health the anaesthesia was reversed.

The bull stood up and walked away calmly. Prognosis is good.