DSWT/KWS Sky Vets Report for November to January 2015

SKY VET QUARTERLY REPORT NOVEMBER 2014 TO JANUARY 2015 FROM THE DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

November 2014 – January 2015

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SKY VET REPORT NOVEMBER 2014 TO JANUARY 2015

November 2014 – January 2015

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SKY VET QUARTERLY OVERVIEW During November 2014 to January 2015 the DSWT/KWS Sky Vet program was called to handle 8 wildlife cases including 4 cases where the DSWT helicopter was utilised to help with elephant darting operations.

All 8 treatments were of elephants and cases included spear wounds, gunshots, poisoned arrows and snares. KWS Veterinary Officers were flown to Laikipia, Tsavo, Amboseli and the Mara to treat these emergency elephant cases. Out of all the cases, 7 were given a positive prognosis whilst one sadly died the day Sky Vets was called in to assist. One case involving Amboseli Tusker ‘Tim’ was carefully monitored after his treatment and has since made a full recovery with only a slight scar remaining.

Compared to previous reporting periods Sky Vets has seen a reduction in cases attended, but this can partly be attributed to the on-the-ground activities of the DSWT/KWS Mobile Veterinary Units covering many of the cases whilst increased security measures have also had a positive effect in deterring poaching activities.

The Sky Vet program has deployed KWS vets to the following locations during this reporting period

November 2014 – January 2015

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November 2014 – January 2015

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CASE 1: NOVEMBER 10TH 2015

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK Species Age

Elephant (Named ‘Tim’ by A.T.E) Adult

WOUNDED ELEPHANT - SPEAR Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION Tim the famous Amboseli Tusker had a serious injury and ground teams had been unable to locate him. The DSWT's helicopter was requested by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to help locate Tim and within 20 minutes of the call it was airborne. KWS Vet Dr. Njoroge who heads the DSWT funded Amboseli Mobile Vet Team was collected, along with a KWS Ranger to help spot the injured bull elephant.

CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION & TREATMENT Within 45 minutes the team had located the 45 year old elephant in thick bush. He was shepherded into a clearing by the helicopter, Dr. Njoroge prepared the anaesthetic and from his aerial vantage point safely darted Tim. Nine minutes later Tim lay on the ground, behind him Mount Kilimanjaro, sitting framed within his enormous tusks. On physical examination the elephant had an approximately 12 inch deep septic wound (1-2 weeks old) on the left flank close to the hip region which had necrotic tissue. The wound is likely to have been caused by a spear which had come off with time. The dead tissue was debrided and removed and the wound was then thoroughly cleaned using clean water and

November 2014 – January 2015

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Hydrogen peroxide. It was then lavaged using tincture of Iodine and topical antibiotic cream and green clay was then applied into the wound to facilitate healing and avoid infection. The elephant was then injected with 100ml Betamox, 1200mg Clindamycin and 100ml Dexamethasone at different sites intramuscularly. The entire operation lasted about 25 minutes.

PROGNOSIS Tim’s prognosis was good and he was monitored closely by all involved who have since reported that three months after his treatment he is thriving and has only slight scarring.

Below: Tim after his treatment

November 2014 – January 2015

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CASE 2: NOVEMBER 19TH 2014

SATAO, TSAVO EAST NP Species Age

Elephant Adult

WOUNDED ELEPHANT - SPEAR Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION The veterinary team while on aerial patrol spotted an injured elephant within the Satao area. Plans were made to have the DSWT helicopter on sight for easy sighting and darting. The elephant was in a bush thicket but relatively easy to dart using the helicopter. The elephant was pushed to an open ground for darting.

CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION & TREATMENT A 3ml Dan inject with 18mg Etorphine Hcl 18mg topped up with water was prepared and the elephant was darted from the helicopter. The first dart using was damaged after discharging the dose partially which we realised 20 minutes after darting.

A second dart was fired but it still took 47 min to bring the elephant down despite fully discharging the drug. After 10 minutes into the treatment, the elephant recovered from the anaesthesia and since the operation was not over, a top up of 4mg was administered via the ear vein. The trunk was maintained patent using a piece of stick placed across the nostril entrances. The temperature was high so plenty of water was doused on the elephant to keep the body temperature low.

The ears were used as blindfold.

On physical examination the elephant had a wound approximately 6 inch deep and 4 inches wide to the right flank but close to the hip that was septic and had necrotic tissue. The wound is likely to have been caused by a spear which had come off with time. The dead tissue was debrided and removed, then the wound was thoroughly cleaned using clean water and Hydrogen peroxide. It was then lavaged using tincture of Iodine and topical antibiotic cream and green clay applied into the wound to facilitate healing and avoid infection. The elephant was then injected with 100 ml Betamox L.A, 1200 mg

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Clindamycin (Dalacin C) and 200 ml Dexamethasone at different sites intramuscularly. The entire operation lasted about 25 minutes.

PROGNOSIS The elephant has been given a good prognosis as he was treated in good time. The DSWT aircrafts continue to monitor the Satao area.

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CASE 3: NOVEMBER 19TH 2014

SELEGEI, AMBOSELI Species Age

Elephant Adult

INJURED ELEPHANT - RE-TREATMENT Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION An adult male elephant had been treated earlier at Selegei, Porini Conservancy and required monitoring and re-treatment.

The Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to the case and decided to immobilize the elephant to investigate his wound and to medicate him further.

CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION & TREATMENT A 3ml Dan-inject dart containing 18mg Etorphine Hcl was prepared and the elephant was darted from a helicopter provided by the DSWT due to the thick vegetation with a Dan inject dart rifle; he was immobilized after 13 minutes.

The animal was doused with plenty of water and the eye covered with the pinna of the ear. A piece of stick was placed across the trunk to keep it patent.

On physical examination the elephant had a swollen left forelimb (muscle laxation).The elephant was then injected with 200 ml Betamox L.A, 2 vials of Dalacin C and 200 ml Dexamethasone HCL at different sites intramuscularly. The entire operation lasted about 25 minutes.

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PROGNOSIS The elephant has been given a good prognosis and should not need further treatment although rangers on the ground will continue to monitor his progress.

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CASE 4: DECEMBER 13TH 2014

ITHUMBA, TSAVO EAST Species Age

Elephant Adult

INJURED ELEPHANT- POISON ARROW Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION The DSWT pilot at Ithumba reported to have spotted a male elephant with a suspected arrow head injury in the left flank area. The veterinary team had to locate and assess the elephant from the helicopter since the vegetation was thick. Plans were made on how to immobilize and treat the elephant. The elephant was in a thick bush thicket but relatively easy to dart using the helicopter. The elephant was pushed to open ground for darting.

CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION & EXAMINATION On physical examination the elephant had an approximately 5 inch deep wound (1-2 weeks old) on the left flank region. The wound was septic and had necrotic tissue. The wound is likely to have been caused by an arrow head which had come off with time. The dead tissue was debrided and removed.

The wound was then thoroughly cleaned using clean water and Hydrogen Peroxide. It was then lavaged using tincture of Iodine. An opening on the ventral side of the wound was made for easy drainage to prevent further infection. Topical antibiotic cream and green clay was then applied into the wound to facilitate healing and avoid infection. The elephant was

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then injected with 100 ml Betamox L.A, 1200 mg Clindamycin (Dalacin C) and 100 ml Dexamethasone at different sites intramuscularly. The entire operation lasted about 30 minutes.

PROGNOSIS The elephant was given a good prognosis and the Ithumba based team continued to monitor his progress

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CASE 5: DECEMBER 13TH 2014

LOISABA, LAIKIPIA WEST Species Age

Elephant Adult

INJURED ELEPHANT - GUNSHOT Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION This elephant was reported to be oozing pus from the head region and was suspected to be having a bullet wound on the head. The case was promptly attended to via the sky-vet arrangement.

ANAESTHESIA AND TREATMENT The terrain was very rocky and the elephant had to be darted on foot using the Dan inject remote darting system.

Anaesthesia was delivered using 18mg Etorphine hydrochloride and 1000 IU, hyaluronidase combined in a 3ml dart. The first dart did not discharge and the elephant got agitated, covering about 3km in an attempt to escape from the veterinary team. The second dart missed as the elephant was very mobile, attempt on the third dart was successful and the animal went down in about 10 minutes. The elephant attained a right lateral recumbence and had to be turned to the left side to expose the wound. This was done using ropes and two vehicles.

Specific examination revealed a fracture on the right frontal bone and there was purulent discharge accumulating under the skin covering and into the wound created by the suspected bullet head, few larvae were starting to colonise the wound. No foreign body was located after Cautiously Probing the wound; there was much caution not to interfere with the already formed clot.

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The wound was thoroughly cleaned with copious amount of water; the subcutaneous debris was removed and swabbed clean with hydrogen peroxide. Iodine was then used to clean the wound and green clay applied. Topical antibiotic spray was used to repel the flies.

PROGNOSIS This bull has been given a good prognosis and is being monitored by Loisaba ranch rangers

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CASE 6: DECEMBER 22nd 2014

OL MALO, LAIKIPIA Species Age

Elephant Adult

INJURED ELEPHANT Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION This elephant was observed to be limping and was suspected to be having an injury on the left foreleg. A timely arrangement was then made to attend the case via the sky vet initiative. The elephant was in a herd of five although he was somehow isolated from the herd. He was herd to be grunting in pain and was very restless. The injury was confirmed to be on the left foreleg as the elephant exhibited a non-weight bearing lameness.

ANAESTHESIA AND TREATMENT The veterinary team had to rely significantly on the assistance of the local scouts as the terrain was very rocky. The elephant was finally darted on foot using the Dan inject remote darting system.

Anaesthesia was delivered using 16mg Etorphine hydrochloride topped up with water for injection in a 3ml dart. Efficacy was attained in about 12 minutes and the animal adapted a sternal recumbence and had to be roped to a right lateral recumbence Specific examination revealed a swollen footpad which elicited pain when digital pressure was applied. Aspiration confirmed blood tinged inflammatory exudates localised on one area of the footpad.

PROGNOSIS This bull has been given a good prognosis and is being monitored by the Ol Malo ranch rangers

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CASE 7: DECEMBER 24th 2014

TRIANGLE, MASAI MARA Species Age

Elephant Juvenile

INJURED ELEPHANT - SNARE Sex

Male

INTRODUCTION This report describes case intervention of one male elephant calf at Masai Mara (Mara Triangle). The elephant calf had a wire snare, which had been seen at Mara Serena area by Mara Serena wildlife security staff. He had sustained serious injury on right front leg and walked with a lot of difficulty. The calf was living with a large extended family. These cases were attended on Sky Vet initiative.

ANAESTHESIA AND TREATMENT Etorphine Hcl(0.98%) (M99速) (Norvatis South Africa (Pty) Ltd) 6mg, in a 2 ml Dan - inject dart was prepared. Vehicle darting was carried out. Using a Dan inject dart rifle (Dan-inject APS, Sellerup Skovvej, Denmark) the elephant calf was darted; he was immobilized after 8 minutes. In the process the mother was immobilized for safety of staff and to avoid likely isolation and abandonment the injured calf. The mother was immobilized using 18mg of Etorphine Hcl. The elephant calf was promptly desnared by cutting off the wire snare. An open wound about 6cm wide by 5cm depth had formed due to the strangulating wire snare. The wound had pus exudate and maggots. Some dead tissues were excised.

The wound was cleaned with copious amounts of water to remove mud, dirt and maggots, liberally cauterized with dilute hydrogen peroxide and again cleaned with Tincture of iodine. Oxytetracycline spray (Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Limited, United Kingdom) was also applied. The wounds were also covered with green clay to promote faster healing.

The elephant calf was injected with the following:

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Amoxicillin Trihydrate BP 9000mg (Betamox速 LA Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Limited, United Kingdom) i.m Dexamethasone 20mg (Colvasone速 Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Limited, United Kingdom) i.m

PROGNOSIS This calf returned to his herd and has been given a good prognosis and is being monitored by the Serena ranch rangers

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CASE 8: DECEMBER 26th 2014

SIANA, MASAI MARA Species Age

Elephant Sub-Adult

ELEPHANT POST-MORTEM Sex

Male

]

INTRODUCTION This sub adult male elephant had been sighted speared on 24th December 2014 at Siana Bush tops. However, Siana wildlife security scouts lost track of him. A vet & capture team could not locate the speared elephant on extended aerial search on arrival at the site.

The elephant had disappeared into the thick bush and rains made the dedicated search a nightmare. The search continued and sadly on the 26th December 2014 the KWS Wildlife Protection Unit at Masai Mara ecosystem stumbled on the dead elephant (which had been speared) and moved quickly and recovered 2 tusks for safe custody.

GENERAL POST-MORTEM FINDINGS    

A dead male elephant in good body condition,(body condition score of 4) The 2 tusks were present and later were taken by KWS Wildlife protection personnel for safe custody.

An oozing stab/penetrating wound about 5cm wide and 6cm deep into the muscles of the right flank Age of the carcass was one day. Weight of tusks recovered; left tusk 4.5kg and right tusk 5.0kg.

CAUSE OF DEATH Circumstantial evidence provided by physical examination - a small stab wound indicated that the elephant was speared with a poison laced spear/ sharp object and consequently died of related poisoning complications.