SWT Aerial Unit Report - May 2026

S H E L D R I C K

AERIAL

W I L D L I F E

T R U S T

SURVEILLANCE

OPERATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE

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MAY 2026

Aerial Unit Monthly Report Operated in support of the Kenya Wildlife Service, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's Aerial Unit monitors for illegal activity from the skies and offers rapid response assistance in anti-poaching operations, human-wildlife conflict, veterinary treatments, orphan rescues, and all manner of field emergencies.

This report details Aerial Unit activities for May 2026

MONTH AT A GLANCE:

27,678 194 25,890 Hours flown:

Kilometres flown:

Areas patrolled: Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Chyulu Hills, KARI Ranch, Kishushe Ranch, Galana Ranch, Kulalu Ranch, Manda Island, Amu Ranch, Kuku Ranh, Kipini Conservancy

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MAY 2026 PATROL MAP:

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In May, the Aerial Unit flew 194 hours and covered 25,890 kilometres. As the long rains began to ease across much of the Tsavo ecosystem, the landscape remained lush and well-watered, with standing water widespread and waterholes full across most areas. Thick vegetation continued to present challenges for aerial surveillance, particularly for rhino monitoring in Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary and the Tsavo West IPZ, where sightings remained difficult despite dedicated patrols.

Against this backdrop, the Aerial Unit maintained a full and varied programme – a month that included two wildlife rescues, one ranger medevac, multiple veterinary interventions, and sustained law enforcement activity across the ecosystem.

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On 3 May, our helicopter flew to Nairobi to collect a two-week-old hippo calf that had been found near its dead mother in the Kongoni area of Lake Naivasha. The calf had been initially rescued by the KWS/SWT Rift Valley Mobile Vet Unit and was in good condition. Our helicopter transported it to Kaluku, where it instantly captured the hearts of our team and will continue to receive the specialist care it needs.

On 9 May, our helicopter responded to a report of a KWS ranger struck by an elephant at Mukururo. The ranger had sustained serious injuries including three fractured ribs, a fractured sternum, a punctured lung, fractured vertebrae, and a fractured hand and finger. He was airlifted initially to Makindu Hospital, but the severity of the trauma was beyond local medical capacity, and he was subsequently transferred to Nairobi West Hospital, where he stabilised following treatment.

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Veterinary support kept the Aerial Unit busy across multiple fronts during the month. On 11 May, an injured giraffe was located on Kuku Ranch and successfully treated by the veterinary team for a wound to its back, thought to be the result of natural causes. On the same day, the fixed-wing aircraft located an orphaned eland calf on Mbirikani and collected it following KWS approval. On 16 May, our helicopter flew the veterinary team to Manda Island, where a snared buffalo that had eluded the team during an earlier search was successfully located and treated. On 21 May, 33 rhino were sighted during an NRS patrol – including a mother and calf that had not been seen for approximately three months – and a snared zebra near Old Chyulu Gate was successfully treated by the veterinary team, despite a severe wound.

On 26 May, a sub-adult elephant with a suspected arrow wound to its front leg was reported to the SWT/KWS Southern Mobile Vet Unit by Tsavo Trust. A fixed-wing aircraft located the calf near Dida – it had been sighted alone on multiple occasions and was at high risk of predation. Following the necessary approvals, it was immobilised and transferred to the Voi stockades for care.

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APRIL 2026 REPORT

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Human–elephant conflict continued to generate regular helicopter deployments throughout the month. The persistent family herd of eight elephants at Iviani, three adults, one sub-adult, and four calves as young as three months, which has been outside the park for approximately four months, continued to resist all attempts to return it.

The mothers' aggression and unwillingness to approach the electric fence have made conventional herding ineffective, and the situation remains under active review.

Elsewhere, 19 elephants were successfully returned to the park at Kanziku on 29 May, and a further single elephant was pushed back the following day. At Gazi on 28 May, one of two problem elephants was successfully returned, while the second, blind in one eye, proved extremely difficult to manage near the fence.

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APRIL 2026 REPORT

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Illegal activity recorded during May included persistent livestock encroachment across northeastern Tsavo East, particularly around Ndiandaza, Huri, Tarasate, and Baridi, as well as along the southern Tsavo West boundary near Jipe and the Tanzania border. Charcoal burning on Kishushe Ranch remained a consistent feature of fixed-wing patrols, with 23 active kilns recorded across 18 locations on a single flight on 23 May. A poaching harbour on the Yatta was destroyed during a joint SWT/KWS patrol. An elephant carcass with tusks removed was found on Kasigau Ranch and reported to KWS, though the cause of death was not established. A separate elephant carcass with tusks intact was found near Mtito Gate and its ivory was recovered and delivered to KWS. May was another busy and varied month for the Aerial Unit, spanning wildlife rescues, veterinary support, a major trauma medevac, and sustained law enforcement operations across a vast landscape.

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The Aerial Unit, as with all Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's conservation projects, is a donorfunded initiative. Thank you to our global supporters, who help us secure Kenya's habitats for the future and make an impact in the field, each and every day. © 2026 The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

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