SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
MARCH 2025
5 Cases in March 2025
March Report by Dr. Michael Njoroge
2 Poaching Cases 3 Elephant Cases
The Mara vet Unit attended to 5 cases in March 2025. These cases saw the Vet Unit travelling not only within the Mara Region but as far as the Coast and further upcountry to Laikipia. There were 3 elephant cases including the rescue of an elephant calf, treatment of an elephant bull with a spear wound and a postmortem. The Unit also attended to an arrowed waterbuck and assisted with the translocation of 20 waterbucks in Ol Pejeta.
Acknowledgement
The Mara Mobile Veterinary Team greatly appreciates Elizabeth Scarlett for funding the Unit through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The team also thanks Kenya Wildlife Service for providing technical support and all the conservation partners who contributed to the success of veterinary interventions through timely reporting of veterinary cases and monitoring of treated animals.
Case Details
Siana Conservancy
A dead elephant was reported to the Mara Mobile Vet unit, likely to be the mother of the rescued calf Died
March 2025
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Elephant Spear Tsavo West National Park
Attended to reported Elephant case in Tsavo West National Park with a spear injury at the hip.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was immobilized with 15mg Etorphine hydrochloride and assessed for injury.
The spear injury was at the hip, infected, and oozing pus on manipulation. The wound was cleaned with water, Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with Iodine, then it was covered with topical antibiotic cream and spray.
Th elephant was also administered an anti-inflammatory: 60 mgs of Dexamethasone, antibiotics: 3,000mgs Oxytetracycline
Reversal and prognosis
The 300mgs antidote was administered intravenously, and the elephant was up after a few minutes of administration. Prognosis is good.
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A waterbuck with an arrow injury was reported to the Unit
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The waterbuck was immobilized, and the arrow was retrieved and the wound assessed for the extent of the injury.
The wound was thoroughly cleaned with water, hydrogen peroxide and Iodine and covered with topical cream and antibiotic spray.
The waterbuck was then given 1,800mg Flunixin as an anti-inflammatory and 2,000mg Oxytetracycline to manage bacterial infection.
Reversal and prognosis
The antidote was administered intravenously, and the water buck was up after a few minutes of administration. Prognosis is good.
Elephant Rescue
Sianna Conservancy
Attended to a reported elephant calf at Sienna Wildlife Conservancy that was found alone.
Rescue
The elephant calf was physically restrained and transported by the assistance of MEP helicopter to an airstrip where the Shedrick Wildlife Trust and arranged for a team of Keepers and a caravan to collect the calf. The caravan then transported the calf to the Nairobi Nursery for further care and nurture.
Later a lactating elephant female carcass was found in the same area. It was presumed this was the calf mother. The post-mortem revealed the mother had died of natural causes (intestinal torsion).
Elephant
Post-mortem
Sianna Conservancy
On 28th March 2025, a dead elephant was reported to the Mara Mobile Vet unit. This elephant is likely the mother of the rescued calf.
Postmortem examination
The elephant carcass was found lying on the left lateral recumbency. The body condition of the female elephant was good but with abdominal distension The head and the tusks were intact. No external injuries were noted.
The skin and muscles were carefully removed, and the right flank region was exposed for post-mortem examination. There was hypostatic congestion by gravity in the body organs, generalized post-mortem emphysema because of bacterial fermentation, oozing of blood from the gut, twisted intestines, and generalized paint-brush haemorrhage in the external surface of the intestines.
Cause of death
The cause of death was gastric torsion, causing intestinal impaction. The gastric torsion could have been attributed to the recent parturition.
Waterbuck Relocation
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
On the 28th of March 2025, 20 waterbucks were translocated from Ol Pejeta wildlife conservancy to Nakuru, spearheaded by Dr Njoroge.
Translocation exercise
The right candidates were isolated and chemically immobilized using the Etorphine and Azaperone protocol.
They were then administered the anaesthetic antidote loaded onto the translocation truck and moved to Nakuru.
We successfully translocated 20 waterbucks without any complications encountered
