SWT/KWS MOBILE VETERINARY UNITS TSAVO, MARA, MERU, AMBO MT KENYA, RIFT VALLEY July – September 2025 Report
Introduction
216 Cases
44 Poaching Cases
80 Elephant Cases
33 Predator Cases
22 HWC Cases
68% Success
July – September 2025 Report for Tsavo, Mara, Meru, Amboseli, Mt Kenya and Rift Valley Units. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT), in conjunction with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) operate six Mobile Veterinary Units. Within the quarter, the Units attended to a total of 216 wildlife cases involving 451 animals. During this reporting period, there were 84 poaching incidents and 22 human-wildlife conflict (HWC) cases involving various species. The Units were also involved in cases involving natural causes, as well as postmortems, surveys, technical cases, rescues, relocations and collaring’s. The majority of the poaching incidents involved elephants with snare (3), spear (17), arrow (17) and bullet wounds (4) as well as 2 postmortems which were attributed to poaching but the exact method could not be determined. Snaring of plains game was also significant among cases with 18 zebras, an eland, 3 antelope, 5 giraffe and 8 buffalo treated for snare injuries. In addition, 2 giraffes were treated for spear injuries and 2 zebras for suspected poaching related injuries. The Mount Kenya and Meru Units were involved in relocating 70 animals with the aim of reducing the impact on overpopulated areas and increasing genetic diversity and populations in newly established Sanctuaries. The most consequential of which was translocating 26 White rhinos to the new Loisaba Conservancy Rhino Sanctuary, as well as moving zebra, giraffe and impala to Sangare Hills Resort and the new Dedan Kimathi University Sanctuary. Over 50 giraffes were enclosed in newly established, fenced private farms in Kajiado leaving them without access to water. A total of 35 were safely pushed into neighbouring sanctuaries. The Units were successful in almost all the cases to with a 68% success rate and only 18% death rate.
Case Details Ailment
Elephant
Poaching HWC Natural Causes Research/ Survey Postmortem Technical Cases Rescue Relocation Collared Grand Total
44 8 13 10 1 1 3 80
Predators
Rhinos 1
7 21
1 4 33
4 6 3 2 3 19
Plains Game Giraffe Buffalo 24 2 14 1 2
7 3 2 1 2
8 1
Other
1 2 1 2
2
1 2
45
18
9
2 4 12
Grand Total 84 22 56 3 20 6 5 9 11 216
Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Vet Units July - September2025 90 80 70 Other
60
Buffalo 50
Giraffe Plains Game
40
Rhinos
30
Predators 20
Elephant
10 0
106 HWC and Poaching Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Vet Units July - September2025 45 40
35 30
Other
25
Buffalo
20
Giraffe Plains Game
15
Rhinos 10
Predators
5
Elephant
Poaching
Human Wildlife Conflict
Electrocuation
Human Threat
Poisoning
Machete
RTA
Manhole
Human Items
Fencing
Bullet Wound
Spear
Relocation
Machete
Poaching Postmortem
Bullet Wound
Arrow
Spear
Snared
0
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Vet Units July - September2025
Prognosis Poor 10%
Poaching Death 4% HWC Death 2%
Successful Cases 68%
Died 12%
Taken to Orphanage 4%
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Vet Units July - September2025
Rift Valley
30
Ambo
9
11
Meru
10
11 2 3 1
Mt Kenya
3 121
24
Mara
6
27
1
6
1
11 4 1
Tsavo
47
0
10
20
9
30
40
50
4
2
60
12
70
4
80
Prognosis Poor Death HWC Death Died Taken to Orphanage SWT/KWS MobilePoaching Vet Unit Treatment Locations
Successful Cases
90
Tsavo – Mara – Meru – Amboseli – Mt Kenya – Rift Valley July – September 2025
SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT OVERVIEW July – September 2025
78 Cases
41 Poaching Cases
49 Elephant Cases
The conservation area has received very little rainfall over the quarter. The vegetation rapidly started drying off as the months progressed and the water pans slowly started to deplete. Despite this most animals were in good body condition as there was still enough food to sustain wildlife. However, there have been an increase in cases with the majority attended to related to poaching or human-wildlife conflict (HWC). The Unit attended to 78 cases during the quarter, with 60% having a positive outcome. Of these cases, 49 involved elephants, 31 of which were poaching victims. The other poaching cases involved a variety of species, including zebra, buffalo, topi and giraffe. Three of the cases were due to HWC, all of which were predators; a hyena was electrocuted by a fence, a lion was poisoned and a serval cat was hit by a vehicle. 78 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Tsavo Vet Unit July - September2025 45 40 35
Buffalo Giraffe
. 30
Plains Game
25
Rhinos Predators
20
Elephant 15 10
5 0 Poaching
Human Wildlife Natural Causes Conflict
Postmortem
Rescue
Collared
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Tsavo Vet Unit July - September2025
Prognosis Poor 12%
Poaching Death 5% HWC Death 3%
Died 15%
Successful Cases 60%
Taken to Orphanage 5%
SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July – September 2025
July 2025
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August 2025
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September 2025
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SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT OVERVIEW July – September 2025
34 Cases
14 Poaching Cases
16 Elephant Cases
Over the course of the quarter, the Mara Vet Unit attended a variety of species for various ailments. Most of the cases, 27, were successful with only one case resulting in death from poaching, 4 deaths from natural causes and 1 given a guarded prognosis. The 4 HWC cases were all spear injuries, 1 lion, 1 buffalo and 2 elephants. The lion was suspected to have been involved in a HWC incident likely occurring during territorial movement and livestock predation from the nearby community whilst the elephants were possibly crop raiders or encroaching on community homesteads. The poaching cases involved 2 snared zebras, 3 arrowed elephants, 2 arrowed giraffes and 6 speared elephants, all of which were successfully treated. The Unit also rescued one infant giraffe which was taken to the SWT Kaluku Nursery. 34 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Mara Vet Unit July - September2025 16 14 Buffalo
12
.
Giraffe 10
Plains Game Predators
8
Elephant
6 4 2 0 Poaching
Human Wildlife Conflict
Natural Causes
Postmortem
Rescue
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Mara Vet Unit July - September2025
Prognosis Poor 3%
Successful Cases 79%
Poaching Death 3% Died 12%
Taken to Orphanage 3%
SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July – September 2025
July 2025
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August 2025
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September 2025
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SWT/KWS MERU MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT OVERVIEW July – September 2025
18 Cases
3 Poaching Cases
4 Elephant Cases
The beginning of the quarter began with the onset of the dry season, the once green landscape giving way to dusty terrain and cracked earth which continued into August, with sweltering daytime temperatures and windy evenings. There were a few scattered rain showers which brought some relief to the landscape and wildlife but by September most of the seasonal water pans had dried up and the wildlife were sustained by the permanent rivers which were at a low level. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the Unit did not see an increase in cases, with only 3 poaching and 3 human-wildlife conflict (HWC) cases recorded, sadly 1 of the poaching cases and 2 of the HWC cases succumbed to their injuries – all of which were bullet injuries. The Unit also rescued one White rhino orphan and successfully relocated him to Nairobi for care. 18 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Meru Vet Unit July - September2025 6
5 Other Buffalo
.4
Giraffe Plains Game
3
Rhinos Predators 2
Elephant
1
0 Poaching
Human Wildlife Conflict
Natural Causes
Research/ Postmortem Technical Survey Cases
Rescue
Relocation
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Meru Vet Unit July - September2025 Prognosis Poor 5% Poaching Death 5%
HWC Death 11%
Successful Cases 56%
Died 17%
Taken to Orphanage 6%
SWT/KWS Meru Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July – September 2025
July 2025
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August 2025
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September 2025
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SWT/KWS AMBOSELI MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT OVERVIEW July – September 2025
11 Cases
2 Poaching Cases
5 Elephant Cases
The Southern Conservation Area and the Amboseli Ecosystem was characterised by hot and dry climatic conditions during this quarter. The Unit were on leave during September but attended to 11 cases in July and August. Significant cases included the relocation of 35 giraffes from farms in Kajiado. Over 50 giraffes were enclosed in 5 private farms in that were recently bought and enclosed with fences. The giraffes caught inside were unable to access water. Designated fence areas were opened, and the giraffes were pushed out with vehicles and human labour into registered Sanctuaries. Two male elephants in Satao Elerai, Amboseli that had been identified as persistent farm raiders were translocated to mitigate HWC whilst another 4 elephant bulls that were notorious crop raiders were collared to assist with monitoring their movements. 11 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Amboseli Vet Unit July - September2025 5
4
Other Giraffe
.
Predators
3
Elephant 2
1
0 Poaching
Human Wildlife Conflict
Natural Causes
Technical Cases
Collared
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Amboseli Vet Unit July - September2025
Prognosis Poor 9%
Successful Cases 82%
Poaching Death 9%
SWT/KWS Amboseli Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July – September 2025
July 2025
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August 2025
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September 2025
The Amboseli Vet Unit were off for the month of September.
SWT/KWS MT KENYA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT OVERVIEW July – September 2025
38 Cases
1 Poaching Cases
5 Elephant Cases
The Mt Kenya Vet Unit have undertaken numerous veterinary interventions, assessments, translocations and collaring of various species during the quarter. Most significantly, the Unit have worked with other organisations/teams to relocate 16 White rhinos from Meru National Park and Solio Ranch to the newly established rhino Sanctuary in Loisaba Conservancy. The aim of this exercise was to decongest habitats with high numbers of White rhinos while contributing to wildlife diversity and the introduction of a new species to expanding rhino sanctuaries in the region. For the same purpose a mass translocation of 39 animals (giraffe, zebra, warthog and impala) were moved from Ol Pejeta to new Sanctuaries. Amongst other cases, the Unit attended to 2 leopards and 3 elephants for human-wildlife conflict injuries and 1 snared Black rhino. 38 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Vet Unit July - September2025 9 8 7 6
.5
Other Giraffe Plains Game
4
Rhinos
3
Predators
2
Elephant
1 0
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Vet Unit July - September2025
Successful Cases 63%
Prognosis Poor 16%
Died 16%
HWC Death 2%
Taken to Orphanage 3%
SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July – September 2025
July 2025
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August 2025
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September 2025
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SWT/KWS RIFT VALLEY MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT OVERVIEW July – September 2025
37 Cases
23 Poaching Cases
81% Success
The Rift Valley Vet Unit attended to 37 cases through July – September. Many of these cases were snare injuries which continues to be a major problem in the area. The general targets are herbivores, particularly zebras, though other species such as giraffes and buffalo are also common victims. Additionally, there were 4 human-wildlife conflict (HWC) cases, a warthog was trapped in a PVC pipe, and a giraffe had a paint tin encompassing its leg after both wandered through debris. Two zebras were also cut with, what was suspected to be machetes, possibly after they were caught crop raiding. Unfortunately, HWC is on the increase as the area is rapidly becoming privatised and fenced, reducing land for wildlife. In order to address the concerns of loss of wildlife due to habitat loss, The Unit carried out a wildlife assessment of the area. 37 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Rift Valley Vet Unit July - September2025 25
20
Other Buffalo
.
Giraffe
15
Plains Game 10
5
0 Poaching
Human Wildlife Conflict
Natural Causes
Research/ Survey
Postmortem
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Rift Valley Vet Unit July - September2025
Prognosis Poor 8%
Successful Cases 81%
Died 5%
Poaching Death 3%
Taken to Orphanage 3%
SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July – September 2025
July 2025
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August 2025
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September 2025
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