SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Veterinary Unit Report for May 2025
SWT/KWS MT KENYA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
MAY 2025
May Report by Dr. Poghorn
The following is a report highlighting the wildlife clinical cases attended to by the Mountain Mobile Veterinary Unit through the month of May. The unit was able to partner with other veterinarians from different units and conservancies to manage some clinical cases and carry out operations including rhino ear notching and translocation. The major activities undertaken during the month include: embryo transfer of the northern white rhino into a southern white surrogate female at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, treatment of a black rhino at Solio Rhino sanctuary, rhino notching exercise at Lewa Conservancy, black rhino translocation from Ol Pejeta Conservancy to Segera Conservancy, and elephant treatment at Loisaba Conservancy.
Acknowledgement
The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit (TMVU) would like to appreciate all stakeholders who aided in monitoring and reporting of the cases that required veterinary intervention.
A big thank you to KWS management for the technical support to the unit and the SWT for their continuous facilitation of the unit.
Case Details
May 2025
White Rhino Technical Cases
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The Unit has been working with Ol Pejeta Conservancy to save the Northern White Rhino by using the Southern White Rhino as surrogates.
Immobilisation and embryo transfer
The Southern White rhino was immobilised by darting from a helicopter with 40mg Medetomidine and 100mg Butorphanol and an additional dart of 100mg Ketamine, 100mg Butorphanol and 25mg Midazolam. A third dart of 600mg Ketamine finally brought the rhino under full anaesthesia. To ensure the animals stayed under a good anaesthetic plane level, an IV containing Ketamine, Medetomidine and Butorphanol was administered. Ringers lacate drip was also administered throughout the procedure, oxygen was delivered through a nasal tube and she received a 35ml Flunixin meglumine injection. The anaesthesia was monitored by evaluating the following parameters.
- Respiratory rate (RR) through observation of thoracic excursions
- Oxygen’s saturation (Sp02)
- Heart rate (HR) through a pulse oximeter
- Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (C02) using capnometry
- Corneal and Palpebral reflexes
Two embryos were deposited; an 11-day culture one (more cells and with a split zona pellucida) and 7-day cultured one. There’s a likelihood that both will develop and an ultrasound check should be done between 6-9 weeks.
There are no pictorials for this case
Case
Black Rhino Natural Causes
Solio Ranch
The black rhino bull was reported by the monitoring to be stressed and off-feed.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The rhino was darted from a helicopter with 3.5mg Etorphine, 60mg Azaperone, 10mg Butorphanol and 20mg Doxapram. The bull was darted on the left rump. The induction period was 7 minutes. He dived into a bush and was on sternal recumbency.
The bull was found with no significant external lesions besides the filarial worm wounds. It was notched on the right ear giving it an identification notch number 63. A blood sample was collected for further analysis, and a tissue sample from the ear was also obtained for lab assessment. The rhino was also given 15,000mg Amoxicillin, 3,000mg, 5,000mg Butaphospan, and 2,500mg Vitamin B12 to protect from secondary infections and relief pain, as well boost body metabolism: Alamycin spray (oxytetracycline) was applied on the notching wound and the filarial wounds.
Prognosis
The prognosis is good.
Case 3 & 4 – 1st May 2025
Black Rhino Technical Case Lewa Conservancy
The ear notching of the rhinos was aimed at giving unique identification marks to the sub-adult and unnotched adult groups of black and white rhinos at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Borana Conservancy.
Immobilisation, examination and ear notching
Darting was performed either with a helicopter or from the vehicle, depending on the terrain. A Dan-inject dart gun was used for the exercise. Induction protocol consisted of an opioid (Etorphine Hydrochloride), and a tranquilizer (Azaperone). The doses were carefully formulated based on the species, age, sex, and body size of the individual candidates. Once the animals were immobilized, butorphanol was administered intravenously to partially reverse the induction opioid, etorphine, while keeping the animal under a safe plane of anaesthesia for handling.
A standardized ear notching system was used. Each ear is divided into zones, and each notch location corresponds to a numerical code. The ears were marked with a marker pen highlighting the assigned ID of the rhino, marking a path for clamping and cutting with a scalpel blade.
Prognosis
A total of 46 black (17) and white (29) rhinos at were successfully ear notched. .
Case 5 – 24th May 2025
Black Rhino Relocation
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The Veterinary Unit collaborating with other Units was involved in the current translocation exercise of 21 Eastern Black rhinos to the Segera Rhino sanctuary at Segera Conservancy with the goal of population distribution and habitat management in the Black Rhino Sanctuaries. The first phase of the exercise was translocating 9 Black rhinos from Ol Pejeta Conservancy to Segera Conservancy 24th and 28th of May, 2025.
Immobilisation, examination and ear notching
The rhinos were darted from a helicopter. An opioid (Etorphine), and a tranquilizer (Azaperone) combination was used, with dosages varying depending on size and age. Once the animals were immobilized, Butorphanol was administered intravenously to partially reverse the Etorphine, while keeping the animal under a safe plane of anaesthesia for handling. Butorphanol was administered at 2-4 times the dose of Etorphine (mg/mg). The rhinos were supplemented with oxygen at a rate of 5-15mmHg through one nostril. The rhinos were reversed using Naltrexone intravenously after being secured by ropes and aligned to the transportation container. The recovery time ranged between 1-2 minutes after administration of the reversal.
Prognosis
The rhinos were successfully loaded into the crates and lifted onto transit lorries and transported to Segera Conservancy by road Two rhinos were reported to have broken out of the rhino Sanctuary fence.
Black Rhino Relocation Segera Conservancy
On 27th May a male black rhino had been reported to have broken to the outside of the rhino sanctuary at Segera Conservancy.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The rhino was tracked using a helicopter, then immobilised with 4mg Etorphine and 60mg Azaperone. He was stabilized with 10mg Butorphanol, and an addition of 10mg Butorphanol and dose of 40mg Doxapram after three minutes after a significant respiratory depression was observed.
The bull was reversed using 100mg Naltrexone intravenously and 100mg Naltrexone added intramuscularly, then he was loaded into the transportation crate.
Prognosis
He was released back in the rhino sanctuary.
There are no pictorials for this case.
Case 7 – 30th May 2025
Black Rhino Relocation
Mpala Conservancy
On 30th May a female black rhino had been reported to have broken out of the Segera rhino sanctuary and fled to Mpala Research center.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
She was traced with a helicopter then immobilised with 4mg Etorphine and 60mg Azaperone. She was stabilized with 10mg of Butorphanol, and an addition of another 10mg Butorphanol and dose of 40mg Doxapram a few minutes after respiratory depression was observed.
The rhino was reversed using 100mg Naltrexone intravenously and loaded into the transportation crate.
Prognosis
She was released back in the rhino sanctuary.
Case 8 – 30th May 2025
Elephant Bullet Wound
Loisaba Conservancy
The elephant was reported to be limping at Loisaba Conservancy. The animal had been previously treated at the neighbouring Mugie Conservancy four months ago for a penetrating bullet wound to the left hindlimb.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was observed to be limping on its left hindlimb with limb shortening and deformity. The wound had healed with only a small exit wound having some pus. The bull was darted from the vehicle with 16mg Etorphine. It took 5 minutes to go to lateral recumbency.
Physical examination of the wound showed significant infection of the ankle joint through the injury wound. The wound was flushed with Hydrogen peroxide, and exudates cleared out using swabs then the wound was the flushed with Iodine solution. Green clay paste was used to seal the wound and help with wound healing. The elephant was then given Phenylbutazone 1200 mg, IM and Amoxicillin, 15000 mg, IM.
Prognosis
The prognosis is guarded to poor with the joint involvement; however, the treatment will help with relieving pain and protecting against secondary infections.
