SWT/KWS RIFT VALLEY MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
AUGUST 2025
7
Cases in
August 2025
August Report by
Dr. Titus Kaitho
5 Poaching Cases
The Unit attended to 7 wildlife cases during the month of August. Of these cases, 5 involved removing snares from animals and 1 for human-wildlife conflict as a giraffe had its leg stuck in a paint tin The last case was due to natural causes as a hartebeest had been wounded by predators. All the cases but one were given a good prognosis, unfortunately the injured hartebeest was given a guarded prognosis. The Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit visited the following areas; KWS Naivasha Station, Aquilla farm, Marula Estates – Gema area, Kedong ranch, Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge, Loldia Wildlife Conservancy, Kedong ranch impala, Mundui Estates, Soysambu Conservancy among others during the month
Acknowledgement
We sincerely thank Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) for support, resources & sponsorship of the Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit. Chief Executive Officer SWT, Angela Sheldrick, we acknowledge your unwavering support and interest in the work undertaken by the Mobile Veterinary Unit. Kenya Wildlife Service is acknowledged for general operational & leadership support. Wildlife Research & Training Institute (WRTI) supported the activities by hosting staff at WRTI. We sincerely thank all stakeholders and scouts and all who reported wildlife cases in distress. Thank you all.
Case Details
SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
August 2025
Case 1 – 1st August 2025
Zebra Snared Marula Estates, Naivasha
The zebra foal was darted using 4mg Etorphine and 80mg Azaperone.
On examination the zebra foal had been snared and tethered by a ground rope snare on the left hind leg. The rope snare had caused a wound on the leg. The wound was cleaned with water, rinsed with Iodine then sprayed with a fly repellent (Alamycin). The zebra was also given 6,000mg Betamox (Amoxicillin Trihydrate 150mg/ml), 150mg Flumeg (Flunixin Meglumine 5%), 4ml Noromectin (Ivermectin) and 40ml Butasal.
Prognosis for a full recovery is good.
Case 2 – 1st August 2025
Zebra Snared Aquilla Farm, Naivasha
The zebra foal was darted using 5mg Etorphine and 80mg Azaperone.
On examination the zebra mare had been snared and wounded by a wire snare on the right hind leg. The wire snare had caused a wound on the leg. The wound was cleaned using water, rinsed with Iodine then sprayed with a fly repellent (Alamycin). The zebra was also given 9,000mg Betamox (Amoxicillin Trihydrate 150mg/ml), 250mg Flumeg (Flunixin Meglumine 5%), 5ml Noromectin (Ivermectin) and 40ml Butasal.
Prognosis is good.
Case
3 – 14th August 2025
Giraffe
Human-Wildlife Conflict
Sopa Resort, Naivasha
The female giraffe was darted using 15mg etorphine plus 80mg Azaperone.
On examination the giraffe had been trapped by a paint tin and injured on the right hind leg. We promptly removed the paint tin from the leg. Fortunately, the tin had only caused minor skin lacerations and didn’t require any treatment. A fly repellent (Alamycin) was applied to protect from any possible infection or irritation.
Prognosis for a full recovery is good.
Case 4 – 21st August 2025
Hartebeest
The hartebeest was tethered to a tree by a wire snare therefore did not require chemical immobilisation and could be physically restrained.
On examination the hartebeest had suffered minor skin lacerations on the neck. We promptly removed the wire snare, treated the wounds then released the animal. In addition, we searched for similar wire snares and retrieved 21 snares in that area plus paraphernalia and clothes of a suspected poacher.
Prognosis is good.
Hartebeest Natural Causes Loldia Wildlife Conservancy
This case was reported by Loldia Wildlife Conservancy
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The hartebeest which had been placed in a boma was physically restrained by grabbing the horns.
On examination the hartebeest had lost the right ear and had suffered a serious head injury. The right eye had been wounded by predators. We cleaned and rinsed the wounds with water and tincture of Iodine. A fly repellent (Alamycin) was applied.We also administered the following;
• Betamox (Amoxicillin Trihydrate 150mg/ml) injection 6,000mg by IM route
• Flumeg (Flunixin Meglumine 5%) 150mg by IM route
• Noromectin® 1% w/v (Ivermectin) 3mL by SQ route
• Butasal 40mL by IM route
Prognosis
Prognosis is guarded
The male buffalo was darted with 5mg Etorphine and 80mg Azaperone.
On examination the buffalo had been snared by a wire on the left hind leg. The buffalo had only suffered a minor skin laceration, which were promptly sprayed with Alamycin fly repellent
Prognosis for recovery is good.
The zebra was darted using 6mg Etorphine and 40mg Azaperone.
On examination the zebra had been snared and wounded by a winch wire on the right hind leg. The wound was deep exposing the leg bone, bleeding and infected. The wound was cleaned with water and Iodine then sprayed with Alamycin fly repellent. The zebra was also given 9,000mg Betamox, 300mg Flumeg, 6ml Noromectin and 40ml Butusal.
Prognosis is good.
