SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Report for December 2023

SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT DECEMBER 2023

Introduction

3 Cases in December

1 Poaching Case

1 Leopard Case

December Report by Dr. Campaign Limo The Tsavo Conservation Area had good precipitation in the south and some parts of the west. Natural water pans in these areas amassed enough water and forage was in plenty.

The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit (TMVU) attended to 3 cases in December 2023. This included a distressing case involving an adult male leopard whose left and right front limbs had been severed at the radio-carpal joint by snares. Given the severity of his injuries, the leopard could not survive in the wild. He was put to rest to alleviate further pain and suffering. The veterinary team also successfully treated an adult male ex-orphan eland named Susu with a puncture wound on the right side of the inguinal area. Lastly, the team attended to a vervet monkey in dystocia. Fortunately, the vervet monkey has a good prognosis although the foetus was delivered stillborn.

Acknowledgement The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit appreciates all the stakeholders who supported this month’s interventions including the monitoring and reporting of veterinary cases. The team thanks Kenya Wildlife Service management for providing technical support and The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for funding the Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit.

Case Details Date

Species

Area Found

03-Dec 23

Eland

Kaluku, Tsavo

Natural Causes

Susu, an adult male eland, had a wound on the right side of the inguinal area

Successfully treated

10-Dec 23

Vervet monkey

TMVU Offices

Natural Causes

Vervet monkey in dystocia

Successfully treated

Leopard

Tsavo East Research Centre

Snared

Adult male leopard with both front limbs severed at the radiocarpal joint by snares

Poaching Death

19-Dec 23

Reason for Intervention

Outcome

SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations December 2023

Case 1 – 03rd December 2023 Eland

Natural Causes

Kaluku

An ex-orphan male eland named Susu was seen early morning at the Kaluku stockade walking with a slight limp. He had a fresh wound on the right side of the inguinal area.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Susu was darted from a vehicle and immobilized with a combination of 10mg Etorphine and 60mg Azaperone.

It took 8 minutes for the drugs to take full effect.

Upon closer examination, a deep puncture wound was observed on the right side of the inguinal area. Blood clots in the wound were removed then the wound was cleaned with water, wiped dry with sterile gauze swabs, and disinfected with Iodine. The wound was then closed with deep and superficial absorbable sutures.

Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were administered intramuscularly.

Anaesthesia was reversed with 150 mg Naltrexone given intravenously through the jugular vein. Susu woke up 3 minutes post-reversal.

Prognosis Susu has a good prognosis.

Case 2 – 10th December 2023 Vervet

Natural Causes

TMVU Offices

This vervet monkey was in dystocia and was spotted by KWS rangers around their living quarters.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The vervet monkey appeared weak and in distress. The foetal parts were still visible. She was approached on foot and darted with 60 mg Ketamine. The drugs took full effect after 4 minutes. Closer examination and palpation revealed a dead foetus partially protruding through the vagina with a dorsal head deviation complicating delivery. The foetus appeared to have died approximately 48 hours earlier. Manipulative delivery was successfully done by applying traction on the foetus after liberally lubricating the vaginal opening with liquid paraffin. The placenta was then removed, and the uterus flushed with clean water. 2% Iodine solution was then infused into the uterus. An intra-uterine pessary was thereafter introduced into the uterus. Amoxicillin and Clindamycin antibiotics were administered intramuscularly, a steroidal antiinflammatory was also given parenterally. The monkey recovered from the anaesthesia an hour later and was in good condition.

Prognosis The vervet monkey has a good prognosis.

Case 3 – 19th December 2023 Leopard

Snared

Tsavo East Research Centre

This adult male leopard had been treated and release in Bura Area at an earlier date for a cable wire snare injury that severed his right limb at the radiocarpal joint. Unfortunately, the leopard was later snared again on the left radiocarpal joint and sadly also lost the extremity of this limb. After losing both limbs, the leopard found it difficult to hunt in the wild and resorted to ambushing domestic animals around Bura Area at night.

He was successfully captured by KWS rangers and brought to the KWS Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit Office for examination and determination of the way forward.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The leopard was clearly in pain and had a body score of 2 in a scale of 1 - 5 (1 being poor and 5 good). He was immobilized with a combination of 1.5 mgs Medetomidine and 130 mgs Ketamine hydrochloride. He was darted while in the cage and was fully anaesthetized after 5 minutes. Examination revealed both front limbs had completely been severed at the carpus with no healing. This made it difficult for the leopard to hunt, and his chances of surviving in the wild were slim. Given the foregoing, the leopard was put to rest to alleviate further pain and suffering.

Prognosis The leopard could not survive in the wild. He was put to rest to alleviate further pain and suffering.