SWT/KWS Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit - August 2019

SWT/KWS AMBOSELI MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT AUGUST 2019

Introduction

8 Cases in August

2 Poaching Cases

4 Elephant Cases

August Report by Dr. Edward Kariuki During August 2019, Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit (AMVU) attended to 8 cases involving 32 wild birds and 9 wild mammals that included 3 elephants, a zebra foal, 2 giraffes, 2 impalas and a bushbuck. The wild birds included 30 white backed Vultures and 2 tawny eagles. An elephant was euthanized due to severe podo-dermatitis while two were examined for cause of death. An impala was treated for mange, while a second impala and a giraffe were part of what was examined for multiple deaths at Tsavo west.

Acknowledgement We thank the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) for material support and Mobile Unit funding, KWS for logistical support and security. Biglife foundation, and SWT rangers for reporting and monitoring of distressed wild animals. The SWT Pilots and Craig from Biglife are thanked for their assistance in the aerial surveillance of the elephants after darting.

Case Details Date 05-Aug-19

Species Elephant

Area Found Amboseli NP

Reason for Intervention

Outcome

Natural Causes

Soles of the feet had sloughed off due to an unknown illness and she had to be euthanised

Died

Poaching Death Prognosis Poor

06-Aug-19

Elephant

Tsavo West NP

Arrow

Elephant carcass was autopsied which was inconclusive but human involvement suggests death by poison arrow

15-Aug-19

Zebra

Amboseli NP

Natural Causes

Zebra foal weak and recumbent, surrendered by vultures

15-Aug-19

Giraffe

Olodare, Amboseli NP

Snared

17-Aug-19

Antelope

Amboseli NP

Natural Causes

18-Aug-19

Elephant

Enkong, Amboseli NP

Postmortem

19-Aug-19

Antelope

Tsavo West NP

Research/ Survey

20-Aug-19

Other

Olgulului Ranch

Human Wildlife Conflict

Loose wire snare around the neck; unfortunately died from anesthetic complications Impala found in poor body condition with mange and loss of fur Autopsy revealed the elephant most likely died from congestive heart failure Autopsy/survey on a number of animals that died over a short period of time 30 vultures and 2 Tawny eagles died after feeding on a giraffe carcass which was suspected to be poisoned

Poaching Death Successfully Treated Died

Died

HWC Death

SWT/KWS Amboseli Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations August 2019

. Case

1 – 5th August 2019

Elephant

Natural Causes

Kitirua, Amboseli National Park

AMVU Team received a report of a lame and immobile elephant from Norah Njiraini of the Elephant Trust.

The elephant stood alone for hours and with no family group around her. The veterinary team responded promptly and the animal was darted from a vehicle.

Immobilisation and examination Pre-immobilization observation, the female elephant presented with extreme pain illustrated by reluctance to move, dust spraying on her feet and constant weight shifting.

The elephant was darted with 18mgs Etorphine. It went down after 10 minutes and rested on sternal recumbency, which was promptly corrected to lateral recumbency for ease of examination and treatment.

Physical examination revealed the soles of all the feet had sloughed off and pus had formed underneath the sloughed padding on the soles. All toes were missing and sloughed Prognosis and management The prognosis was grave. The four limbs were affected and the elephant could not move, feed or drink. The female elephant was euthanized on animal welfare grounds using 120 ml of Pentobarbitone 20%.

Case 2 – 6th August 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Kalawa, Tsavo West National Park

The Tsavo West Company Commander reported the dead elephant to AMVU. The bull had no tusks by the time of post-mortem examination.

Examination Gross Observations revealed the carcass was found lying on the left lateral position and had undergone advanced decomposition with many maggots on the head, trunk, perianal and abdominal area. The tusks were absent and the distal end of the tail was chopped off. There was a penetrating wound to the right flank.

An incision was made to open the carcass through the lateral flank area. The penetrating wound to the flank had a characteristic dark coloration. On probing, the penetration did not go beyond the subcutaneous tissue.

The lungs were congested and advanced in autolysis, putrefaction and decomposition. Most abdominal organs had turned into a biomass of maggots and therefore pathology could not reveal exact cause of death.

The rest of the carcass was in an advanced stage of decomposition.

Cause of Death Non conclusive due to advanced decomposition, however, absence of tusks and the presence of a penetrating wound means poaching activity using a poisoned arrow as most likely.

. Case

3 – 15th August 2019

Zebra

Natural Causes

Amboseli National Park

Tour drivers while on a game drive sighted the foal and reported the case to KWS rangers. They described the foal to be lying down with no movement and vultures surrounded it. The AMVU on arrival observed that the foal was alive but very weak and could not support itself.

Immobilisation and examination The foal was weak and did not require any chemical immobilization, restraint was manual using human hands. The foal was on lateral recumbency and the vultures around it injured the anus and eye.

The foal was taken to a cool place and put on sternal recumbency. It was then given intravenously fluids (400ml 5% dextrose and 300ml of ringer lactate), 15ml Amoxicillin intramuscularly and 5ml Colvasone. The foal responded positively, started vocalizing, and held its head up.

Prognosis The prognosis was guarded because the animal could not fully stand without support and would be an easy target for a predator.

. Case

4 – 15th August 2019

Giraffe

Snared

Olodare Swamps, Amboseli National Park

A report of an adult bull with a snare on the neck in a section of Olodare swamps in Amboseli National Park was received by AMVU on 15 August 2019.

Immobilisation and examination The bull was chemically immobilized using 16mg Etorphine and 30mg Azaperone. The bull started trotting as the AMVU vehicle followed slowly. The animal took approximately 10 minutes to go down. The animal was quickly revived with 36mgs Diprenorphine and restrained physically.

The snare was successfully removed but unfortunately, the bull regurgitated and aspirated its ingesta.

Attempts were made to resuscitate the bull but they were unsuccessful.

Cause of Death Suffocation caused by the aspirated ingesta.

Case 5 – 17th August 2019 Impala

Natural Causes

Amboseli National Park

The AMVU saw the impala next to the KWS HQ with suspected mange due to of loss fur and poor health.

Immobilisation and examination The animal was darted at 12:55pm, but the animal took a long time to go down and the anaesthetic was topped up at 1:25pm, then 2:35pm and the animal finally went down at 2:38pm, and was revived immediately with Diprenorphine and restrained physically. The animal had alopecia on the left and right flanks with a poor body condition score of 2.5 in a range of 1-5. It also had ticks on the perineal area. The impala was treated using 3ml ivermectin and 15ml Amoxicillin. The animal was also sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray.

Prognosis Prognosis was good.

Case 6 – 18th August 2019 Elephant

Post-mortem

Amboseli National Park

The elephant carcass was seen on the evening of 17 th August 2019 by Community Rangers who alerted the AMVU. Examination Gross examination: The carcass was moderately decomposed and predators had scavenged the stomach contents and mammary glands. KWS rangers had removed the tusks.

An incision was made to the lateral aspect of the right flank.

Internal Examination: The subcutaneous vessels were congested. There was gelatinization of fats on the back area along the nuchal ligament. The liver was enlarged with rounded ends and prominent congested vessels.

The intestinal vessels were also congested. The surface of the atrium had ecchymotic hemorrhages. The heart was also rounded and filled with blood.

Cause of Death Congestive heart failure

Case 7 – 19th August 2019 Antelope/Giraffe/Livestock

Research/Survey

Tsavo West National Park

On 19 August 2019, AMVU team was alerted by Finch Hattons personnel about some animals they noticed dying in a span of three days between the 15th and 17th of August. The team proceeded to investigate any possible infectious threat to the other wild animals.

Examination Predators had scavenged on the bushbuck carcass and only bones and stomach contents were found. Nothing much could be established from the remains found, cause of death was not specific but could be natural.

The giraffe carcass was fresh and lying in the middle of the road. The Hatton’s tour vehicle had moved it away from the road. The carcass was scavenged completely and marks indicated the giraffe might have been dragged further into the bush. A few paw prints were seen around the area the giraffe was last seen.

Part of the cow carcass was found but most of it was scavenged. There was enough evidence to show that the cow had spent a night in a bush around where it had died or was killed by predators Cause of Death Non-conclusive. Available remains had no evidence to point to a specific cause; however, it is likely that all were independent and non-infectious.

Case 8 – 20th August 2019 Birds of Prey

Human-wildlife Conflict

Olgulului Ranch, Amboseli

A large number of vultures were reported to have died after consuming a giraffe carcass. The giraffe was reported to possibly have died on the 15th of August 2019, the same day that vultures were observed feeding on the carcass. The 30 African white backed vultures and 2 Tawny eagles were found dead on 19 August.

The birds were scattered in different areas a few meters from the carcass but rangers collected them together in one place for ease of the investigation and decontamination of site. Dogs and hyenas had also fed on the giraffe carcass but none had been reported dead by the day of the post-mortem examination.

Examination The carcasses presented with different levels of decomposition; some moderately decomposed while others were advanced in decomposition and had maggots. On incision, the crop contents were black in colour and the crop congested. The intestinal contents were also filled with black meat contents. Some birds had a black pigmentation of the air sac. In general, most of the crop and intestinal content revealed a darkish colour that was unlikely as a result of digestion process. The crop contents and intestines were sampled for toxicological analysis and all carcasses burnt to decontaminate the area.

Cause of Death Suspected poisoning