SWT/KWS Meru Mobile Veterinary Unit - August 2019

SWT/KWS MERU MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT AUGUST 2019

Introduction

5 Cases in August

1 Poaching Cases

1 Elephant Case

August Report by Dr. Bernard Rono This report describes activities of the Meru veterinary unit in August 2019.

Drought situation has continued to worsen in Northern Kenya with diminishing water and pasture for both wildlife and livestock. This has an effect on injuries sustained from interaction between humans and wildlife and increased chances of disease transmission at the interface between livestock and wildlife.

During this month the veterinary unit attended to a waterbuck which had a wire snare around its neck and treated a zebra foal for wounds sustained in a predation attempt. In Shaba national reserve an elephant calf was immobilized to treat lameness on its left hind leg. Other cases are described in the report below.

Acknowledgement This veterinary unit is supported by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which provides financial and logistical support.

We also acknowledge support of KWS management and rangers in the field who monitor wildlife and report cases for treatment.

Case Details Species

Area Found

Waterbuck

Meru National Park

20-Aug-19

Date

Reason for Intervention

Outcome

Snared

Waterbuck was found with a loose snare around its neck which was loosen and removed and didn’t cause any wounds

Successfully Treated

Zebra

Male National Park

Postmortem

Presumptive diagnosis was tumour of the maxilla which caused malnutrition.

Immediate cause of death was starvation.

Died

25-Aug-19

Zebra

Meru National Park

Natural Causes

Treated for puncture wounds sustained in a predation attempt

Successfully Treated

26-Aug-19

Giraffe

Collared

Fitted satellite tracking devices in reticulated giraffes.

Task Successful

Natural Causes

Treated for a swelling around the fetlock injury due to trauma

Successfully Treated

13-Aug-19

31-Aug-19

Elephant

Shaba National Reserve

SWT/KWS Meru Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations August 2019

. Case

1 – 13th August 2019

Waterbuck

Snare

Meru National Park

The Meru Veterinary Unit found this water buck with a loose snare around its neck during routine patrol in the park and it was immobilized it to remove the snare.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Immobilization was achieved using a combination of Etorphine 4mg and Azaperone 60mg in a single 1.5cc Dan- Inject dart. It was darted from a vehicle using a dan-inject dart into the gluteal muscles.

This water buck had a loose snare around its neck. The snare knot was loosened and removed by hand.

Prognosis Anaesthesia was reversed using 12mg Diprenophine by intravenous injection into the jugular vein and the waterbuck soon joined the rest of the herd.

Prognosis is good as the snare did not cause any wounds.

Case 2 – 20th August 2019 Zebra

Post-mortem

Meru National Park

A male common zebra was reported dead by the research team in the park. A post-mortem examination was carried out to determine the cause of death.

Examination Inspection of the carcass showed severe emaciation. The upper jaw was swollen and deformed. Its incisor teeth were worn out and misaligned due to swelling on the maxilla.

Cause of Death Presumptive diagnosis was tumor of the maxilla which caused malnutrition. Immediate cause of death was starvation.

Case 3 – 25th August 2019 Zebra

Natural Causes

Meru National Park

A security patrol found a common zebra foal with injuries suspected to have been sustained in a predation attempt.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The zebra foal was briefly separated from its mother by a vehicle and physically restrained for examination and treatment.

It had suffered puncture wounds to its neck and lacerations of the skin on the caudal aspect of the left maxilla.

The wounds were cleaned with water, Iodine and an Antiseptic applied. It was then given an intramuscular antibiotic injected.

Prognosis The foal was released to re-join its mother with a good prognosis for recovery.

Case 4 – 26th – 30th August 2019 Giraffe

Collaring

Loisaba Conservancy

Between the 26th to 30th August, Meru and Mt Kenya based SWT/ KWS Veterinary Units joined a team of ecologists working in Laikipia and Samburu ecosystem to fit satellite tracking devices in reticulated giraffes.

Collaring Exercise The purpose of this study is to understand how giraffe utilize range and what is the impact of infrastructural developments, livestock movement and human settlements on giraffe movement in Laikipia, Samburu and northern Kenya range.

Twelve giraffes in Laikipia and Samburu National Reserves were immobilized using the method described in the KWS protocol for immobilization of giraffes. Candidates were adult males and females. Work is on going to deploy tracking devices in northern Kenya targeting a total of twenty-eight giraffes.

This study is conducted in collaboration with ecologists from the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation research, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, various Conservancies in northern Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Case 5 – 31st August 2019 Elephant

Natural Causes

Shaba National Reserve

The KWS security patrol team in Shaba National Reserve reported an elephant calf which showed lameness on its left hind leg and remained behind the herd.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment To examine the cause and extent of the injury the calf was immobilized using Etorphine hydrochloride delivered through a Dan-inject dart into the thigh muscles. It was separated from the rest of the herd using a vehicle before darting.

Examination revealed a swelling around the fetlock joint due to suspected trauma.

It was treated by intramuscular injection of anti-inflammatory and antibiotics.

Reversal and Prognosis After treatment, the anaesthesia was reversed by intravenous injection of Diprenophine hydrochloride and the calf soon joined the rest of the herd.

Prognosis for recovery is good considering it is a young animal with no joint infection.