Tsavo Veterinary Report for March 2019

SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT MARCH 2019

Introduction

8 Cases in March

5 Poaching Cases

4 Elephant Cases

March Report by Dr Jeremiah Poghon The month under review saw a shift in injury types in elephants; with spear wounds topping the list and arrow wounds decreasing. In Tsavo East, two elephants were treated for spear wounds and an autopsy was undertaken on an elephant cow carcass that had died of a spear wound. In Tsavo West, an elephant bull was treated for an arrow wound near Komboyo. The unit also attended to various other cases involving buffalo, lion and an eland.

Acknowledgement The unit acknowledges the support of its sponsors ViER PFOTEN through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) for their huge financial support to the unit. We also thank Kenya Wildlife Service through the Assistant director Tsavo conservation area and the head, veterinary and capture services department for their support.

Case Details Date

Species

Area Found

Reason for Intervention

Outcome

08-Mar-19

Lion

Tsavo East National Park

Natural Causes

The lion’s upper lip had been ripped out exposing his canines and there were other old injuries on the hind limbs and back

Task Successful

12-Mar-19

Buffalo

Lualenyi Ranch, Taita

Rescue

A calf had been abandoned in the ranch and was kept in a Boma by local herdsmen

Taken to Orphanage

13-Mar-19

Antelope

Tsavo West National Park

Snared

The young eland was seen with a vehicle tyre around its chest

Successfully Treated

22-Mar-19

Buffalo

Base Titanium, South Coast

Human Wildlife Conflict

remnant buffalo population invading community areas due to deforestation

Task Successful

24-Mar-19

Elephant

Tsavo East National Park

Spear

There was a penetrating wound on the medial aspect of the right front limb with swelling and infection of the elbow joint

Prognosis Poor

25-Mar-19

Elephant

Tsavo East National Park

Spear

Examination of the carcass revealed two injuries on the back near the left of lumbar vertebral column

Poaching Death

28-Mar-19

Elephant

Tsavo West National Park

Arrow

This was a typical arrow wound, though no foreign body was found

Successfully Treated

28-Mar-19

Elephant

Tsavo East National Park

Spear

Probing revealed a deep penetrating wound possibly from a spear

Prognosis Poor

SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations March 2019

Case 1 – 8th March 2019 Lion

Natural Causes

Satao, Tsavo East National Park

The report was made by staff of Satao camp that a sickly-looking lion with visible body injuries was spotted that morning near the camps’ watering hole. The vet unit rushed to the camp and found the lion under a bush with obvious surface injuries to the face and hind limbs.

General Examination The vehicle moved close to the lion and using binoculars we were able to visually examine the injuries better.

The lion’s upper lip had been ripped out exposing his canines and there were other old injuries on the hind limbs and back. All the wounds were old and already healed leaving scars on the skin. The upper lip was torn out and the wound healed.

There was no need to intervene and the lion was left alone. The cause of injuries is suspected to be from territorial fights with other lions

Case 2 – 12th March 2019 Buffalo

Rescue

Lualenyi Ranch, Taita

The camp manager from Lualenyi Camp reported that a buffalo calf had been abandoned in the ranch and was being kept in a Boma by local herdsmen. The SWT Maktau based de-snaring team were informed and they immediately rushed to the area.

Rescue The Rangers met with the herdsmen who handed over the buffalo calf. They then brought it to the Voi Veterinary unit for examination. The calf was given a clean bill of health and taken to the Voi SWT stockades for care and final release in the wild.

Case 3 – 13th March 2019 Eland

Poaching

Maktau, Tsavo West National Park

This young eland was seen by a camp owner near Lualenyi Community Conservancy bordering Tsavo West National Park, with a vehicle tyre around its chest. Being late in the evening the team planned to attend to the animal the next morning. The team travelled to Lualenyi Ranch and met with the camp owner who directed us where the eland was last seen. It was easily located under a tree.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The shy eland was approached and an attempt was made to dart him but he took off immediately and the dart missed. A second dart was quickly prepared with the same dosage which got the target on the rump and the eland went down after 5 minutes. The vehicle tyre was around the chest and was suspected to have been used as a game-meat trap. The tyre was inflicting injuries and causing a lot of distress to the young growing animal.

There were wounds on the chest and abdominal area caused by the tightening of the tyre. It was cut loose using a hack saw and the wounds were washed clean with tincture of Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray.

Parenteral administration of long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl was done.

Prognosis The eland stood up and ran off. Prognosis is good.

Case 4 – 22nd March 2019 Buffalo

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Kwale County

Base Titanium mines in Kwale began operations about 18 years ago and since then large forested areas that once hosted buffalo populations have been cut down. This has forced a remnant buffalo population to invade community areas leading to an increase in human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and complaints from the community around the mine area. In an effort to reduce HWC, the Base Titanium management requested KWS to consider translocating the animals. An ecological assessment and stakeholder’s consultation were conducted prior to the translocation exercise. Shimba Hills National Reserve was selected as the relocation site due to its closeness to the Base Titanium mines and with similar ecological features.

Immobilization, Capture and translocation The herd of 14 buffaloes constituted a breeding herd. The aim was to capture all the individuals and move them to Shimba Hills National Park. Among the individuals of concern with postulated risk in immobilization were one seemingly old bull and a yearling calf. All others posed no risk in capture and translocation intervention.

Candidates for ease of determination of the same dosage were grouped into four clusters. This was determined by the age, size and sex of the animals. Cluster number one composed of two big bulls and one big cow. The second cluster composed of four young mothers and a bull, third cluster composed of five sub adults and last cluster was of yearling calf only.

The buffalos were darted from a vehicle. For cluster one, 10mgs Etorphine and 180mgs Azaperone was used; cluster two, two darts of 8mgs Etorphine and 150mgs Azaperone and another two for 7mgs Etorphine and 130mgs Azaperone; for cluster three, two darts comprising of 5mgs Etorphine and 100mgs Azaperone and two for 4mgs Etorphine and 80mgs Azaperone, while the last one, for the yearling calf, constituted 2.5mgs Etorphine and 50mgs Azaperone. A Dan-inject dart gun was used to deliver the darts to the targeted candidates.

Darting was only done in a relatively open and sloped area, and was aimed to be done during the cool hours of the day in the early morning. The herd was ambushed at the top of the sloped area, completely unaware of the exercise on day one. One darting vehicle approached the herd while the other darting vehicle was strategically placed at the foot of the sloped area just in case they went down. The initial plan was to have eight candidates darted for the first trip as per the carrying crate. Candidates were darted one after the other. Cluster one candidates were darted first, followed by two individuals of cluster two and one candidate of cluster three. This made a total of six individuals darted. All were immobilized close to one another, with the furthest being 20 meters away. It took 15 minutes for the un-darted members of the herd to run away into the forest Loading was done at an open parking area at the top of the darting site. A shovel from the mining company was used to move the animals to the loading site. At the loading site, the animals were transferred from the shovel to the carrying crate manually. Two females were first at the loading site and were placed into the front chamber where they were revived from the anaesthesia. This was followed by two females and one bull in the rear

chamber. They were revived simultaneously. The last male to be recovered was placed in the rear chamber and revived immediately, after the three in rear chamber were moved to the front chamber temporarily. After full recovery from the anaesthesia, two females were moved from front chamber to rear chamber. This created equality and avoided putting the two big bulls in one chamber because of possible aggression.

Each was revived using 40mgs Naltrexone injected into jugular vein. At the loading site before revival, each had a blood sample taken which was preserved in plain and EDTA blood tubes, as well as tick samples taken from all over the body and tissue from the ear. All were placed in a cool box for further processing afterwards.

The buffalos were transported to Shimba Hill N.P. for release. The second darting was attempted in the cool afternoon hours of the same day, but the animals were now scared and fled to the nearby thick forested Gongoni Forest. The exercise was futile.

The second and third day attempts also proved futile as the animal’s evaded human contact by sticking to thick forested areas and wandering only at night. This informed an attempt for a possible night capture. A night watch team were instructed to keep a watch on the animals and call when they were sighted as the capture team remained on standby. The animals were spotted near the same location where the initial darting was done. An ambush was done at three o’clock in the morning and successfully darted two (females) from cluster three and one (male) from cluster two. Enough lights were procured by the firm for the exercise. Loading and revival was done as for the previous. These three individuals were released at day break at Shimba Hills N.P. Two days were added for the operation aimed at capturing the four remaining buffaloes. The animals became too elusive as they avoided all human contact both during the day and night with extreme fear of any light at night. This made both day and night capture futile. It became obvious that these animals needed time to calm down and possibly forget the human encounter they had been predisposed to.

The exercise was postponed for a later date. Animals translocated composed of three males and six females.

Two sub adults, a young mother and a yearling calf are the four buffaloes yet to be captured.

Case 5 – 24th March 2019 Elephant

Spear

Sala Gate, Tsavo East National Park

A report was received from KWS Rangers manning Sala gate within Tsavo East National Park, about an injured elephant bull limping badly while heading to the nearby Galana River. The vet team drove to the area which is 100Kms away, and found the bull together with another in the river drinking water.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant was pushed out of the river, then approached slowly by a vehicle, but his friend became aggressive and wanted to attack the vet vehicle. Finally, the injured bull was darted on the rump after his friend moved away. He was trailed slowly from a distance as he hobbled away in pain. He went down after 8 minutes and fell on a fallen palm tree which had to be cut and pulled out.

There was a penetrating spear wound on the medial aspect of the right front limb with swelling and infection of the elbow joint. The wound was flushed with large amounts of normal saline, antiseptics, doused with tinture of Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray and finally covered with green clay. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl. Prognosis The bull struggled to stand, but finally stood and walked away. Prognosis is guarded due to elbow joint infection.

Case 6 – 25th March 2019 Elephant

Post-mortem

Sala Gate, Tsavo East National Park

A report was made by the camp manager of Satao Camp, Tsavo East, that a fresh elephant carcass had been spotted that morning near their water hole, within Tsavo East National Park. The vet unit drove to the area to undertake an autopsy.

Post-mortem Examination The fresh carcass was lying on the left flank near Satao Camp’s water hole and both tusks were intact. Upon examination there were two injuries on the back near the left of lumbar vertebral column. The penetrating wound at the lumbo-sacral area went through the skin, the muscles and entered the peritoneal cavity puncturing the left kidney and causing massive internal haemorrhage. The peritoneal fluid was bloody and copious due to bleeding. The injury was inflicted from above the animal (indicative of raised ground or a platform).

Cause of Death The cause of death was internal haemorrhage and shock from penetrating wound caused by spear

Case 7 – 28th March 2019 Elephant

Arrow

Komboyo, Tsavo West National Park

The SWT de-snaring team in Tsavo West reported an elephant bull with a suspected arrow injury on the front limb. The vet team accompanied by the de-snaring teams found the bull together with others drinking water near Komboyo airstrip camp site. The bull had an obvious injury to the right front limb area with pus oozing out.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant was approached by vehicle and darted on the rump. He ran off followed by the other bulls for a short distance and went down lying on the injured side. His friends became aggressive and the vet unit had to call for assistance from the de-snaring vehicle who pushed the other bulls away. Having fallen on the injured side, the injured bull was rolled over using ropes tied unto the vet landcruiser, assisted by the de-snaring vehicle.

The bull had a wound on the lateral aspect of the right front limb. The wound was enlarged and pus drained out, then cleaned with water mixed with Hydrogen peroxide, doused with Tinture of Iodine, sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray and finally covered with wetted green clay. The wound was probed but the arrow head must have fallen out. The elephant was administered with long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl. d with large amounts of normal saline mixed with antiseptics to wash out the pus and necrotic tissue debris.

Prognosis The bull stood up and chased the vet and de-snaring vehicles for about 200 metres. Prognosis is good.

Case 8 – 28th March 2019 Elephant

Spear

Voi Wildlife Lodge, Tsavo East National Park

Tourists, who saw a lame young elephant bull at Voi Wildlife Lodge watering hole, reported it to the KWS office in Nairobi who in turn contacted the Tsavo East office and finally the SWT/KWS Tsavo vet was called. The young elephant had a serious lame left hind limb caused by a penetrating wound to the left rump.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant was pushed out of the watering point then approached on foot and darted. Due to lameness he couldn’t run far and fell a few metres away.

The elephant bull had a deep penetrating wound to the left rump with copious amounts of pus oozing out.

Probing revealed a wound, possibly from a spear, going down through the skin and muscles of the pelvic region with accompanying infection. The pus and dead tissue debris were drained and the wound flushed with tincture of Iodine and sprayed with antibiotic spray. A final cover of wetted green clay was administered over the wound.

Long acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone Hcl were given IM and IV respectively.

Prognosis Prognosis is guarded due to hip joint inflammation.

Other Activities •

The unit vet testified in four cases at Voi law courts where offenders were charged with being in possession of government trophies

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The vet examined 31 pieces of elephant tusks, 259 pieces of pangolin scales, 1 leopard skin and 1 crocodile skin held at Makindu and Mtito Andei police stations for various offences and produced 12 expert reports to aid in prosecution of offenders at Makindu law courts

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One working canine based at Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary and four others based at SWT Kaluku K-9 base were administered with Trypanasomosis prophylactic medication to curb the deadly infection

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The SWT Tsavo Veterinary unit teamed up with Tsavo West security, research and management teams to drive wild animals from Gicheha farm in Ziwani in Taveta sub-county to Tsavo West National Park.

More than half of the approximate 200 wild animals consisting zebras, oryx, wildebeest, impala, eland and giraffe were driven back to Tsavo West National Park using KWS helicopter assisted by ground teams.

The exercise continues at a later date.

by Dr Jeremiah Poghon