Tsavo Veterinary Report for November 2019

SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT NOVEMBER 2019

Introduction

11 Cases in November

4 Poaching Cases

4 Elephant Cases

November Report by Dr. Jeremiah Poghon November has had experienced good rains leading to good forage and water availability. Several elephant injuries have been treated including a spear injury to a bull in Tsavo East, sole injuries of two bulls in the SWT Ithumba Stockade and a foot injury of a bull in the SWT Voi Stockade. Snares were removed from three giraffes in Kasigau, Rukinga and Finch Hatton areas of Tsavo. Autopsies were also undertaken on a lion and zebra in Tsavo West. Finally, an Impala suspected to have sustained injuries due to a vehicular accident was humanely euthanized amongst other cases.

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.

SWT/KWS Tsavo Mo

Case Details Date

Species

Area Found

Reason for Intervention

Outcome

12-Nov-19

Antelope

Voi, Tsavo East NP

Human Wildlife Conflict

Sustained an injury as a result of a road accident

HWC Death

13-Nov-19

Elephant

Ithumba, Tsavo East NP

Natural Causes

Orphan Barsilinga sustained a foot injury suspected to be from standing on a stick

Successfully Treated

15-Nov-19

Giraffe

Kasigau, Taita Ranches

Snared

Had a snare around the base of its neck

Successfully Treated

15-Nov-19

Giraffe

Rukinga, Taita Ranches

Snared

Seen with a snare around the neck

Successfully Treated

15-Nov-19

Elephant

Voi, Tsavo East NP

Natural Causes

Orphan Mudanda treated for a swelling/abcess of the hindlimb

Successfully Treated

17-Nov-19

Elephant

Sobo, Tsavo East NP

Spear

A large swelling of the elbow on the right forelimb with a puncture wound

Prognosis Poor

21-Nov-19

Lion

Tsavo West NP

Human Wildlife Conflict

His right forelimb had a severe open fracture with multiple breaks

HWC Death

24-Nov-19

Elephant

Ithumba, Tsavo East NP

Natural Causes

Orphan Karisa treated for lion attack wounds and retreatment of foot injury

Prognosis Poor

25-Nov-19

Zebra

Tsavo West NP

Natural Causes

The foal was missing its left eye with injuries to the skin following a carnivore attack

Died

28-Nov-19

Giraffe

Tsavo West NP

Snared

Snare around the neck

Successfully Treated

29-Nov-19

Zebra

Tsavo East NP

Natural Causes

Had deep injuries to the body and the eye suspected to be from a lion attack

Prognosis Poor

SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations November 2019

Case 1 – 12th November Impala

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Tsavo East National Park

The impala was observed to be recumbent near the Tsavo East National Park KWS Offices. Once the vet team was notified, they travelled to the area by road.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Upon approaching the impala, the buck lifted himself using his front limbs and attempted to move away while dragging his hindlimbs.

The hindlimb paralysis was suspected to have been caused as a result of a road accident that injured the lumbo-sacral veterbrae area.

Prognosis Due to the poor prognosis of such a severe injury, humane euthanasia was opted for to end the animal’s suffering as well as for animal welfare concerns. Once euthanised, the carcass was disposed of.

Case 2 – 13th November 2019 Elephant

Natural Causes

Ithumba, Tsavo East NP

Orphan elephant, Barsilinga, was seen to be limping with a leg lameness. Once notified of the problem, the vet team drove to Kaluku SWT field office and was then airlifted to Ithumba by the SWT helicopter.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Barsilinga with 8mg of Etorphine HCl and 20mgs of Azaperone. Once anesthetised, the trunk was positioned correctly to aid in breathing and a large amount of water was used to cool him down during the treatment.

Examination of the limb revealed a wound on the sole suspected to have been inflicted by a sharp object, possibly from standing on a stick. To reduce the bacterial load, the wound was flushed with normal saline mixed with Hydrogen peroxide. Following this, the wound was disinfected with tincture of Iodine then sprayed with Oxytetracycline and packed with green clay. The bull also received a dose of supportive antibiotics and Dexamethasone HCl. Prognosis The anaesthesia was reversed with the use of 75mgs of Naltrexone. He was standing within two minutes and slowly walked away. Recent reports of the elephant putting weight on the limb are consistent with the good prognosis that was given.

Case 3 – 15th November 2019 Giraffe

Snared

Kasigau, Tsavo

The male was spotted during a routine aerial surveillance with a snare around the base of the neck. Once the vet team was alerted, the proper equipment was prepared and the team rushed to the Wildlife Works Offices by road and they were airlifted to Kasigau due to impassable roads in the area.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The giraffe was darted with 15mg of Etorphine HCl and 30mg of Xylazine from a helicopter and went down in 30 minutes with the aid of ropes used by the team. He was immediately reversed with the 2.5mgs Atipamezole HCl and 150mgs of Naltrexone HCl. Once reversed, he was restrained using physical restrained.

The snare was embedded into the subcutis and superficial muscle layers of the dorsal neck. Once removed, using wire cutters, the wound was cleaned with dilute Hydrogen peroxide, followed by disinfection with tincture of Iodine, Oxytetracycline spray, and finally an application of green clay. The bull also received supportive treatment with long-acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone HCl as an anti-inflammatory.

Prognosis Once the treatment was completed, he was released. He required some assistance to his feet but immediately walked off once up. A good prognosis is expected.

Case 4 – 15th November Giraffe

Snared

Rukinga, Tsavo

The bull was spotted with a snare around the neck during a routine aerial surveillance. As the vet team was already in Kasigau treating another giraffe, once finished, they were airlifted by SWT chopper to Rukinga Ranch.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Darting equipment was prepared with 15mg of Etorphine HCl (M99) and 30mg of Xylazine HCl in a 1.5-cc Dan-Inject darting syringe. The giraffe was approached by the SWT chopper and darted, going down after about 10 minutes with the aid of ropes used by the team. He was immediately reversed with the antidote consisting of 2.5mgs Atipamezole HCl and 150mgs of Naltrexone HCl. Once reversed, he was kept restrained with manual pressure applied to the neck. With successful restraint achieved, the removal of the snare was carried out.

As the snare was not embedded in the tissues or skin of the neck, treatment comprised of severing the snare and removing it from the neck of the animal.

Prognosis Once complete, manual pressure on the neck was relieved and the giraffe got up unassisted and moved away from the vet team. A good prognosis is expected.

Case 5 – 15th November 2019 Elephant

Natural Causes

Voi Stockade, Tsavo East National Park

Orphan Mudanda was seen to be limping on her right hind limb. Keepers at the SWT Voi stockade also reported seeing pus oozing from the foot. Once notified of the problem, the vet team went there immediately.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment Mudanda was approached on foot and darted with 8mg of Etorphine HCl and 20mgs of Azaperone. Once anesthetised, the trunk was positioned correctly to aid in breathing and a large volume of water used to cool him down throughout the treatment process. Examination of the limb revealed a swelling on the lateral aspect of the distal hindlimb. Aspiration of the swelling obtained purulent material. A small entry site was created using a scalpel blade to reduce contamination to the wound in the case that any joint was exposed.

The swelling was lavaged with a combination of normal saline and dilute Hydrogen peroxide deposited deep into the swelling using a catheter. Following this, disinfection was carried out using tincture of Iodine administered deep into the wound. The wound was then sprayed with Oxytetracycline aerosol and green clay applied. Mudanda also received a dose of supportive antibiotics and Dexamethasone HCl. Prognosis The anaesthesia was reversed with 160mgs of Naltrexone HCl. She was standing within two minutes and slowly walked away. Recent reports suggest improvement so a good prognosis is given since joint involvement is not present.

Case 6 – 17th November Elephant

Spear

Tsavo East National Park

The bull was seen to be limping with a carrying-leg lameness of his right forelimb and seemed to be in a lot of pain. Once notified of the problem, the vet team rushed to the area by road.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant was approached with a vehicle and darted with 18mg of Etorphine and 50mgs of Azaperone.

Examination of the limb revealed a large swelling of the right forelimb elbow with a puncture wound. The area was lavaged with copious amounts of water to remove the mud and debris. Swabs were used to remove the pus. The wound did not go deep enough to contact bone, but joint involvement was suspected due to the level of infection and swelling. Hydrogen peroxide and normal saline were administered using a catheter then the pus and dead tissue were removed by hand. Following this, the wound was disinfected with Iodine, infused with Cloxacillin ointment, sprayed with Oxytetracycline and packed with green clay. The bull also received antibiotics to combat the possible joint infection and Dexamethasone as an anti-inflammatory.

Prognosis The anaesthetic was reversed and though he required manual assistance to stand up, he was standing on his own in three minutes. He stood in place for another four minutes and then slowly walked away. A guarded prognosis was given due to joint involvement.

Case 7 – 21st November Lion

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Tsavo West National Park

A report was made that a dead lion had been spotted along the road near the Tsavo River Gate of Tsavo West National Park. The carcass was brought into the park due to its proximity to the road. An autopsy was requested to be undertaken to ascertain the cause of death. The vet unit rushed to the area by road.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The lion was in early stage decomposition. Blood was exiting from both nostrils as well as the urethra. The skin of the dorsal lumbar region was avulsed. An open wound was observed on the lower abdomen. His right forelimb had a severe open fracture with multiple breaks in the radial-ulnar complex as well as the humerus.

Once skinned, the subcutis of the ventral abdomen and right hindlimb had significant bruising. The subcutis of the ventral pelvic region was perforated and showed a complete fracture of the pubis and ischium of the pelvic bones leading the right limb to be freely movable. Blood was observed in the abdominal and thoracic cavities suggesting marked internal bleeding.

Cause of Death Due to the nature of the injuries observed, it is likely that the lion was hit by a vehicle while attempting to cross the Nairobi - Mombasa highway. The blunt, powerful force caused the fractures as well as internal bleeding. It is probable that his cause of death was due to extensive blood loss.

Case 8 – 24th November Elephant

Natural Causes

Ithumba, Tsavo East National Park

Orphan Karisa had previously been treated for limping. Due to the return of the limp as well as a recent lion attack, the vet team was notified and transported to the stockade by the SWT fixed-wing aircraft.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant was darted from foot with 6mg Etorphine and 15mgs of Azaperone.. The bull was observed to have poor body condition. Examination of all the limbs after thorough washing with water revealed the soles of the feet were undergoing hyperkeratinisation leading to excessive cracking of the soles as well as lifting of some of his nails. The young bull also had multiple puncture wounds localised along his lower jaw and ventral neck as well as another puncture wound on his left shoulder. The wounds were lavaged with tincture of Iodine, infiltrated with topical Cloxacillin ointment, sprayed with Oxytetracycline and packed with green clay.

To combat the unknown pathology of the limbs, the elephant received supportive doses of Oxytetracycline as an antibiotic and Dexamethasone as pain relief as well as an anti-inflammatory. He also received a metabolic stimulant of Vitamin B12 and Butaphosphan to improve his appetite and help him put on weight.

Prognosis He was standing within two minutes following anaesthetic reversal and slowly moved around in the pen. If continued limping is seen, the bull will receive a pain relief medication of longer duration to improve his comfort. The prognosis is guarded as the observed pathology of the limb is uncommon.

Case 9 – 25th November Zebra

Natural Causes

Tsavo West National Park

An injured zebra foal was seen along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway near the Tsavo River Gate of Tsavo West National Park. The foal was observed to be missing its left eye and was recumbent with injuries to the skin that led to a suspicion of an attempted carnivore attack. The vet team was requested to rescue the foal and bring it to the Voi Stockade for further treatment but found the foal dead with the mother still present.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The left side of the foal had multiple puncture wounds on the forearm at the level of the radial-ulnar complex.

One penetrating wound was observed to the right chest close to the caudal end of the ribs. There was bruising of the sub-cutis around the penetrating wound on the chest. The bruise was also present on the ribcage with a fracture of one rib observed. Investigation of the abdominal cavity revealed a marked laceration of the liver which was next to the fractured rib and the penetrating wound. The abdominal cavity was filled with blood indicating severe internal bleeding. The thoracic cavity revealed a small laceration to the right liver with haemorrhage of the surrounding parenchyma observed. A small amount of blood was also observed pooled within the thoracic cavity and serosanguinous pericardial effusion was noted.

Cause of Death Due to the nature of the injuries, it is likely that the foal was attacked by a predator and the mother chased it away. The cause of death was likely due to extensive blood loss as a result of the damage to the liver.

Case 10 – 28th November Giraffe

Snared

Tsavo West National Park

The female giraffe was spotted during routine patrols by KWS rangers with a snare around the neck. Once the vet team was alerted, the team travelled by road to Manyani then airlifted to Finch Hattons by the SWT helicopter as it was getting late. The giraffe was easily spotted on the road near Finch Hattons tented camp.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The giraffe was darted from a vehicle with 15mg of Etorphine and 30mg of Xylazine and went down after about 30 minutes with the aid of ropes used by the team. The anaesthesia was immediately reversed with 2.5mgs Atipamezole and 150mgs of Naltrexone and the giraffe was manually restrained. The snare was embedded into the subcutis and superficial muscle layers of the dorsal neck. Once removed using wire cutters, the wound was cleaned with dilute Hydrogen peroxide, followed by disinfection with tincture of Iodine, Oxytetracycline spray, and finally an application of green clay. The bull also received supportive treatment of long-acting antibiotics and Dexamethasone as an anti-inflammatory.

Prognosis Once the treatment was complete, manual pressure on his neck was relieved. He required some assistance to his feet but immediately walked off once up. A good prognosis is expected.

Case 11 – 29th November 2019 Zebra

Natural Causes

Tsavo East National Park

A report was received from tour drivers that a zebra had injuries to the body and the eye suspected to be from a lion attack. The vet team found the poor animal writhing in pain beside the road near Voi River.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment The zebra was darted from a vehicle with 7mgs Etorphine mixed with 60mgs Azaperone. He was placed on the left side with the deep laceration on the right rump area facing upwards. The wound was cleaned with tincture of Iodine, sprayed with Oxytetracycline spray and covered with wetted green clay. The wound was typical of a lion attack. Another serious injury on the right eye was also treated. The zebra was given 40cc of long acting antibiotics and 20cc of Dexamethasone.

Prognosis Prognosis is guarded.

Other Activities 1.

2.

3.

The Vet attended an advanced wildlife immobilization course at Skukuza Vet camp within Kruger National Park, South Africa. The 5 day course was organised by The University of Pretoria in conjuction with SANPARKS. The Vet examine several wildlife trophies (elephant tusks, carcasses, skins and processed trophies) brought in from Mombasa, Lungalunga, Makindu and Voi KWS stations and produced 10 expert reports to aid in prosecution of offenders.

The Vet testified in Makindu and Malindi courts in cases where offenders were charged with being in possession of wildlife trophies.