At least 20 elephants have died since June in the Olgulului communal lands of southern Kenya, near the Tanzanian border and Mount Kilimanjaro, according to Patrick Papatiti, the area's head of operations, who says authorities have yet to determine the cause.
At least 20 elephants dead in southern Kenya as cause remains unknown
At least 20 elephants have died since June in the Olgulului communal lands of southern Kenya, near the Tanzanian border and Mount Kilimanjaro, according to Patrick Papatiti, the area's head of operations, who says authorities have yet to determine the cause.
Early laboratory tests pointed to cyanide poisoning from pesticides used on nearby farmland as a possible explanation for the deaths. However, local wildlife experts said they were not convinced by that finding.
Papatiti said the elephants showed difficulty walking and breathing, as well as restlessness, before becoming unable to stand. 'They lie down until they die. At times, you would find one struggling for a day, struggling for two or even three days until they completely die,' he said.
Papatiti said current environmental conditions do not suggest a shortage of food or water as a contributing factor. 'Currently, we have abundant pasture around, we have water close to where these elephants go. We have protection within the ecosystem that we work,' he said. The deaths come after Kenya experienced a severe drought in 2022.
Farmers in the nearby Kimana area were also reported to be struggling to understand the cause of the deaths. Authorities and wildlife experts are continuing their investigation.
- The source does not state which authority or laboratory conducted the initial cyanide tests or when those results were issued.
- The source does not identify the specific pesticides cited in the early test findings.
- The source does not state the total elephant population in the affected area, making it unclear what proportion of the local herd has been lost.
- The source does not name the Kenyan government wildlife agency responsible for the investigation or provide an official government statement.
- The source does not specify what further tests are planned or when results are expected.
- The source does not provide details on the farmers' accounts beyond noting that they are also struggling to understand the deaths.