SWT/KWS MOBILE VETERINARY UNITS
TSAVO, MARA, MERU, AMBO MT KENYA, RIFT VALLEY
January – March 2024 Report
January – March 2024 Report for Tsavo, Mara, Meru, Amboseli, Mt Kenya and Rift Valley Units.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT), in conjunction with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) operate six Mobile Veterinary Units Within the quarter, the Units attended to a total of 117 wildlife cases involving 752 animals. The rains experienced at the end of 2023 have greatly reduced during the first quarter of 2024, however the there was still enough green vegetation and water for wildlife to flourish
There were 45 elephant, 17 predator, 12 rhino, 20 plains game, 14 giraffe, and 4 buffalo cases as well as treatment of 3 security dogs, 1 security horse and collaring oof a baboon troop. There were 43 poaching cases involving 23 elephants, 3 hyenas, 1 rhino, 8 herbivores, 7 giraffes and 1 buffalo. The most common poaching method for elephants was spearing whereas the herbivores/browsers were mostly treated for snare injuries Three hyenas were also caught in snares but probably weren’t the intended target. 34 of the poaching cases were successfully treated, 2 given a guarded prognosis whilst 7 succumbed to their injuries, including 2 postmortems where the exact cause of death was not clear, but the tusks were removed showing human involvement and poisoning was suspected. There were also various human-wildlife conflict cases under different circumstances including fencing/trapped, human attacks and road traffic accidents.
Other significant cases, include the extensive operation where 13 black rhinos were ear notched and/or fitted with horn transmitters, translocating 3 Masai giraffes to improve genetic diversity of the giraffe population in Bora bora Wildlife Sanctuary and a comprehensive mass capture and translocation of 631 diverse wildlife species Kenya Nut farms, Naivasha to Tundra Conservancy to ease pressure on pastureland for cattle production, enhance genetic populations in Tundra and prevent any Human- Wildlife Conflict.
Case Details
117 Cases 43 Poaching Cases 45 Elephant Cases 17 Predator Cases 12 HWC Cases 66% Success
Elephant Predators Rhinos Plains Game Giraffe Buffalo Other Grand Total Poaching 23 3 1 8 7 1 43 Human Wildlife Conflict 2 6 1 1 2 12 Natural Causes 15 3 6 5 4 1 34 Postmortem 3 4 3 1 11 Technical Cases 1 2 1 3 7 Rescue 1 2 1 4 Relocation 1 1 2 Collared 3 1 4 Grand Total 45 17 12 20 14 4 5 117 Introduction
. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Postmortem Technical Cases Rescue Relocation Collared 117 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Vet Units January - March 2024 Other Buffalo Giraffe Plains Game Rhinos Predators Elephant 0 5 10 15 20 25 Snared Spear Arrow Bullet Wound Poaching Postmortem Spear Panga Fencing Human Items Livestock Predation Manhole RTA Manmade Structure Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict 55 Poaching and HWC Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Vet Units
- March 2024
Giraffe Plains Game
Elephant
January
Buffalo
Rhinos Predators
Outcomes
January - March 2024
SWT/KWS Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations 11 18 11 5 10 22 1 2 2 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 5 3 1 6 2 1 1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Tsavo
Mara
Mt Kenya
Meru
Ambo
Rift Valley
SWT/KWS
of Cases Attended to by the
Vet Units
Successful Cases Reunited with Mother Prognosis Poor Poaching Death HWC Death Died Taken to Orphanage Not Located Successful Cases 66% Reunited with Mother 1% Prognosis Poor 5% Poaching Death 6% HWC Death 3% Died 15% Taken to Orphanage 3% Not Located 1%
SWT/KWS
2024
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the
Vet Units January - March
January – March 2024
Rift
Tsavo – Mara – Meru –Amboseli – Mt Kenya –
Valley
SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
OVERVIEW
16 Cases
January – March 2023
6
Poaching Cases
14
Elephant Cases
Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit were off in January and returned in February. The conservation area experienced a decrease in precipitation compared to the last two months of the previous year, however it continued to receive moderate rainfall throughout February – March. The water pans are still full. Both grazers and browsers have plenty of food. Most of the animals are in good body condition. The majority of the cases involved elephants (14), 6 of which were arrow or spear injuries whereas the rest were attributed to natural causes. 79% of these elephant cases were successful, 2 died from natural causes and 1 was given a poor prognosis. None were lost due to poaching injuries. The Unit also attended to a cheetah and a lion for Human-Wildlife Conflict. Sadly, the cheetah died after it was hit by a vehicle and a young lioness became trapped inside the SGR fence and had to be relocated
16 Cases Attended to by the
Tsavo Vet Unit
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Postmortem
SWT/KWS
January - March 2024 Predators Elephant
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Tsavo Vet Unit
January - March 2024
SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January – March 2024
Successful Cases 69% Prognosis Poor 12% HWC Death 6% Died 13%
January 2024
The Tsavo Vet Unit were on leave for the month of January
February 2024
To see the full report for Tsavo Vet Unit for the month of February 2024 click here
March 2024
To see the full report for Tsavo Vet Unit for the month of March 2024 click here
SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
OVERVIEW
January – March 2024
21 Cases
9 Poaching Cases 8 Elephant Cases
The SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to 21 Cases during this Quarter involving a variety of species including 8 elephants, 3 cheetahs, 2 lions, 1 rhino, antelope, 1 eland, 2 zebra and 3 giraffes. Significant cases involved two lions and an elephant that were treated for human-wildlife conflict injuries; the lions sustained cuts from pangas whilst the elephant was speared. The Unit also successfully treated 2 giraffes and 4 elephants for spear and arrow wounds and removed snares from 2 zebras and 1 elephant. The Unit also rescued an elephant calf, and an impala and Thomson gazelle in two separate cases. An extensive exercise was carried out whereby 13 black rhinos were ear notched and/or fitted with horn transmitters.
21 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Amboseli Vet Unit January - March 2024
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Technical Cases Rescue
Giraffe
Plains Game
Rhinos
Predators Elephant
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the
SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January – March 2024 Successful Cases 86% Died 5% Taken to Orphanage 9%
SWT/KWS
Mara Vet Unit January - March 2024
January 2024
To see the full report for Mara Vet Unit for the month of January 2024 click here
February 2024
To see the full report for Mara Vet Unit for the month of February 2024 click here
March 2024
To see the full report for Mara Vet Unit for the month of March 2024 click here
SWT/KWS MERU MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
OVERVIEW
January – March 2024
11 Cases
2 Poaching Cases
4 Elephant Cases
Throughout the quarter daytime temperatures increased and the once lush grasslands and shrubs gradually lost their vibrant-green pigmentation but the watercourses within the ecosystem maintained their flow. The team was encouraged by the increased sighting of baby elephants which instilled optimism that the existing forage and water would adequately support wildlife over the coming months. Remarkably, there was a noticeable reduction in the number of wildlife cases. There were only 2 poaching cases, where a giraffe was snared, and an elephant was euthanised due to a gunshot injury and 1 HWC conflict case where a lion broke into a homestead and became aggressive sadly resulting in its death. The rest of the cases were natural, sadly 2 elephants and 1 rhino died, but the Unit also rescued a buffalo calf and reunited it with his mother.
11 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Meru Vet Unit January - March 2024
. 0 1 2 3 4 5 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Postmortem Technical Cases Rescue
Other Buffalo Giraffe
Rhinos Predators Elephant
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Meru Vet Unit
January - March 2024
SWT/KWS Meru Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January – March 2024 Successful Cases 46% Reunited with Mother 9% Poaching Death 9% HWC Death 9% Died 27%
January 2024
To see the full report for Meru Vet Unit for the month of January 2024 click here
February 2024
To see the full report for Meru Vet Unit for the month of February 2024 click here
March 2024
To see the full report for Meru Vet Unit for the month of March 2023 click here
SWT/KWS AMBOSELI MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
OVERVIEW
January – March 2024
15 Cases
6 Poaching Cases 9 Elephant Cases
The wet weather that was experienced at the end of 2023 started to dry up in January, and the first months of the year were warmer and drier. The SWT/KWS Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to 15 cases in this quarter including 3 spear/arrowed elephants, 2 snared elephants and a rhino with a gunshot wound. All the elephants were successfully treated but the rhino succumbed to its injuries. The Unit also relocated a lion that invaded a goat shed and attended a giraffe that was electrocuted by a fence which sadly died. 3 elephants were treated for natural injuries and a wildebeest calf was rescued. Additional re-collared 1 lion that is a notorious for preying on livestock and removed a non-functional collar on an elephant.
15 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Amboseli Vet Unit January - March 2024
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Postmortem Technical Cases Rescue Collared
Giraffe
Plains Game
Rhinos
Predators Elephant
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Amboseli Vet Unit
January - March 2024
SWT/KWSAmboseli Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January – March 2024
Successful Cases 67% Prognosis Poor 6% Poaching Death 6% HWC Death 7% Died 7% Taken to Orphanage 7%
January 2024
To see the full report for Amboseli Vet Unit for the month of January 2024 click here
February 2024
To see the full report for Amboseli Vet Unit for the month of February 2024 click here
March 2024
To see the full report for Amboseli Vet Unit for the month of March 2024 click here
SWT/KWS MT KENYA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
OVERVIEW
January – March 2024
23 Cases
9 Elephant Cases
8 Poaching Cases
The SWT/KWS Mt. Kenya Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to 23 Cases from January – March 2024. These cases involved 9 elephants, 3 lions, 7 rhinos, 2 plains game, 1 giraffe and the collaring of a baboon troop. There were 8 poaching injuries; 3 snared herbivores and a giraffe, 2 speared and one elephant with a bullet wound. Two post-mortems were carried out on elephants that had their tusks removed and though exact cause of death was not determined poisoning was suspected. The Unit was also involved in the translocation of black rhinos from Nairobi NP, Ol Pejeta and Lewa to Loisaba Conservancy. The team subsequently successfully treated 2 of these rhinos that were attacked by lions shortly after being released.
23 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Vet Unit January - March 2024
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Postmortem Collared
Other Giraffe Plains Game Rhinos Predators Elephant
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Vet Unit
January - March 2024
SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January – March 2024
Successful Cases 48% Prognosis Poor 8% Poaching Death 22% Died 22%
January 2024
To see the full report for Mt Kenya Vet Unit for the month of January 2024 click here
February 2024
To see the full report for Mt Kenya Vet Unit for the month of February 2024 click here
March 2024
To see the full report for Mt Kenya Vet Unit for the month of March 2024 click here
SWT/KWS RIFT VALLEY MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
OVERVIEW
January – March 2024
23 Cases
12 Poaching Cases
12 Plains Game Cases
Seasonal rains fell across the Central Rift Conservation Area in general and the areas north and south of Lake Naivasha during January, but these tapered out for the remaining months. The Unit are still attending a high number of cases (31) with almost half due to poaching (12) or Human-Wildlife Conflict (3). Snaring is still the most common form of poaching with 1 buffalo, 3 giraffe, 3 hyena and 4 zebra being attended to successfully. Human-wildlife conflict wounds included a zebra likely hit by a panga/or caught on a fence, and two buffalos that fell into different manmade structures. One major undertaking was the translocation of 631 animals of various species from Kenya Nut farm, Evergreen farm to Tundra Conservancy.
23 Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Rift Valley Vet Unit January - March 2024
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Poaching Human Wildlife Conflict Natural Causes Postmortem Technical Cases Relocation
Other Buffalo Giraffe Plains Game Rhinos Predators Elephant
Outcomes of Cases Attended to by the SWT/KWS Rift Valley Vet Unit
January - March 2024
SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January - March 2024
Successful Cases 71% Prognosis Poor 3% HWC Death 3% Died 20% Not Located 3%
To see the full report for Rift Valley Vet Unit for the month of January 2024 click here
February 2024
To see the full report for Rift Valley Vet Unit for the month of February 2024 click here
March 2024
To see the full report for Rift Valley Vet Unit for the month of March 2024 click here
January 2024
