SWT/KWS AMBOSELI MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT

MAY 2023

Introduction

6 Cases in May 3 HWC Cases 4 Elephant Cases

May Report by Dr. Kariuki Edward and Dr. Mukami Ruoro

The Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to 6 cases in May 2023 involved 4 elephants and 2 lions. This included the examination of two young lame elephants in Amboseli National Park, an autopsy on an elephant cow carcass found in KALRO, and the planned translocation of 2 elephant bulls that were eventually collared and released for further monitoring. One lion was also relocated due to livestock predation, whilst another was speared following livestock predation and sadly did not survive.

Acknowledgement

The Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit greatly appreciates the support and funding it has received from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Staff and rangers that participated in the interventions undertaken over the month are acknowledged for their support and company. Anyone that may not have been mentioned but supported the monitoring of distressed wildlife in areas of interest is highly acknowledged and appreciated.

Case Details

Lion Human-Wildlife Conflict

Amboseli Ecosystem

A report was received of a male Lion who had been livestock raiding in Imbirikani, he had taken over 12 goats and was hiding out in the area. The lion was tracked and then monitored until the vet team arrived.

Immobilisation

The lion was hiding in a large thicket of bush He was very skittish and kept moving from bush to bush. He was darted with a Dan inject® rifle using a 3ml Dan inject dart loaded with 300mg Ketamine and 4mg Medetomidine, and after 15 mins he pretended to go down but began running again. This necessitated him being darted again, he finally went down in 10 minutes The lion was in good body condition and had no visible wounds. He had a few ticks which were collected as specimens. The research scientists recorded the morphometrics

Translocation

The lion was carefully loaded into a lion cage that was on a Landcruiser and the anaesthesia was reversed using Atipamezole 5mg intramuscularly 35 minutes after the induction of anaesthesia. He was translocated to Tsavo East National Park and safely released at the Lugard area

Lion Human-Wildlife Conflict Amboseli Ecosystem

A report was received of a male lion who had been livestock raiding in the Chyulu area, he had been found with a goat and speared then he ran away. The lion was tracked and monitored until the vet team arrived.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

The lion was hiding in a large thicket of bush .He was darted with a Dan inject rifle using a 3ml Dan inject dart using 300mg Ketamine and 4 mg Medetomidine and he went down in 20 minutes. A top up of 100mg of Ketamine was done after 30 minutes.

The lion was in good body condition and had a wound about 5 inches in length on his left side at the level of the thorax. The wound went into the thoracic cavity had caused a tension pneumothorax, he was having labored breathing and air was escaping through the wound. The surgical site was extended and the wound was then closed in 3 layers. He unfortunately died as the last skin suture was being applied. We then rolled him over and observed another wound, about 2 inches in size, the wound extended all the way inside the body wall and the abdominal cavity. It was evident that the animal had been speared at close range and the spear had gone through and through

Elephant Natural Causes Amboseli Ecosystem

A report was received from the Amboseli park management of a young elephant who was limping

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

The calf was in the company of his mother and his mother’s sister. The larger matriarch was driven away from the dam and calf. The dam was then immobilized using 15mg of Etorphine via 3cc dart delivered by a Dan –inject gun Anaesthesia was reversed using Naltrexone 300mg intravenously 5 minutes after the induction of anaesthesia.

The calf was examined, and no visible wound was observed. The calf was lame on the hind left leg, the knee joint was felt to be stiff , and when the knee joint and the femur were manipulated, it elicited pain. He was administered with 600mg of Phenylbutazone and 4ml of Vitamin E/Selenium.

Prognosis

Close observation and follow up was recommended but he should make a full recovery.

Elephant Natural Causes Amboseli National Park

The Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit was informed about a lame male elephant calf seen in Amboseli National Park.

Immobilisation and examination

The calf was found beside its mother. To facilitate examination of the calf, the mother was darted and immobilized with 18 mg Etorphine. The calf was manually restrained then the lame limb was examined by deep palpitation. No fracture was found, and deep palpation did not seem to elicit any pain. According to the Vet’s assessment, the lameness was possibly congenital, or it could have been caused by a soft tissue injury The calf was released then its mother was revived. They were re-united once the mother regained consciousness. The mother stood a short while later then they walked away together.

Prognosis

The elephant calf has a good prognosis.

Elephant Post-mortem KALRO

KWS management at Chyulu Hills National Park reported an adult female elephant carcass found in KALRO. The Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit was requested to carry out an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Post-mortem findings

The carcass was found lying in right lateral recumbency. Both tusks were present. The ventral part of the carcass had been opened and predated upon. The skin was broken on the left lateral side and ripped off. The intestines had been removed and were partly protruding from the carcass and decomposed. No pathological lesions could be established on the removed and predated upon organs.

Cause of death

The cause of death could not be conclusively established, but the elephant cow most likely died from a natural disease.