SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
NOVEMBER 2024
November Report by Dr. Michael Njoroge
During November 2024, the Unit attended to six cases that required Veterinary intervention. These included 5 elephant cases and 1 snared giraffe case. Two of the elephant cases were postmortems where the deaths were assumed to be due to natural causes, whilst the other cases were arrow or spear wounds. Other than the postmortems, all the other cases were given a good prognosis for a full recovery.
Acknowledgement
The Mara Mobile Veterinary team greatly appreciates Elizabeth Scarlett for funding the Unit through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The team also thanks Kenya Wildlife Service for providing technical support and all the conservation partners who contributed to the success of veterinary interventions through timely reporting of veterinary cases and monitoring of treated animals.
Case Details
SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
November 2024
Elephant Arrow
Olkinyei Conservancy
Mara vet attended to a male elephant with an arrow wound on the right fore limb in Olkinyei Conservancy.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
A dart was prepared, and he was successfully darted in the hind quarters with 17mgs Etorphine. After ten minutes, the elephant stopped moving and kept swaying from side to side. An attempt was done to physically bring down the elephant to lateral recumbency by pushing the elephant to one side. The efforts seemed futile but after a few trials, he went down on sternal recumbency. Both ears were used to cover the left and right eye shielding it from direct sunlight and dust. Water was doused on the animal to cool him down as the temperatures continued rising.
The wounds were cleaned with water, then cauterized with Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with povidone Iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and spray was applied. Systemically given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good. He is expected to recover fully with a very short time.
Giraffe Snared
Mara North Conservancy
Mara vet attended to a male giraffe in Mara North. He had a snare on the right hind limb.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The giraffe was found facing the wrong direction hence with the aid of the rangers, we changed the course of movement together with the herd. After 10-15 minutes of pushing to a better site the animal was in a good position and darted successfully with 15mgs of Etorphine and 25mgs Azaperone, it made some efforts to run away. It was immobilized in seven minutes but remained standing. It was then physically restrained with a long rope and brought down to the ground It was revived using 170mgs Naltrexone into the ear vein and third of the drug intramuscularly. The animal went down smoothly and was maintained by manual pinning the head and neck on the ground. A blindfold was placed on the face.
The snare was cut, and since there were no visible wounds, the animal was set free.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good
Elephant
Post-mortem
Naboisho Conservancy
The Unit attended a report of a dead elephant reported by warden Daniel Lemurt of Naboisho conservancy. A ground team confirmed a one-day old elephant carcass that was partial eaten by hyenas with both tusks intact. The carcass was mutilated by scavengers. A post-mortem examination of the carcass was done immediately
Postmortem Findings
The adult male elephant carcass was on the left lateral recumbency with no autolysis and putrefaction since the carcass was fresh. He appeared to have been in good body condition prior to death. No signs of struggle before death at the scene.
• Pale mucous membrane an indicative of anaemia
• Most of the significant organs were already consumed by the scavengers upon arrive hence not available for postmortem
Cause of death
The post-mortem findings indicate that the elephant died due to old age as he was 50 years of age.
Elephant Spear
Ol Chorro Conservancy
Mara vet attended to a female juvenile elephant in Olchoro. The elephant had a serious spear wound on the right fore limb around the carpal joint. The wounds was septic, elephant heavily limping and swollen.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The animal was darted successfully with 14mgs of Etorphine, it made some efforts to run away. It was immobilized in seven minutes and then fell to the ground with a slight push using a rope so as to fall in the right direction.
The necrotic tissue was debrided, and the wounds were cleaned with water, then cauterized with Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with povidone Iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and spray were then applied.
Systemically it was given 30,000mg Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone intramuscularly.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good
Elephant Spear
Mara North Conservancy
Mara vet attended to a male adult elephant in Mara North. The elephant had an arrowhead on the right hind quarters and spear injury on the spinal region.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The animal was darted successfully with 14mgs of Etorphine, it made some efforts to run away. It was immobilized in seven minutes and then fell to the ground with a slight push using a rope so as to fall in the right direction.
The arrowhead was retrieved, and the wounds were cleaned with water, then cauterized with Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with povidone iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and spray was applied. Systemically given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good .
Post-mortem
Mara North Conservancy
Mara Vet attended to a case of a dead elephant in Mara North. The elephant had been sighted around the same are a few days earlier.
Postmortem Findings
The team observed that the tusks were all present.
No physical injuries could be observed on the integumentary system. However, the internal organs and part of the integumentary system was found to have been devoured by scavengers. No samples could be collected due to decomposition.
Cause of death
A viable postmortem could not be carried out hence the cause of death could not be verified.