SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
SEPTEMBER 2024
September Report by Dr. Michael Njoroge
During September the SWT/KWS Mara Vet Unit attended to 7 cases. All 3 elephant cases were poaching related, 2 with spear wounds and 1 with an arrow; all were given a good prognosis. Two lions were treated for injuries resulting from territorial fights, both were successfully treated but one was given a more guarded prognosis. A giraffe was treated after a rubber ring became entangled around its neck, thankfully not leaving any injuries. Additionally, a White rhino was treated in Ol Chorro Conservancy after Rangers reported it was uncoordinated and was frequently collapsing; unfortunately, this seems to be an ongoing/reoccurring problem and will be monitored.
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
September 2024
Case 1 – 2nd September 2024
Elephant Spear
Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Vet via the sky vet team attended to a male elephant in Naboisho conservancy. The male adult elephant had a deep penetrating spear wound on the front rear spinal region
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
A dart was prepared and he was successfully darted using a helicopter on 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 physically pushing the elephant to one side. The efforts seemed futile but after a few trials, he went down on sternal recumbency. Keeping in mind that the position is quite risky for elephants on immobilization, attempts were done to bring the bull to lateral recumbency. The efforts turned futile due to his huge size and massive weight. 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 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 was applied. Systemically given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly.
Reversal and prognosis
It was revived using 170mgs Naltrexone into the ear vein and third of the drug intramuscularly. Good. He is expected to recover fully with a very short time.
Case 2 – 2nd September 2024
Elephant Spear
Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Vet attended to a male elephant in Naboisho conservancy. The male adult elephant had a deep penetrating spear wound on the right fore limb at the hock.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
He was successfully darted from a helicopter with 17mgs Etorphine. After ten minutes, the elephant stopped moving and kept swayed from side to side. He was finally pulled to the ground physically. Both ears were used to cover the left and right eye shielding it from direct sunlight and dust.
A swelling adjacent to the wound was incised and the pus drained off. 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 was applied. Systemically given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly.
Reversal and prognosis
The prognosis is guarded-fair. Monitoring of the elephant will be done. Should a second treatment necessitate, the vet team could review the case after 2 weeks.
Case 3 – 3rd September 2024
Giraffe Human-Wildlife Conflict Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Vet attended to a female giraffe in Naboisho conservancy. The giraffe had a rubber ring like object on the neck close to the base. It was loose but capable of strangulation while feeding.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
With the aid of a helicopter the giraffe was 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. Later it was physical restrained used a long rope to bring it down. The animal went down smoothly and was maintained by manually pinning the head and neck on the ground. A blindfold was placed on the face. Reversal was done immediately the animal went down with 210mgs Naltrexone into jugular vein and some intramuscularly.
The rubber ring was cut off and the giraffe was released. After two minutes the animal was on sternal recumbency before she energetically woke up and run to join her group and moved towards thick nearby bush.
Prognosis
The prognosis is good
Case 4 – 9th September 2024
Lion
Natural Causes
Paradise Plains, Masai Mara
The Mara Vet Team attended to a lioness that was involve in a territorial fight. Pamoja 2 from marsh pride moved into Paradise Plains territory The lioness has been attacked twice in a month (treated in August 2024) by the Paradise Pride after straying into their territory. The mother-Pamoja 1 was killed around 2021 in the same situation by Topie pride.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The lioness was successfully darted from a vehicle with 300mgs Ketamine and 4mgs Medetomidine.
This female had serious open infected wounds on the back/spinal region, hind limbs inguinal region and flank. The wounds were cleaned using water and Hydrogen peroxide then disinfected with Iodine. 15,000mg of Amoxicillin was infiltrated into the wound followed by Tetracycline wound spray. Systemically it was injected with 15,000mgs Amoxicillin, 30mgs Dexamethasone and 40mgs Ivermectin Catasol was administered with green clay.
Prognosis
The lioness was relocated from the Paradise Plains Pride Territory to the Marsh Pride Territory. The lioness will get protection and provision of food here Her prognosis is guarded, but she’ll be monitored by Rangers.
Elephant Arrow Nyakweri Forest, Olorien
The Mara vet attended to a 3 yr old male elephant with an arrow wound on the left flank. The arrow had fallen off but the wound remained septic.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was in the thick Nyekweri forest hence darting was done from a helicopter assisted by Mara Elephant Project. A dart was prepared, and he was successfully darted in the hind quarters with 14mgs Etorphine. After ten minutes, the elephant stopped moving and kept swaying from side to side. He was physically pushed onto sternal recumbency which is a risky position for elephants but efforts to get him on his side were unsuccessful. Both ears were used to cover the left and right eye shielding it from direct sunlight and dust.
The necrotic tissue was debrided, and the wounds were cleaned with water, then cauterized with Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with Iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and spray was applied. Systemically the elephant was given 30,000mg Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly.
Reversal and prognosis
Prognosis is good. He is expected to recover fully within a very short time
Lion
Natural Causes
The Mara Vet attended to a male adult lion in Sangalai-Mara National reserve with a deep injury on the lower right lateral canthus due to territorial fight with Salas pride. The injury was fresh but could not be sutured due to the severed skin and muscle tissue.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The lion was successfully darted from a vehicle with 300mgs Ketamine and 4mgs Medetomidine.
This wounds to the face were cleaned using water and Hydrogen peroxide then disinfected with Iodine. 15,000mg of Amoxicillin was infiltrated into the wound followed by Tetracycline wound spray. Systemically it was injected with 15,000mgs Amoxicillin, 30mgs Dexamethasone and 40mgs Ivermectin Catasol was administered with green clay.
Prognosis
The reversal of the anaesthesia was done one hour post immobilization by injecting 20mgs Atipamezole Intramuscularly. He was given a good prognosis for recovery.
Sangalai Masai Mara
Case 7 – 25th September 2024
White Rhino Natural Causes
Ol Chorro Conservancy
A team composed of Veterinary, Lab and Ranger personel attended to a male white rhino at Ol chorro conservancy in Maasai Mara after reports of uncoordinated gait and frequent collapsing of the rhino.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The team collected history from the keepers who gathered information as below:
• Frequent staggering and collapsing of the rhino in the last one month
• The condition began after a heavy fall in 2018 causing him to roll down a hill
• The condition worsened during excretion, ascending and descending steep hills
• Change in the consistency of urine
• Rhino was in good health
• Uncoordinated movement involving the hind quarters was observed
Due to the nature of the terrain, he was successfully darted from a helicopter with 4mgs of Etorphine, 60mgs of Azaperone and 10mgs Butorphanol. After ten minutes, the rhino stopped moving and kept swaying from side to side. An attempt was done to physically bring down the rhino to lateral recumbency by physically pushing the rhino to one side. Systemically the rhino was given 30,000mg of Amoxicillin intramuscularly and Phenylbutazone intravenously while whole blood samples were collected.
Diagnosis, management and Prognosis
Arthritis involving the hind quarters joints with the pelvic joint is suspected. Prognosis is good but the rhino should be monitored closely. Management have been advised to try to encourage grazing on flat plains. If the condition worsens, the vets recommend prolonged administration of Caprofen (Rimadyl 75mgs)
