SWT/KWS Mt Kenya Mobile Veterinary Report for September2022

SWT/KWS MT. KENYA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT SEPTEMBER 2022

September Report by Dr. Dominic Mijele

In September 2022, the Mt. Kenya Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to all reported wildlife emergencies requiring urgent veterinary intervention in the Laikipia ecosystem and the Mt. Kenya region. The Unit attended to 13 Cases. These cases comprised 4 rhinos, 2 elephants, 2 zebras, 1 leopard, several warthogs and 3 mountain bongos.

Notably, the Mt. Kenya Mobile Veterinary Unit rescued 1 elephant calf and 1 black rhino calf found abandoned in Kitich Camp Samburu and Ol Pejeta Conservancy respectively. Both cases were flown to the SWT Nairobi Nursery for further care. The Mt. Kenya Mobile Veterinary Unit was also involved in undertaking fertility checks on 2 southern white rhinos, Ouwan and Mojo, in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in an exercise geared towards saving the northern white rhino which has been declared possibly extinct in the wild.

Acknowledgement

Forest, Kihara Gate HWC Seen limping

Farm

Pejeta Conservancy Rescue One week old black rhino calf found abandoned after surviving a hyena attack Taken to Orphanage

SWT/KWS Mt. Kenya Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations September 2022

Zebra Snared Juakali, Laikipia

Residents in Juakali area reported seeing an adult zebra stallion with a snare around the neck.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

The zebra was darted from a vehicle with 6 mgs Etorphine and 60 mgs Azaperone. The dart landed on the right rump, and the drug took effect 7 minutes later with the animal going down on right lateral recumbency.

The zebra had a loosely hanging snare around the neck, no injuries were observed. The snare was removed then anaesthesia was reversed with 18 mgs Diprenorphine administered via the jugular vein. The zebra rose 2 minutes later.

Prognosis

The zebra has a good prognosis since it had no injury due to timely detection and removal of the snare

Leopard Human Wildlife Conflict Doldol

An adult male leopard was caught in a trap set in community farms in Doldol. The Mt. Kenya Veterinary Unit relocated the leopard from Doldol to Loisaba conservancy.

Immobilisation, examination and relocation

The leopard was darted on the left rump with 170mgs Ketamine and 1.7mgs Medetomidine. The animal was in good body condition

Blood samples were collected from the femoral vein for EDTA and serum analysis. Ticks were also collected and stored in methanol for further analysis

The leopard was then transported to Loisaba Conservancy. Anaesthesia was reversed with 10mgs Atipamazole an hour post darting. The animal rose after 5 minutes later.

Prognosis

The leopard has a good prognosis

3 Natural Causes Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

Lali the rhino was darted from a helicopter with 1.8mgs Etorphine and 40mgs Azaperone. The dart landed on the right rump. The drug took effect after 6 minutes, and Lali went down on right lateral recumbency. Treatment and anaesthesia monitoring was done simultaneously. 50mgs Butorphanol was administered intravenously through the ear vein as supportive treatment to improve breathing.

Lali had multiple, deep, traumatic wounds in the inguinal region and around the chest region The wounds were debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, flushed with Iodine, filled with pessaries and sprayed using Oxytetracycline. 15,000mgs Amoxicillin, 1,000mgs Flunixine meglumine and 40 mls Multivitamin were administered intramuscularly. Anaesthesia was reversed with 100 mgs Naltrexone administered intravenously and 24 mgs Diprenorphine administered intramuscularly. The rhino rose 3 minutes later.

Prognosis

Lali has a good prognosis.

The Ol Jogi team reported that an adult male black rhino called Lali had been injured during a territorial fight.

Bongo Post mortem Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy team reported a week old bongo calf found dead at the bongo enclosure.

Post mortem findings

i. Bite marks were seen on either side of the neck.

ii. Congestion on the neck muscles and broken cervical vertebrae.

Cause of death

The bongo died from strangled by a predator, most likely a leopard.

Elephant

Rescue

Kitich Camp, Samburu

Rescue

The elephant calf was rescued in Samburu and flown by helicopter to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery for rehabilitation.

The elephant was immobilized throughout the flight with 40mgs Azaperone administered intramuscularly. Vital parameters were closely monitored during translocation. The calf was observed to be in good body condition.

The Mt Kenya Mobile Veterinary Unit responded to a case of an abandoned male elephant calf

Bongo Natural Causes Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

An adult female mountain bongo called Nairobi was reported to be limping due to a cracked hoof.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

Nairobi was darted with 4mgs Etorphine and 40mgs Azaperone. The dart landed on the right rump, and she went down on right lateral recumbency 5 minutes later. She was then physically restrained. Treatment and anaesthesia monitoring was done simultaneously. Oxygen supplementation was administered for optimal breathing. Nairobi was noted to be in good body condition, the cracked hoof on the right forelimb extended to adjacent soft tissues causing pain.

4,000mgs Phenylbutazone and 3,000mgs Amoxicillin were administered. The injured hoof was debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, flushed with Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline. Anaesthesia was reversed with 12 mgs Diprenorphine and 50 mgs Naltrexone administered via the jugular vein. She rose 2 minutes later.

Prognosis

Nairobi has a good prognosis.

Bongo Natural Causes Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

An adult female mountain bongo called Baringo was reported to have a swelling on the left mandible

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

Baringo was darted with 4mgs Etorphine and 40mgs Azaperone The dart landed on the neck muscles, and she went down after 5 minutes on left lateral recumbency. She was placed in sternal recumbency and physically restrained. Baringo’s vitals were monitored during treatment, and oxygen supplementation was administered for optimal breathing. She was observed to be in good body condition. The abscess on her left mandible was filled with pus which was drained out. The wound was then debrided with Hydrogen peroxide and flushed with Iodine. 4,000mgs Phenylbutazone and 3,000mgs Amoxicillin were administered before anaesthesia was reversed with 12mgs Diprenorphine injected via the jugular vein. Baringo rose 2 minutes later.

Prognosis

Baringo has a good prognosis.

White Rhino Technical Case Ol Pejeta Conservancy

The Northern White Rhino has been declared as “possibly extinct in the wild” with the last remaining individuals, Najin and Fatu, being kept in captivity at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The two females cannot have a viable pregnancy due to health and age related problems. Najin, the older female, has a large ovarian tumour and she also has very weak hind legs. On the other hand, Fatu developed untreatable endometriosis which made her uterus unviable for embryo implantation.

An in depth ethical risk assessment led to the team retiring the older females, 32 year old Najin, as an egg cell donor leaving Fatu as the only eligible oocytes donor. Two southern white rhinos, Mojo and Ariemet, were selected as ideal surrogates for the northern white rhino embryo transfer. Since Ariemet was found to be pregnant, it was necessary to determine whether her pregnancy was due to a successful embryo transfer or successful mating by Ouwan (Teaser bull). The fertility status of Ouwan was therefore determined by collecting semen and checking for viable spermatozoa. Additionally, since Ariemet was pregnant, it was necessary to carry out a fertility check on Mojo the other surrogate.

Rhino Natural Causes Solio Ranch

The Solio Ranch team reported that an adult male black rhino had multiple ulcerative wounds on the body, and it was exhibiting unusually minimal movement.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

The rhino was darted from a vehicle with 3 mgs Etorphine and 60 mgs Azaperone. The dart landed on the right rump with the animal going down on right lateral recumbency after 6 minutes. 50 mgs Butorphanol was administered intravenously through the ear vein as supportive treatment to improve breathing. The rhino had multiple ulcerative wounds on both sides of the flank and neck, these were suspected to be filarial wounds 15,000 mgs Amoxicillin and 2,000 mgs Flunixine meglumine were administered intramuscularly then the multiple wounds were debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, flushed with Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline. Anaesthesia was reversed with 100 mgs Naltrexone given intravenously and 24 mgs Diprenorphine administered intramuscularly. The animal rose 3 minutes later

Prognosis

The rhino has a good prognosis.

Elephant Human Wildlife Conflict Mt. Kenya Forest, Kihari Gate

This adult male elephant was initially recumbent when it seen. However, when it was approached, it rose and limped away.

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

The elephant was approached on foot and darted with 17mgs Etorphine. The dart landed on the right rump and 6 minutes later, the elephant was fully sedated on right lateral recumbency. The elephant was in good condition.

A penetrating wound was observed on the right hind limb The elephant was treated with 8,000 mgs Phenylbutazone and 15,000mgs Amoxicillin administered intramuscularly. The wound was debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, flushed with Iodine then sprayed with Oxytetracycline. Anaesthesia reversal was done with 54 mgs Diprenorphine administered via the ear vein. The elephant rose after 5 minutes.

Prognosis

The elephant has a good prognosis.

Warthog Relocation Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

The Mt. Kenya Veterinary Unit was asked to translocate several warthogs from Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy to Faraja Farm in order to reduce the high stocking density of warthogs to other animals in the conservancy.

According to the conservancy, the warthogs were competing with mountain bongos for supplemented feed given to the bongos.

Immobilisation and relocation

Three warthogs were captured using nets. They were herded towards the net by vehicles and upon capture, they were physically restrained and loaded onto a truck for transportation and release in Faraja Farm, Nyeri.

Prognosis

The warthogs have a good prognosis.

Zebra Snared Balungi Farm, Laikipia

Immobilisation, examination and treatment

The zebra was darted from a vehicle with 5mgs Etorphine and 50mgs Azaperone. The dart landed on the right rump with the animal going down on right lateral recumbency 7 minutes later. The snare had cut into the neck muscles causing a deep traumatic wound. The animal was observed to be in good body condition. 3,000mgs Amoxicillin and 4,000mgs Phenylbutazone were administered intramuscularly. The snare was cut off then the wound was debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, flushed with Iodine, sealed with green clay and sprayed with Oxytetracycline. Anaesthesia was reversed with 24mgs Diprenorphine administered via the jugular vein. The zebra rose 2 minutes later.

Prognosis

The zebra has a good prognosis.

Balungi Farm residents reported seeing the male common zebra with a wire snare around the neck

Rhino Rescue Ol Pejeta Conservancy

The Ol Pejeta team reported this case of a one week old black rhino found abandoned after surviving a hyena attack. The hyena had bitten off the rhino’s tail and some parts of its perineal region.

Examination, treatment and rescue

The calf was rescued by the Mt. Kenya Veterinary Unit and flown by helicopter to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery for further treatment and care. The rhino calf was observed to be in good body condition and showed signs of aggression. It had no tail, and an open wound was observed at the perineal region with herniation of the intestines when straining.

750mgs Amoxicillin and 250mgs Flunixine were administered intramuscularly. The wound was flushed with Iodine and sprayed with Oxytetracycline. As a first aid measure, the open wound was sutured with an absorbable suture to prevent herniation and prolapse of the rectum while straining. Reconstructive surgery of the perineal region is recommended.

Prognosis

The rhino has a good prognosis.