SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
JANUARY 2025
13 Cases in January
January Report by Dr. Michael Njoroge
6 Poaching Cases 6 Elephant Cases
The Mara Vet Unit attended to 13 cases during January, only one was given a guarded prognosis whilst the others were treated successfully. Four elephants were treated for spear/arrow injuries and 2 zebras were treated for snare wounds and arrow wounds. The rest of the cases were natural in nature.
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
2-Jan-25 Elephant Enonkishu Conservancy Spear Juvenile female elephant with a spear wound on the left hock Prognosis Poor
2-Jan-25 Lion Lemek Conservancy
Causes
male lion with previous serious tail region injuries Successfully Treated
3-Jan-25 Cheetah Maasai Mara NR Natural Causes Injured adult female cheetah that was limping heavily Successfully Treated
3-Jan-25 Lion Maasai Mara NR Natural Causes Adult male lion with a cut on the left hind limb Successfully Treated
6-Jan-25 Cheetah Masai Mara NR Natural Causes This cheetah was injured and limping heavily Successfully Treated
6-Jan-25 Lion Masai Mara NR Natural Causes The lion suffered from injuries on the head and limbs after a territorial fight Successfully Treated
6-Jan-25 Elephant Mara North Conservancy Spear Spear injuries with pus on the tail and spinal regions Successfully Treated
7-Jan-25 Elephant Ol Chorro Conservancy Natural Causes Left hind limb was slightly swollen. The elephant had no physical external injury Task Successful
7-Jan-25 Elephant Naboisho Conservancy Spear A female elephant with a spear injury on the right hind limb Successfully Treated
7-Jan-25 Zebra Olarro Conservancy Snared A tight snare had cut through the soft tissues and had reached the bone Successfully Treated
7-Jan-25 Zebra Olarro Conservancy Arrow This zebra suffered from an arrow injury to the rump Successfully Treated
10-Jan-25 Elephant Masai Mara NR Natural Causes The elephant had a swollen right forelimb. No physical injury was observed Successfully Treated
14-Jan-25 Elephant Koiyaki Group Ranch Arrow The elephant had a deep penetrating arrow wound on the left forelimb at the hock joint Successfully Treated
SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
January 2025
Case
Elephant Spear
Enonkishu Conservancy
Mara vet attended to a juvenile female elephant with a spear injury on the left hock in Enonkishu Conservancy.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
A dart was prepared, and the elephant was successfully darted from foot on the hind quarters with 14mgs Etorphine. The elephant went down after 10 minutes and both ears were used to cover the left and right eye shielding it from direct sunlight and dust.
The wounds were cleaned with water then cauterised 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.
Prognosis
Prognosis for full recovery is good.
Case 2 – 2nd January 2025
Lion
Natural Causes
Lemek Conservancy
The Mara Vet attended an injured lion at Lemek conservancy. The lion had previously sustained serious tail injuries and was now observed to have a heavily infected wound with maggots.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
Once the lion was located a retreat was made to prepare a dart comprising of 300mgs Ketamine and 4mgs Medetomidine. It was approached with a vehicle and darted successfully in the pelvic muscle. He was completely sedated in ten minutes assuming sternal recumbence. He was then blindfolded and moved to the shade of the vehicle on left recumbence.
The wounds were debrided and cleaned with water, Hydrogen peroxide and finally Iodine 15,000mg of Amoxicillin was administered into the wound followed by Tetracycline (Alamycin) wound spray. Systemically it was injected with 15,000mgs Amoxicillin and 30mgs Dexamethasone into different muscle sites. For internal and external parasites, he was injected with 40mgs Ivermectin under the skin
Prognosis
The anaesthetic was reversed one hour post immobilization. He got into sternal recumbence after forty-five minutes and started walking away one hour post revival. Prognosis is good but monitoring is advised.
Case 3 – 3rd January 2025
Cheetah Natural Causes Masai Mara National Reserve
Mara vet attended to an injured heavily limping female cheetah. This could have occurred during hunting. The nursing cheetah needed the treatment as she is the one who hunts for her cubs. The lameness had rendered her immobile.
Examination and treatment
The cheetah did not require immobilisation so could be treated remotely
The cheetah was darted with 2 vials of Meloxicam to ease the pain and prevent her from getting arthritis.
Prognosis
Prognosis for recovery is good, but monitoring is advised in case there is a need for follow up.
Lion
Natural Causes Masai Mara National Reserve
Mara vet attended to an injured lion in Mara. The lion had a cut on the left hind limb.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The lion was approached with a vehicle and darted with 300mgs Ketamine and 4mgs She was completely sedated in ten minutes assuming sternal recumbence. She was blindfolded and moved to the vehicle shade on left recumbence.
The deep infected injury was cleaned with water, Hydrogen peroxide and povidone Iodine. 15,000mg of Amoxicillin was injected into the wound followed by Tetracycline (Alamycin) wound spray. Systemically the lion was injected with 15,000mgs Amoxicillin and 30mgs Dexamethasone into different muscle sites. For internal and external parasites, she was injected with 40mgs Ivermectin under the skin.
Prognosis
The anaesthetic was reversed with 20mgs Atipamezole intra-muscularly She started walking away one hour post revival and she was left in company of the pride. Prognosis is good.
Case
Cheetah Natural Causes Masai Mara National Reserve
Mara vet attended to an injured heavily limping female cheetah.
Examination and treatment
The cheetah did not require immobilisation so could be treated remotely
15,000mg Amoxicillin was delivered via a dart gun.
Prognosis
The cubs are healthy and well fed. Prognosis for recovery is good, but monitoring is advised
Case
Lion
Natural Causes
Masai Mara National Reserve
A juvenile lion from Rongai pride was attacked by Kissinger pride. The lion suffered from injuries to the head and limbs.
Treatment
The lion was treated remotely by administration of 15,000mg Amoxicillin (antibiotics) and 50mg Dexamethasone (ant-inflammatories) via a dart gun
Prognosis
Rangers will continue monitoring but the prognosis is good.
Elephant Speared
Mara North
The Mara vet attended to a speared male elephant in Mara North. There was a physical swelling on the right hind limb and spear injuries with pus on the tail and spinal regions.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was darted from a helicopter in the hind quarters with 17mgs Etorphine. Once the elephant was immobile, the ground teams assisted the elephant to the ground on lateral recumbency
All the wounds were cleaned with water, then cauterized with Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with povidone Iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and spray was applied. Systemically the elephant was given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
It was revived using 170mgs Naltrexone into the ear vein and a third of the drug intramuscularly. Prognosis is good. Monitoring of the elephant will be done by Mara North rangers.
Case
Elephant Speared
Olchoro Conservancy
This male elephant was sighted from foot by the Veterinary and patrol teams. The left hind limb was slightly swollen.
Examination
The elephant had no physical external injury. He was aggressive and charged at the veterinary team several times so he could not safely be immobilised and treated
The elephant’s gait was fair, and the elephant was in good body condition.
Prognosis
Monitoring will be done by the patrol teams to see if treatment is required, but it is hoped he will recover fully on his own
Elephant Spear
Naboisho Conservancy
The Mara vet attended to a female elephant with a spear injury on the right hind limb. The injury was close to the hock joint with plenty of pus.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was darted successfully with 14mgs of Etorphine, it made some efforts to run away but was immobilized in seven minutes and then fell to the ground with the slight help of a rope so as to fall in the right direction.
The spearhead 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 the elephant was given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone, administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
It was revived using 170mgs Naltrexone into the ear vein and a third of the drug intramuscularly. Prognosis is good.
Zebra Snared
Olarro Conservancy
The Mara Vet attended to a snared male juvenile zebra at Ollaro. The snare was located around the neck and was very tight.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
After a long search the animal was found, and a 3mm dart was prepared composing of 6mgs Etorphine and 70mgs Azaperone. The zebra was approached with a vehicle, and it was darted successfully. It was startled and kept walking away for five minutes when it attained standing immobilization and later went down on the left lateral recumbency and blindfolded.
The tight snare had cut through the soft tissues and reached the bone. The snared was lightly pulled and cut. The dead tissue was removed followed by cleaning and disinfection with Hydrogen peroxide, then water and finally Iodine. It was then sprayed topically with Oxytetracycline. The zebra was given 15,000mgs of Amoxicillin antibiotics and 30mgs Dexamethasone anti-inflammatory intramuscularly.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good. .
Case
Zebra Arrow
Olarro Conservancy
After the previous case of a snared zebra, the Vet Unit attended an arrowed zebra in the same Conservancy.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The zebra was approached with a vehicle and darted with 6mg Etorphine.
The zebra had an arrow wound to the left rump which was cleaned with water and 100ml Hydrogen peroxide and Iodine. It was also given 15,000mg of Amoxicillin and 30mg of Dexamethasone to protect against infection and inflammation.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good.
Case
12 – 10th January 2025
Elephant Natural Causes Masai Mara National Reserve
Mara vet attended to a young male lame elephant with a swollen right forelimb. No physical injury was observed. The elephant had suffered from joint laxation and muscle tear.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was darted successfully with 17mg Etorphine. Both ears were used to cover the left and right eyes shielding it from direct sunlight and dust. Water was doused on the animal to cool him down as the temperatures continued rising.
As there was no physical injury, the vet administered 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 60mgs Flunixine meglumine intramuscularly to ease the pain.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good. Monitoring of the elephant will be done by Masai Mara patrol rangers.
Elephant Arrow
Pardamat Conservancy
Mara vet attended to a female adult elephant with a deep penetrating arrow wound on the left forelimb at the hock joint. The wound was seriously infected with lots of pus. The limb was also heavily swollen rendering the elephant highly immobile.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was darted with 17mgs Etorphine.
The arrow was retrieved, and the wound was extended for drainage and cleaned with water. The pus was expelled from the capsule, then cauterized with Hydrogen peroxide and lavaged with povidone Iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and spray were also applied. The elephant was given 30,000mg of Oxytetracycline and 50mgs Dexamethasone, administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
It was revived using 170mgs Naltrexone into the ear vein and a third of the drug intramuscularly. Prognosis is good but monitoring will be continued.
