SWT/KWS TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT JULY 2023
Introduction
12 Cases in July
1 Lion Case
9 Elephant Cases
July Report by Dr. Campaign Limo The Tsavo Conservation Area didn’t receive any meaningful precipitation in July 2023, Tsavo is generally drying out and natural water pans have begun drying up. The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit attend to 12 cases over the reporting period, these included 9 elephants, 2 snared adult zebras and 1 adult male lion that was most likely injured as he tried to bring down a buffalo. Several elephant cases were attended to including the translocation of 2 rogue elephant bulls involved in separate human-wildlife conflict incidents; treatment of 4 elephants for lameness acquired from natural causes; treatment of 2 elephant bulls with spear injuries; and an autopsy on a female elephant calf that died from congenital muscular dystrophy according to the post-mortem findings. Acknowledgement The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit appreciates all the stakeholders who facilitated the veterinary interventions undertaken over this period. The team is also grateful for the ongoing funding received from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the technical support provided by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) management.
Case Details Date
Species
Area Found
Reason for Intervention
Outcome
01-July 23
Elephant
Kasala Area
HWC
Translocation of a rogue 25 to 30-year-old elephant bull.
Task successful.
15-July 23
Elephant
Kutima Ranch
Natural Causes
35 to 40-year-old elephant bull limping severely on the right hind limb.
Successfully treated.
18-July 23
Elephant
Ndololo Area
Natural Causes
1-year-old male elephant calf with hind quarter lameness.
Successfully treated.
18-July 23
Elephant
Lake Jipe Area
Natural Causes
20 to 25-year-old female elephant limping due to a septic wound on the right triceps.
Successfully treated.
20-July 23
Elephant
Umani Springs Area
HWC
Translocation of a rogue 35 to 40-year-old elephant bull from Kibwezi Forest Reserve.
Task successful.
22-July 23
Elephant
Rukinga Ranch
Spear
40 to 45-year-old elephant bull with a septic wound on the right forelimb.
Successfully treated. Died. Congenital Muscular Dystrophy.
23-July 23
Elephant
Kaluku Stockades
Postmortem
Post-mortem on an ill female elephant calf that experienced seizures and died during the night on 22/07/2023.
24-July 23
Zebra
Ndii Area
Snared
Adult zebra stallion with a wire snare around the neck and the left hind leg.
Successfully treated.
25-July 23
Zebra
Lumo Conservancy
Snared
Adult female zebra with a snare around the neck that also snared the front limb.
Successfully treated.
27-July 23
Elephant
Bamba Area
Spear
Recumbent 35 to 40-year-old elephant bull treated twice in 1 month for a spear injury.
Died. Euthanized.
30-July 23
Elephant
Rukinga Ranch
Natural Causes
35 to 40-year-old elephant bull limping due to an injury on the right forelimb.
Successfully treated.
31-July 23
Lion
Taita Hills Sanctuary
Natural Causes.
4 to 5-year-old adult male lion limping on the left front limb.
Successfully treated.
SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations July 2023
Case 1 – 01st July 2023 Elephant
Human – Wildlife Conflict
Kasala Area
The KWS PAC team reported a rogue elephant bull, approx. 25-30 years old, roaming in the community area. The elephant was destroying property and posed a danger to people. The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit was informed and swiftly captured and translocated the elephant immediately authority was granted. Immobilization and translocation The elephant bull was darted from a helicopter and immobilized with 18 mgs Etorphine. It took 11 minutes for the drugs to take effect. Once the animal was fully sedated, a crane was used to load elephant onto a SWT truck for translocation to Ithumba area, Tsavo East National Park. At the release site, anaesthesia was reversed with 250 mg Naltrexone administered intravenously through a prominent ear vein. The young elephant bull stood shortly thereafter and walked into the thick bush.
Case 2 – 15th July 2023 Elephant
Natural Causes
Kutima Ranch
This lame adult elephant bull was seen by a patrol team in Kutima Ranch. Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant bull, approx. 35-40 years old, was limping on the right hind limb with no signs of pain. The leg appeared to swing while the elephant was in motion. The bull did not seem to preserve the limb which was unable to support its weight. The animal was darted from a vehicle with 18 mgs Etorphine. It took 9 minutes for the drugs to take effect. The lame limb was examined, but no signs of fracture were found. No swelling was seen, and all the joints were intact. The elephant was in musth. It appeared that the bull had recently fought with another elephant bull going by the superficial bruises along the animal’s back. It seemed likely that the elephant could have been pinned down by its rival. Nerve supply to the limb appeared to have been damaged. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotics and Dexamethasone anti-inflammatories were administered intramuscularly along with Catasol to help in nerve and muscle regeneration. The patrol team was advised to monitor the elephant for follow up management. Anaesthesia reversal was achieved with 200 mg Naltrexone given through a prominent ear vein. The bull stood 3 minutes post reversal and walked away. Prognosis The elephant bull has a guarded prognosis.
Case 3 – 18th July 2023 Elephant
Natural Causes
Ndololo, Tsavo East National Park
A SWT-KWS de-snaring team spotted an elephant calf limping behind its mother. The calf’s hind quarters and its right hind limb were injured. Immobilisation, examination and treatment The calf walked with hind quarter lameness. Pus was oozing from a wound on the right ankle. The calf’s mother was darted from a vehicle with 16 mgs Etorphine. It took 9 minutes for the drug to take full effect. The veterinary team then physically restrained the calf for examination and treatment. A large communicating wound was observed on the calf’s right hind limb below the tarsus. It was suspected that the calf had been attacked by lions. Treatment involved surgically excising damaged devitalized tissues and debriding the wounds with Hydrogen peroxide. The wounds were then rinsed with water and infused with Iodine for disinfection before being packed with green clay. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were also given intramuscularly. Anaesthesia reversal for the mother was achieved with 150 mg Naltrexone given intravenously through a prominent ear vein. The calf’s mother stood 3 minutes post-reversal. Mother and calf were reunited, and they joined their larger family. Prognosis The elephant calf has a favourable prognosis.
Case 4 – 18th July 2023 Elephant
Natural Causes
Lake Jipe
A SWT-KWS de-snaring unit spotted a young adult female elephant limping along the shores of lake Jipe. Immobilisation, examination and treatment The injured female elephant, approx. 20-25 years old, was found with another elephant near the Lake Jipe shoreline. The elephant was darted from a vehicle and immobilized with 15 mgs Etorphine. The animal assumed left lateral recumbency when the drugs took full effect 7 minutes later. A deep pus oozing wound was observed on the right triceps muscle reaching all the way through to the humerus bone. Another septic wound was seen on the animal’s right ear which was almost completely torn. The wounds were most likely incurred during a fight with another elephant. Damaged devitalized muscle tissues were surgically excised then the wounds were debrided with Hydrogen peroxide using a Foley catheter. The wounds were thereafter rinsed with water and disinfected with Iodine before being packed with green clay. A topical antibiotic spray was also applied. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were administered intramuscularly. Anaesthesia reversal was achieved with 150 mgs Naltrexone given through a prominent ear vein. The elephant stood 2 minutes post reversal and walked away from the shore. Prognosis The elephant has a guarded prognosis.
Case 5 – 20th July 2023 Elephant
Human-Wildlife Conflict
Umani Springs, Kibwezi Forest Reserve
A rogue elephant bull, approx. 35 – 40 years old, was reported to have caused significant destruction at the Umani stockades. There was a risk that the wild elephant bull could cause more damage, therefore authority was granted to translocate the animal away from people. Immobilisation and translocation The elephant bull was darted from a helicopter and immobilized with 20 mgs Etorphine. It took 7 minutes for the drugs to take full effect. Once the animal was fully sedated, a crane loaded the elephant onto a SWT truck for translocation to Tsavo East National Park. During transit, 4 top up doses comprising 2 mg Etorphine each were administered. The elephant was released at Lugards airstrip south of Galana River within Tsavo East National Park. Reversal was achieved with 250 mg Naltrexone given intravenously through a prominent ear vein. The elephant bull stood 2 minutes post-reversal and walked away slowly. The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary team monitored the bull’s movements as he went towards the nearby Galana River.
Case 6 – 22nd July 2023 Elephant
Spear
Rukinga Ranch
A Wildlife Works pilot spotted an adult elephant bull with an injury the left front limb. Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant bull, approx. 40-45 years old, was found with 2 other bulls. The animal had a wound on the upper lateral side of its right forelimb. The injured bull was darted from a helicopter and immobilized with 20 mgs Etorphine. It took 12 minutes for the drugs to take maximum effect. Closer examination revealed a septic wound on the upper lateral side of the animal’s right forelimb. Damaged devitalized muscle tissues were surgically excised then the wound was debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, cleaned with water, and disinfected with Iodine. Green clay was then packed into the wound then it was sprayed with a topical antibiotic. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were given intramuscularly before anaesthesia was reversed with 250 mg Naltrexone administered through a prominent ear vein. The bull rose 3 minutes post reversal and walked away. Prognosis The elephant bull has a good prognosis.
Case 7 – 23rd July 2023 Elephant
Post-mortem
Kaluku Stockades
A female elephant calf being cared for at the Kaluku stockades, experienced seizures and died during the night on 22/07/2023 despite frantic efforts to save her life. The calf had been rescued in October 2022 from Turkana after she was found abandoned and pinned down by a fallen tree. Since she was rescued, she had not recovered as expected. She walked with a swaying gait, and occasionally falling and finding it difficult to stand. The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit carried out an autopsy on 23/07/2023 to establish the cause of death. Post-mortem findings The elephant calf was found dead lying on her right side within her enclosure in the stockades. There was no rigor and no signs of struggle before death at the scene. She appeared to have been in a fair body condition before death. No external injury was seen on her body. The carcass was removed and transported to a suitable place for postmortem and disposal. Specific post-mortem findings Integumentary system: There was no breakage of the skin apart from the expected few mild bruises which had no impact on the overall health of the calf. All the soles appeared edematous. Respiratory system: The trunk was clear of any discharge and patent. Trachea and the entire larynx appeared normal in shape and size. The left lung appeared normal in shape, consistency, and colour. The right lung however appeared congested; this was thought to be a normal postmortem finding given that the carcass was found on right lateral recumbency with resultant pooling of blood on this side of the body due to gravity. Some blood clots were seen on small vessels supplying the lungs, but these were expected. Digestive system: The mouth, tongue, gums, and teeth were clear of any abnormalities. Oesophagus appeared normal and likely functioning well before death. Stomach had liquid food that was most likely the last milk given to her before she died. Nothing abnormal was detected on the mucosa. Both small and large intestines had partly digested milk that had not been absorbed, part of it exiting as waste through the large colon. Peyer’s patches were moderately reactive though the intestinal mucosa appeared intact with no signs of erosion. It is likely, she had a gastro-enteritis issue before. The liver appeared grossly engorged with a lot of blood leading to more round edges. A lot of blood was accumulating within the liver. The bile ducts were sound with the bile restricted within canaliculi. Urinary system: The right kidney appeared congested, and it was thought to be because of the position adopted by the calf at death. However, nothing abnormal was detected grossly. The left kidney was normal in shape, colour, and consistency. Bladder had accumulated urine, which appeared normal in colour. Musculo-skeletal system: The entire muscle cover on this calf was poor with the big muscles along the spine appearing poorly developed. The multifidus and longissimus dorsi appeared poorly developed with poorly fixed spinal column. Nothing abnormal was detected in the bony tissues.
Circulatory system: The heart was normal in size but grossly flabby with thin myocardium. There was an excessive accumulation of pericardial fluid. There was clotted blood within the major vessels entering and leaving the heart. The clots took the shape of the blood vessels, they were shiny and rubbery and could have occurred after death. The blood volume seemed normal though much of it accumulated within the liver. Nervous system: The spine appeared intact with no significant gross findings. The brain was examined insitu before being excavated and further examined. The skull and meninges were intact with the brain substance well cushioned. Both left and right cerebra, cerebella and brain stem were examined no significant findings detected. Cause of death The clinical picture presented by this calf prior to death pointed to a muscular and nervous problem. The posterior ataxia displayed by this calf could have been caused by poor muscle development with inability to fix the spine. The poor muscle development was also evident within the heart where the myocardium appeared thin and heart flappy. The presented clinical signs, postmortem picture, and the age of the victim points to a fatal condition known as congenital muscular dystrophy.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures for this case.
Case 8 – 24th July 2023 Zebra
Snared
Ndii Area
A SWT – KWS de-snaring team spotted a snared adult male common zebra beside the Nairobi – Mombasa highway in Ndii Area. The zebra had a wire snare tightly bound around its neck and another 3 stranded wire snare on its left hind leg. Immobilisation, examination and treatment The snared zebra stallion was found alongside a female zebra. The snared animal was darted from a vehicle with 7 mg Etorphine combined with 70 mg Azaperone. Full immobilization was achieved 7 minutes later. Upon closer examination, the wire snare around the neck was found not to have inflicted any injuries. However, the 3 stranded wire snare on the left hind limb had caused some minor bruising proximal to fetlock joint. The wire snares were cut off with a wire cutter. The bruised area was cleaned with water and Hydrogen peroxide, disinfected with Iodine, and sprayed with Tetracycline wound spray. Anaesthesia was reversed with 50 mg Naltrexone delivered intravenously through the jugular vein. The zebra stood up 3 minutes postreversal and rejoined its companion that was waiting nearby. Prognosis The zebra stallion has a good prognosis.
Case 9 – 25th July 2023 Zebra
Snared
Lumo Conservancy
An adult female zebra with a snare around the neck and the right front limb was spotted in Lumo Conservancy by a KWS patrol team.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment The zebra was found in a herd, it was limping and struggling to move. The animal was darted from a vehicle with 7 mgs Etorphine combined with 70 mgs Azaperone. Complete anaesthesia was achieved after 12 minutes. Close examination revealed a wire snare around the zebra’s neck entangling and injuring the right front limb medially at the carpus joint. The double plain wire snare was cut off using a wire cutter. The septic wound on the right front limb was debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, rinsed with water, and disinfected with Iodine. The wound was then covered with a topical antibiotic. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were administered intramuscularly before anaesthesia was reversed with 50 mg Naltrexone delivered intravenously through the jugular vein. The female zebra stood 3 minutes post reversal and joined the nearby herd. Prognosis The zebra has a good prognosis.
Case 10 – 27th July 2023 Elephant
Spear
Bamba Area
A KWS monitoring team reported that an adult elephant bull, approx. 35-40 years old, that had been treated twice in the last month for a septic spear wound on the right carpus had been recumbent for at least 12 hours. Examination The elephant bull was found in right lateral recumbency. Upon closer examination, increased swelling was noted around the approx. 10 cm deep wound on the carpal joint. Several pressure sores were also observed on the left lateral side of the elephant’s body. Several attempts to assist the elephant bull to stand failed. Given the bull’s poor prognosis, he was put to rest to alleviate further pain and suffering. An autopsy carried out thereafter found about 15 litres of pus in the wound; fibrinopurulent exudate within the carpus joint capsules; gangrene tissue formation around the joint area all the way to the elbow joint; necrosis of the cartilage and osteoarthritis in the carpus joint; tendonitis and tendon necrosis was also evident. Prognosis The elephant had a poor prognosis and was put to rest to alleviate further pain and suffering. The postmortem carried out thereafter confirmed the animal’s grave prognosis noting severe sepsis and associated complications.
Case 11 – 30th July 2023 Elephant
Natural Causes
Rukinga Ranch
A 35–40-year-old elephant bull was seen limping on his right forelimb by a KWS/Wildlife Works patrol team. Immobilisation, examination and treatment The elephant bull was found with another bull, the injured animal was dragging its right front limb. The injured bull was cautiously approached on foot and darted with 20 mgs Etorphine hydrochloride. The elephant assumed left lateral recumbency when the drugs took effect 10 minutes later. Closer examination revealed a deep wound on the right palmer surface of the elephant’s foot and another septic wound that was not as deep on the lateral side of the metacarpal joint probably caused by dragging the injured limb. The elephant was thought to have accidentally stepped on a sharp tree stump. Damaged devitalized muscle tissues were surgically excised then the wounds were debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, cleaned with water, and disinfected with Iodine. Boli pessaries antibiotics were inserted into both wounds then they were packed with green clay. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotic and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were given intramuscularly before anaesthesia was reversed with 200 mgs Naltrexone given through a prominent ear vein. The bull stood 1-minute post-reversal and walked away. Prognosis The elephant bull has a good prognosis.
Case 12 – 31st July 2023 Lion
Natural Causes
Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
A 4–5-year-old male lion was seen limping on the left front limb by Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary rangers. Immobilisation, examination and treatment This injured lion was found with another male lion. It was darted from a vehicle and immobilized with a combination of 220 mg Ketamine and 6 mg Medetomidine. The animal was fully anaesthetized after 10 minutes. Close examination revealed 3 septic wounds, 1 large wound was on the medial aspect while the other 2 wounds were on the lateral side of the elbow joint. These wounds were probably acquired when the lions tried to bring down a buffalo since it was reported they had just made a buffalo kill. The wounds were flushed with Hydrogen peroxide, cleaned with water, and disinfected with Iodine. Cloxacillin antibiotic ointment was infused into the wound. Long-acting Amoxicillin antibiotics and Dexamethasone antiinflammatories were given intramuscularly while Ivermectin was injected subcutaneously for external and internal parasite control. Anaesthesia was reversed with 20 mg Atipamezole hydrochloride administered intramuscularly 1-hour post-darting. The lion stood 20 minutes post-reversal and the team pushed him gently towards his companion. Prognosis The lion has a good prognosis.