8 Cases in October 2 Rhino Cases 6 Elephant Cases
October Report by Dr. Campaign Limo
The Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA) is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in the recent past. The prevailing drought has resulted in direct wildlife losses, and the rescue of elephant calves has almost become a daily occurrence. Some of the rescued elephant calves were abandoned since they could not travel long distances in search of forage and water while other were left behind after their mothers succumbed to drought related complications. Other herbivores, especially buffaloes, are also dying as the drought continues to ravage the conservation area. In October, the Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to 8 cases, 6 of these cases involved elephants while 2 cases involved rhinos.
Acknowledgement
The Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit would like to thank all stakeholders who reported and monitored wildlife requiring veterinary intervention. The Veterinary Unit also grateful for the on-going financial support received from Vier Pfoten through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the technical support received from KWS management.
Case Details
October 2022
Elephant Rescue Dida Harea, Tsavo East National Park
Tourists in the park notified the Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit when they saw this elephant calf struggling to pull itself out of a waterhole.
Rescue
The 1.5-year-old calf was found struggling to get out of the waterhole. It looked exhausted after what must have been long struggle; its mother stood a few meters away helpless watching after trying to help the calf several times without success. The Veterinary Unit manually pulled the calf out of the waterhole. The calf’s mother rushed in a short while later, mother and calf were happily re-united, and they walked away together.
Elephant Bullet wound Rukinga Ranch
The Rukinga Ranch security team saw this bull having difficulty walking, it had a swollen left carpus.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The big bull was found under the shade of tree just a few meters away from an elephant herd It had a swollen left carpus, and there was a little purulent discharge on the lateral side of the joint. The bull was darted from a vehicle with 18 mgs Etorphine hydrochloride. The drugs took full effect 10 minutes later with the bull assuming sternal recumbency. It was pushed into right lateral recumbency for comfort and ease of examination. A deep penetrating wound, most likely caused by a bullet, was observed on the lateral carpal joint exiting medially. The discharge from the wound was more of blood than pus. No foreign object was retrieved from the wound. The joint capsule was partially damaged. The wound was lavaged with water, disinfected with Iodine and infused with Cloxacillin antibiotic. Green clay was packed into the wound to hasten healing and prevent sepsis. Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were also administered before anaesthesia was reversed with 48 mgs Diprenorphine hydrochloride. The bull rose 3 minutes later and walked slowly towards the elephant herd.
Prognosis
The elephant has a guarded prognosis
Rhino Natural Causes Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary
A black rhino was seen with an injury on the left side of the jaw during an aerial patrol. This injury was initially thought to have been suffered during a territorial fight
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The rhino was darted from a helicopter with 4.5 mgs Etorphine hydrochloride and 80 mgs Azaperone. The drugs took full effect after 8 minutes with the bull assuming right lateral recumbency. 5 mgs Butorphanol tartrate was given intravenously to improve respiration before examination was conducted. Examination revealed a fresh wound with irregular edges, it was a shallow ulcer that did not go beyond the subcutis. According to the vet’s assessment, the condition was caused by filarial worms. Samples for microscopy and DNA were collected from the wound. Ivermectin was injected subcutaneously as a parasiticide, Amoxicillin injectable antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were also administered. The wound was cleaned with water, disinfected with Iodine and packed with green clay. Anaesthesia was then reversed with 18 mgs Diprenorphine hydrochloride given intravenously and 75 mgs Naltrexone administered intramuscularly. The rhino woke up two and a half minutes post-reversal and ran away.
Prognosis
The rhino has a good prognosis.
Rhino Post-mortem Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary
The carcass of a female black rhino calf was found on 19th October 2022 by KWS rangers on routine patrol She was positively identified as belonging to Mbonne, the calf was 2 years and 8 months old according to records.
General observation
The carcass was found on right lateral recumbency, it had been partial scavenged presumably by hyenas There were no signs of struggle at the scene of death. Both her horns were intact. There was some degree of putrefaction with maggots already infesting the carcass; the carcass age was estimated to be 3-4 days old. The calf was in poor body condition with a body score of 2 out of 5 where 5 is excellent and 1 is poor. The carcass was flipped over, and no injury was detected on any side. A penetrating wound was seen on her left front foot exiting on the interdigital space; this was thought to have been caused by accidentally stepping on a sharp object. Bony prominences were evident with the spine evidently protruding. There was serosanguinous fluid discharge from her mouth and nostrils; this is a normal occurrence at the point of death. Both her ears and tail had been mauled by scavengers Skin folds were very prominent with a very dry skin observed.
Specific post-mortem findings
▪ There was poor muscle cover with signs of a cachexic animal.
▪ Most of her internal organs had autolysed. It was difficult to ascertain and differentiate any gross pathological changes in these organs. These organs were thought to have undergone normal changes associated with carcass aging.
▪ The stomach wall was autolysed with the contents floating within the peritoneal cavity. Most of the stomach contents comprised foraged material low in quality and quantity. There were also signs of dehydration.
▪ No other gross abnormality was detected in the carcass of this calf.
Cause of Death
The black rhino calf was chronically debilitated due to malnourishment. The quantity and quality of forage ingested could not sustain her. The injury on her foot could have also contributed to her inability to move long distances in search of better browsing material but the team felt it could not have directly led to her death. This calf is believed to be among many victims who have succumbed to the drought currently ravaging the conservation area.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures for this case.
Elephant Arrow Vinyunduni, Kwale County
A KWS patrol team monitoring a herd of elephants that had wandered into a community area while searching for forage and water saw this elephant bull with a swollen left leg. The bull was seen walking with difficulty as the herd moved towards a dam in the area.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The Veterinary Unit decided to dart the injured elephant on foot due to the difficult terrain. 18 mgs Etorphine hydrochloride immobilized the bull in 8 minutes. The bull assumed right lateral recumbency, and examination revealed a fresh wound on the medial side of the left elbow causing some degree of swelling. No foreign body was found in the wound. The wound was thought to have been caused by an arrow. The wound was debrided with Hydrogen peroxide, rinsed with water and disinfected with Iodine. Amoxicillin antibiotics and Flunixin meglumine anti-inflammatories were administered parenteral then anaesthesia was reversed with 48 mgs Diprenorphine hydrochloride given through a prominent ear vein. The elephant rose 2 minutes post-reversal and moved deeper into the thicket.
Prognosis
This elephant has a guarded prognosis
Elephant Post-mortem Satao Area, Tsavo East National Park
Tourists found this female elphant recumbent in the middle of the road in Satao area, Tsavo East National Park.
General observation
On arrival, the veterinary unit found that the elephant had just died. Her sister who had a calf was standing beside her, and both were looking traumatised. Both elephants were gently driven away to facilitate access to the carcass. The dead elephant was in poor body condition with an approximated score of 2 in a scale of 1-5 where 5 is perfect and 1 poor. There was no evidence of struggle at the point of death. The elephant appeared to have just collapsed as it tried to cross the road.
Specific post-mortem findings
The carcass was removed from the road before the post-mortem was undertaken. The findings were of a cachexic elephant severely dehydrated and malnourished. The elephant appeared anaemic, and it had scanty stomach contents. The food in the gastrointestinal tract was low in quantity and quality. The postmortem findings indicated that the elephant was clearly overwhelmed by the effects of the drought currently ravaging the conservation area. The tusks were collected by the KWS security team for accounting and safe custody.
Cause of death
Drought related complications.
Elephant Rescue Sobo Area, Tsavo East National Park
KWS security patrol teams found this male elephant calf close to its dead mother near Sobo area, Tsavo East National Park.
Rescue
The veterinary unit found the calf trying to nudge its dead mother to rise. The calf’s mother had died from drought related complications leaving the young calf (approximately 3 years) alone. No elephant family was seen close by. The calf appeared stressed. It was unlikely to survive alone in the wild, therefore the calf was rescued and taken to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Voi Elephant Rehabilitation Centre for care. The calf was manually restrained then sedated with 40 mgs Azaperone before being loaded onto a vehicle.
