Drought kills 20 baby elephants in three months

By Job Weru

Some 20 young elephants have succumbed to drought in the last three months, the Kenya Wildlife Services has said.

KWS head of Problem Animal Management Unit, Mr Kimani Ndiku said the most affected were calves in Laikipia, since they cannot browse for foliage on top of trees.

Instead they graze on whatever little is still growing on the ground.

Speaking to The Standard on telephone yesterday, Ndiku said the situation was getting worse, with competition for water between jumbos and people getting stiff.

He said many water sources were drying up.

"At least 20 elephant calves have died in the last three months, and unless it rains, the situation would worsen," he said. "On average, we are getting a report of a dead elephant calf everyday."

Buffalos, warthogs and other animals, which rely on pasture, are also affected, although minimal deaths have been recorded.

High-level tour

On Sunday, Ndiku and other KWS senior officials toured Ol’Jogi, Loldaiga, Makurian, Doldol, Kimanju and Il’Motiok areas in Laikipia North District, where many deaths have been reported.

At Il’Motiok at least three elephants had died by Sunday. Most carcasses are discovered near boreholes and sub-surface rivers, indicating they die in search of water.

Last week, journalists accompanying World Food Programme officials in a tour of the region found the carcass of an elephant at Loisokut in Makurian.

Councillor Robert King’au of Mumonyot Ward said a herd of about 100 elephants had invaded human settlements in Mumonyot, Makurian and Il’Polei areas, in search of water and pasture.

Laikipia County Council Chairman Joseph Karonji said the deaths were a threat to tourism in the region.

"We fear there would be an enormous effect on tourism in the region if the situation persists. Wild animals have also strayed from ranches into human settlements," he said.

Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo, popularly known as the Laikipia ecosystem, are ranked the best breeding grounds for the wild African elephant.

Alarming rate

Last month, KWS released a report on investigations into death of 38 elephants in Isiolo, Laikipia North and Samburu East districts.

KWS scientists indicated the elephants died due to extremely low food availability, which weakened their immune systems.

Although there are few cases of adult elephant deaths, most were between two and eight years old.

 

 

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