Conservation group criticises drop in jumbo numbers

Kenya Wildlife Vets treat a wounded elephant at Olarro Wildlife Conservancy in Masai Mara Game Reserve.[Robert Kiplagat]

An elephant conservation group’s report raises alarm as 26 elephants die mysteriously in the Masai Mara Game Reserve ecosystem in the last three months.

The report published by the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) on December 14 indicates that from September to November 26 elephants which accounts to 42 percent died over ‘unknown’ causes suspected to be poisoning.

“There will always be elephant deaths as a result of natural causes, five during this reporting period, [but to be investigated] is the rise in “unknown” elephant deaths, 11 in this reporting period,” said the report in part.

The MEP report indicated that while human-wildlife conflicts such as an arrow wound, or poaching, in situations where tusks are removed, the rise in unknown elephant deaths is a disturbing new trend.

According to the report’s findings, in September three elephant carcasses were found in proximity in protected areas of the Mara ecosystem within three days.

In all three deaths, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and MEP rangers took samples that were sent to a lab for analysis.

“In this instance, we’re looking for evidence that poison was used to kill the elephants. Other things we may find out is if a strong pesticide is found in their system that may have resulted in the deaths,” the report says.

The results MEP receives from the lab are essential to ensuring we can respond to these unknown deaths or mark them properly as natural, poached or conflict related.

Last month according to the report, seven elephant deaths were categorised as “unknown” but there is evidence that points toward poisoning as a result of conflict retaliation.

The report, through a KWS postmortem conducted by the vets, ruled out a disease outbreak.

In a bid to curb the human-wildlife related deaths on elephants, MEP, according to the report recommendations, will put a permanent ranger presence in the affected areas.