Two elephants die mysteriously at conservancy near Masai Mara

Two elephants were yesterday found dead at Olarro Wildlife Conservancy in Narok West sub-county near the Masai Mara game reserve.

This brings to five the number of elephants killed at the conservancy in the last three weeks.

Olarro Conservancy General Manager William Hofmeir said rangers on routine patrol found the carcasses of the two elephants.

“The two carcasses had their tusks intact and no visible injuries,” said Mr Hofmeir.

The official hinted that the deaths could be a result of poisoning through use of insecticides by farmers bordering the conservancy. He said the poison might have been consumed by the elephants when they strayed to the farms.

According to the conservationist, the carcasses of the three that died previously were found in a line leading from the left of the Loita hill towards the Inkineji village.

He said in all the cases, the tusks were removed, registered and handed to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) base at Ewaso Ng’iro.

Area KWS County Warden Dickson Ritan told The Standard he was on leave, thus unable to comment on the matter.