Two elephants die mysteriously at Olarro conservancy bringing deaths to five

Two elephants were found dead at Olarro wildlife conservancy in Narok West Sub-County near the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve bringing the number of deaths to five since the beginning of this year.

Confirming the incident through a statement seen by The Standard, William Hofmeyr Olarro Conservancy General Manager said the conservancy rangers who were on their regular patrol found the carcases of the two jumbos.

“The two mortalities were found at different locations of the conservancy by our rangers and the community members. The two carcasses had their tusks intact and had no visible injuries,” said Mr Hofmeir in the report.

The official hinted that the elephant deaths could be as a result of poisoning through use of insecticides by farmers bordering the conservancies.

He said: “This issue is now becoming catastrophic. With the increase of Agricultural activities, the volume of crop insecticides has risen and it is suspected that these may be, in some part, potentially responsible for the illness or deaths caused within the area.”

The two incidences happened at a time three other cases had been reported on January 9 and another on January 16 bringing the number of elephant deaths at the conservancy to five.

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