Kenya investigates deaths of 15 elephants near Amboseli

Authorities in Kenya are investigating the deaths of 15 elephants over the past month in and around Amboseli National Park. The Kenya Wildlife Service reported that the carcasses were found in the Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku Ranch areas adjacent to the park in southern Kenya.

Ten of the elephants exhibited similar symptoms before dying, including partial paralysis that left them unable to stand. Most of these animals succumbed within one or two days of showing symptoms. The condition primarily affected adult females and their calves, with only one adult male among the dead. The remaining five carcasses were in an advanced state of decomposition or had been scavenged, preventing investigators from determining a cause of death.

Preliminary laboratory analysis has produced conflicting results. Testing conducted by the University of Nairobi detected a potential toxic substance in samples from the deceased animals. However, separate analyses performed by the government chemist returned negative results for the specific toxins that were examined. Further testing is ongoing to identify any possible contaminants.

Investigators are also pursuing environmental inquiries to determine if the...