January proved a very busy month, especially for veterinary treatments. These included a total of 11 elephants with a variety of injuries: four with poisoned arrow wounds, one with a spear wound, two with snare wounds, and four with naturally occurring injuries.

Most cases occurred in the northern area of Tsavo East and were likely related to human–elephant conflict, as large numbers of elephants moved outside the Park and scouts initially sighted several of the injured animals there. One of the most difficult cases involved an elephant calf that community scouts sighted on Kipini Conservancy in Lamu County with a severe snare injury. Our team, including the helicopter and KWS/SWT vet, spent several days searching for the calf after the initial report. We eventually called off the search and returned to Tsavo, but resumed the operation when scouts sighted the calf again.

When we returned, we found the calf alone, having been abandoned. This, combined with the severity of the snare injury, led KWS to decide to rescue the calf. By this point, the helicopter did not have enough fuel remaining to carry such heavy cargo back to Kaluku, so the team made a short hop to Manda Bay airfield. There, the SWT Caravan collected the calf and transported it to Kaluku for care. At the time of writing, the calf is doing well, and the snare wound — which had cut nearly to the bone — has almost completely healed.

This was not the only veterinary case on Kipini Conservancy requiring aerial assistance. On separate occasions, scouts reported a snared buffalo and an injured zebra. The KWS/SWT Southern Vet Unit flew to Lamu to attend to both cases. Unfortunately, the buffalo had gone missing by the time the team arrived, but the zebra — which appeared to have been slashed by a machete — was successfully darted and stitched.

Scouts also reported another young elephant calf at Hildana Lodge with a snare. We initially searched unsuccessfully for the calf, but it later reappeared at the lodge, allowing us to deploy a helicopter and vet in time for a successful snare removal and treatment. The calf suffered from a severe cable snare that had cut into its neck. After removing the snare, the team cleaned the wound and reunited the calf with its mother.

As noted, human–elephant conflict drove many veterinary cases in January. The helicopters deployed on eight occasions to move elephants out of communities and back into protected areas. These efforts proved mostly successful; however, a few areas — and particular elephants — remain challenging. In some cases, our pilots could not persuade elephants to cross through dropped sections of fence back into the Park.

Two orphaned or abandoned elephant calves were rescued in January: the snare victim from Kipini, as well as a second calf initially sighted by KWS in Tsavo West. Teams later re-sighted the latter during a fixed-wing patrol, rescued it, and transported it by vehicle to Kaluku for care. Its mother was likely another victim of human–elephant conflict, as the calf had a spear wound on its shoulder and showed signs of emaciation after several days without its mother’s milk.

Aerial patrols sighted one elephant carcass in January — that of an adult bull that appeared to have died of natural causes, given the presence of intact ivory. However, the team could not determine the cause of death, as it was too late to perform a post-mortem by the time the carcass was found.

Livestock remains a challenge in both Tsavo East and Tsavo West — though less so in Tsavo West, where recent KWS efforts have proved very successful. In Tsavo East, which had been relatively under control, livestock numbers have increased significantly, with much of the influx originating from Tana River. Limited pasture on poorly managed rangeland outside the Park has pressured herders to seek illegal grazing deep within it. Our pilots continue to monitor livestock movements across the Tsavos, and KWS is working to repel any incursions.

Other illegal activities sighted in January included logging for timber in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, as well as charcoal burning on Galana and Kishushe Ranches.