The month of January was characterized by elevated daytime and nighttime temperatures. In the Meru ecosystem, most seasonal rivers and water pans have dried up. The grasslands have rapidly lost their green coloration, transforming into brown carpets of dry grass and dust.
During this period, the SWT/KWS Meru Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to four wildlife cases. In Meru National Park, the team carried out a prophylactic vaccination of a security dog against trypanosomiasis and treated a male white rhino bull for cutaneous wounds and injuries sustained from a territorial fight. In Kiambogo area of Tigania East, the team conducted a postmortem examination on an adult male elephant carcass suspected to have died from gastrointestinal complications.
Additionally, the team conducted an autopsy on an adult female elephant carcass in Kampara area, Kinna, which was suspected to have died from fatal gunshot injuries due to human-wildlife conflict in the area.