The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has confirmed that fifteen elephants died in Amboseli National Park due to cyanide poisoning linked to pesticides used on adjacent tomato farms.
KWS Director General Prof. Erastus Kanga revealed that laboratory tests on samples from the elephant carcasses detected cyanide, implicating agricultural chemicals as the cause of the fatalities.
The deaths, reported over the past month, began when park rangers noticed elephants showing signs of illness before collapsing. Dr Isaac Lekoolol, KWS Head of Veterinary and Capture Services, noted that affected elephants exhibited consistent clinical symptoms prior to death.
Kimana Wildlife Sanctuary, a key tomato-producing area in Kajiado County, was among the hardest hit. One herd lost six elephants, including adult females and calves.
Following post-mortem examinations, KWS linked the deaths to poisoning from chemicals likely originating from nearby farms. Prof. Kanga emphasized that the agency has contained the situation but urged local communities to exercise caution when handling pesticides near wildlife habitats.
Efforts are underway to collaborate with stakeholders to prevent future incidents, especially given the frequent movement of wildlife between farms and protected areas in search of food and water.
While there is no current evidence suggesting a threat to human health, KWS has intensified surveillance across the Amboseli ecosystem to monitor elephant herds closely as investigations continue.
