Kenyan wildlife authorities are investigating whether a toxic substance killed 15 elephants in the country’s famed Amboseli ecosystem, raising fresh concerns over the health of one of Africa’s most important wildlife habitats and a major tourism destination.
The deaths occurred between 24 June and 24 July across Amboseli National Park, Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku Ranch, a vast conservation landscape near the Tanzanian border that is renowned for its large elephant population and iconic views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), 10 elephants displayed similar symptoms before dying, including partial paralysis that left them unable to stand. Most died within one or two days.
The outbreak primarily affected adult females and calves, with only one adult male among the confirmed deaths. Five other carcasses were too badly decomposed or had been scavenged, preventing officials from determining how those animals died.
Preliminary tests point to possible toxin
