‘How many will die?’: Mystery ailment stalks Kenya’s elephants

The enigmatic ailment plaguing Kenya's elephants has claimed at least 19 lives since June, predominantly female or young males, leaving experts baffled. The victims, including 11-year-old Genghis Khan, displayed symptoms such as partial paralysis and labored breathing. The mystery disease has become a pressing concern in Amboseli, a prime tourist destination overlooking Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Officials are particularly concerned due to tourism's significant contribution to the Kenyan economy.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) initially suggested cyanide poisoning, but local Maasai community head Patrick Papatiti and Amboseli ecosystem manager Joel Nyika dismissed this theory. They contend that no other animals have perished, ruling out poisoning. Further complicating matters, vultures and livestock have thrived in the area, contradicting the poisoning hypothesis.

The KWS maintains that the cause is not a transmissible disease, yet AFP correspondents found multiple carcasses in the Kimana reserve, some recently deceased, others older, displaying the same telltale signs of paralysis. Maasai farmers, who share the same resources with the elephants, express concern but deny the elephants' deaths are due to poisoning.

Conservationist Paula Kahumbu, while questioning the pesticide theory, emphasizes the absence of evidence supporting it. Papatiti urges the focus to be on identifying the cause rather than assigning blame. The deaths have raised concerns about the elephant population's future, prompting calls for a comprehensive investigation.