15 Elephants Found Dead in Kenya Wildlife Habitat; Authorities Launch Investigation

Authorities have launched an investigation after 15 elephants were found dead en masse in a wildlife habitat in East Africa's Kenya.

According to Reuters and AP, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced the previous day that 15 elephants died between June 24 and the past month in the Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku Group Ranch areas near Amboseli National Park.

These areas, bordering Tanzania, are known as the Amboseli ecosystem and serve as a habitat and migration corridor for various wildlife, including elephants, beneath Mount Kilimanjaro.

KWS stated that 10 of the dead elephants exhibited partial paralysis symptoms and died within one to two days without being able to stand up.

KWS explained that the remaining five elephants were found already dead, but their exact causes of death could not be determined due to severe decomposition or scavenging by other animals.

Among the dead elephants, only one was an adult male, while the rest were all females or calves.

KWS stated that preliminary analysis of collected samples at a University of Nairobi laboratory detected potential toxic substances in some of the elephants, and authorities are conducting additional tests.

It added that investigations are also underway regarding potential environmental contamination, including water sources in the area.

AP reported that there have been past cases in Kenya where elephants were poisoned by toxins due to poaching and other incidents.

According to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, an elephant conservation organization, more than 2,000 elephants inhabited the Amboseli ecosystem as of 2025.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.