Four suspects arrested over deaths of 18 elephants in Amboseli ecosystem

Investigation into Amboseli elephant deaths leads to four arrests

Police in Kenya have arrested four suspects in connection with the deaths of 18 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, according to the tourism and wildlife ministry. The ministry said authorities also seized assorted substances, including chemicals, during the investigation. A Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) spokesperson told Reuters on Monday that the four had since been released on bail.

The arrests follow a series of elephant deaths that have prompted concern among conservationists and authorities. Preliminary laboratory results pointed to the probable involvement of a toxic substance, the ministry said in a statement released on Saturday. Earlier indications suggested cyanide poisoning due to the ingestion of pesticide-contaminated tomatoes from farms bordering Amboseli National Park.

Details of the case

The investigation has focused on Tikondo in Loitoktok sub-county, about 220km (137 miles) southeast of Nairobi, where a search led to the discovery of assorted substances, including chemicals believed to have come from a neighbouring country, the statement said. The ministry added that investigators were also pursuing a fifth individual believed to have information relevant to the case.

Among the dead was an 11-year-old bull elephant named Genghis Khan, found at Kitenden B Community Conservancy on the outskirts of Amboseli National Park in Kajiado county. A community ranger photographed the remains, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

Uncertainty over cause

Some wildlife experts have expressed doubt that farm pesticide was responsible for the deaths, citing the absence of reported deaths among other animals in the area. The ministry has not yet confirmed the definitive cause, and further laboratory analysis is expected. The affected elephants were mainly female adults and their calves, and they showed signs of paralysis, which authorities believe points to cyanide poisoning, according to the South China Morning Post. Preliminary laboratory tests found traces of cyanide in food samples taken from the stomachs of the elephants.

The number of deaths reached 18, with additional deaths occurring after the first 15 were reported. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out further arrests.