FIFTEEN ELEPHANTS DIE OF SUSPECTED CYANIDE POISONING IN KENYA

Fifteen elephants died in Kenya's Amboseli National Park over the course of a month after consuming tomatoes suspected of containing cyanide, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service. Preliminary laboratory tests detected cyanide in the animals, and postmortem examinations found tomatoes in their stomachs. Dr Isaac Lekolool, head of veterinary services at Kenya's wildlife agency, said the elephants displayed signs of paralysis and difficulty breathing before death. An investigation remains ongoing into how the toxic substance reached the ecosystem. The elephants had also consumed watermelons, according to Lekolool.

Local farmers disputed claims that their produce caused the deaths. Elvis Muchai, who has farmed tomatoes in the Kimana area for two decades, stated he had never heard of farmers poisoning wildlife and expressed scepticism about reports linking farm produce to the elephant deaths. Local communities have long coexisted with elephants despite suffering repeated crop losses when animals cross the park's electric fence and raid farms, particularly during the dry season. The incident has intensified concerns over human-wildlife conflict in the region due to expanding agricultural activities near Amboseli Park.

The deaths occur as Kenya works to rebuild its elephant population from historic lows to more than 36,000 individuals through reduced poaching and enhanced protection measures. Further laboratory tests are being conducted to determine the concentration of cyanide present in the deceased animals. The investigation will need to establish the source of the contamination and how it reached the animals in an ecosystem where wild and domestic animals coexist alongside agricultural land.