Kenya probes cyanide poisoning in deaths of 15‑16 elephants near Amboseli National Park

cyanide poisoning Amboseli elephants Kenya Wildlife Service farmers dispute tomato contamination

Between 24 June and 31 July, 15‑16 elephants died in Kenya's Amboseli‑Kimana ecosystem. Post‑mortem examinations found tomatoes in their stomachs and the animals showed weakness, partial hind‑limb paralysis and difficulty breathing. Preliminary laboratory analysis by the University of Nairobi indicated cyanide as the probable cause, though confirmatory testing is ongoing.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) deployed veterinary and scientific teams from Nairobi, Tsavo and Amboseli after the first death was reported and has intensified ranger patrols and veterinary monitoring. KWS has asked the Pest Control Products Board to lead a multi‑agency technical team to investigate whether pesticide use, storage, disposal or contamination of water, soil or forage contributed to the deaths, and is also examining the possible role of the cyanogenic plant Cynodon plectostachyus. Local farmers, including long‑time tomato grower Elvis Muchai, dispute that cyanide from their farms caused the poisonings, saying they have never used such chemicals.

Kenya has recently rebuilt its elephant population to over 36,000 individuals after historic lows, making the sudden loss of dozens of animals a significant conservation concern.

Entities: Amboseli National Park · Dr. Isaac Lekolool · Elvis Muchai · Kenya · Kenya Wildlife Service · Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) · Prof. Erastus Kanga · University of Nairobi

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 8 SOURCES] Local farmers, including Elvis Muchai, dispute that cyanide from their farms caused the elephant deaths. (Farmers)
[● 8 SOURCES] KWS requested the Pest Control Products Board to lead a multi‑agency technical team to investigate possible pesticide contamination. (KWS)
[DISPUTED] Fifteen to sixteen elephants died in the Amboseli‑Kimana ecosystem between June 24 and July 31, 2024. (Kenya Wildlife Service)
[● 8 SOURCES] Preliminary laboratory analysis indicated cyanide poisoning as the probable cause of the elephant deaths. (University of Nairobi / KWS)
[● 8 SOURCES] The dead elephants showed signs of paralysis and difficulty breathing before dying. (Dr. Isaac Lekolool, Kenya Wildlife Service)
[● 8 SOURCES] Post‑mortem examinations found tomatoes in the stomachs of the dead elephants. (Kenya Wildlife Service)
[● 8 SOURCES] KWS deployed veterinary and scientific teams from Nairobi, Tsavo and Amboseli after the first elephant death was reported on 24 June. (Kenya Wildlife Service)
[● 8 SOURCES] Kenya's elephant population has recovered to over 36,000 individuals after historic lows. (Kenya Wildlife Service)