The carcass of one elephant lies on a dusty road, while another has been almost completely eaten by scavengers, leaving just the skull. They are among 15 elephants that are said to have died of suspected cyanide poisoning in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park after eating tomatoes in nearby farms.
Investigations are ongoing into how cyanide found its way to an ecosystem where wild and domestic animals coexist and farms grow tomatoes and onions. Farmers are disputing claims that cyanide from their tomatoes killed the elephants.
The elephant deaths and disputes about the cause have intensified concerns over growing human-wildlife conflict in the region due to expanding agricultural activities near Amboseli park.
Kenya has until recently been widely recognised for rebuilding its elephant population from historic lows to more than 36,000 individuals by reducing poaching and protecting elephants.
Elvis Muchai has farmed on the edge of Amboseli for two decades. In all that time, he said, he has never heard of farmers poisoning wildlife.
That is why he was skeptical of reports last month that the 15 elephants had died from suspected cyanide poisoning after consuming tomatoes believed to have been contaminated with the chemical.
Muchai, who farms tomatoes in Kimana area, said local communities have long coexisted with elephants despite suffering repeated crop losses when the animals cross the park’s electric fence and raid farms, particularly during the dry season.
“We are used to the animals eating from our farms,” he said.
Last month, the Kenya Wildlife Service announced that 15 elephants had died in the Amboseli ecosystem in a span of a month.
Preliminary laboratory tests detected cyanide, while postmortem examinations found tomatoes in the animals’ stomachs.
The head of veterinary services at Kenya’s wildlife agency, Dr Isaac Lekolool, said the elephants had shown signs of “paralysis and difficulty breathing” before they died. Initial tests pointed to cyanide poisoning, although further laboratory tests are being done to determine the concentration of cyanide.
“We are yet to find out where this cyanide came from,” Lekolool said, adding that the elephants had also consumed watermelons. He urged caution over the handling and use of pesticides on farms.
One of Kenya’s most productive farming regions
Kimana, which borders Amboseli, is one of Kenya’s most productive agricultural areas, growing tomatoes, onions and French beans that are transported to markets to the capital, Nairobi.
The samples tested for toxic chemicals were obtained from the elephants’ stomach contents and the analysis of blood samples is ongoing, Dr Lekolool said. He disputed earlier claims that cyanide, which is regulated by the government for use in mining, may have been present in the park due to illegal mining.
Farms have expanded near the park and conflict between people and elephants remains the second leading cause of deaths after poaching, according to Kenya’s National Elephant Plan.
