Kenya Veterinary Association demands probe into cyanide deaths of 15 Amboseli elephants

The Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) has called for an urgent multi-agency investigation into the suspected cyanide poisoning that killed 15 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, warning that the incident could pose a serious public health risk if contaminated produce entered the food supply.

KVA President Dr. Kelvin Osore said the deaths, which occurred between June 24 and July 24, were a major ecological and public health concern after preliminary tests by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) detected highly toxic cyanide in the carcasses.

KWS has linked the deaths to elephants allegedly feeding on pesticide-sprayed tomatoes in Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku Group Ranch.

"If cyanide-laced tomatoes are potent enough to drop a herd of elephants, what happens when this same crop reaches local markets and Kenyan dinner tables?" Dr. Osore posed.

He also questioned how such a large-scale poisoning could occur without reported human casualties linked to the same produce.

He urged the government to address public concerns over the source of the cyanide and restore confidence through transparent investigations.

The KVA boss described the incident as more than a wildlife conservation issue, saying it highlights the close link between environmental health, animal welfare and human safety.

"The loss of these 15 elephants is not merely a conservation statistic; it is a severe animal welfare crisis and a warning siren for human health," Dr. Osore said.

KVA urged the government to trace the source of the cyanide, audit tomato supplies from the Kimana area to ensure contaminated produce is not in circulation, and strengthen measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict through better land-use planning, protected wildlife corridors and non-lethal crop protection methods.