Kenyan authorities have arrested four individuals in connection with the mysterious deaths of at least 18 elephants in Amboseli National Park over the past two months. The suspects include three Kenyans and one Tanzanian national.
The investigation is examining the possibility that the elephants died from cyanide poisoning after consuming tomatoes treated with illegal pesticides. Preliminary laboratory analysis of samples from the elephants' stomachs has detected traces of cyanide. Officials noted that the affected elephants, primarily adult females and their calves, exhibited symptoms of paralysis consistent with cyanide poisoning.
The incidents occurred in the Kimana area, situated within an ecological corridor that links Amboseli National Park to Tsavo National Park in southern Kenya. This region, known as the Amboseli ecosystem, spans the border with Tanzania and is traversed by over 2,000 elephants in search of food and water.
Evidence suggests that pesticides prohibited in Kenya are sometimes smuggled across the porous border with Tanzania and applied to farms within the Amboseli area. These farms are located near human settlements, and elephants are known to raid them for sustenance. While regulations against such illegal agrochemicals exist, enforcement is reportedly weak, and their impact on wildlife has received little attention.
The four suspects have been released on bail as the investigation continues.