The dead elephants were of various ages and sexes and were found close to the Amboseli National Park in the south of Kenya in eastern Africa
An investigation has been launched after 14 elephants were mysteriously found dead near a national park in Africa.
The carcasses were discovered across different locations around 15km to 30km from the boundaries of the Amboseli National Park. The area, known as the Amboseli ecosystem, is located in the south of Kenya in eastern Africa.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said experts are examining the bodies. The BBC reports that tissue samples have been sent to laboratories to establish what caused the death, with hypotheses such as disease and poisoning considered.
This is the first time in decades that elephant deaths on this scale have been recorded in the African region. Poaching – the illegal hunting, killing or capturing of wild animals – has successfully been tackled in the area.
There is currently no evidence that a single cause of death is what took the lives of all 14 elephants, KWS said. The dead animals include elephants of various ages and sexes which suggests the deaths are not limited to a single family or age group.
Investigators probing the deaths from the University of Nairobi have reportedly discovered a suspected toxin in some of the creature’s corpses. Samples are currently being analysed to determine whether it played a role in the fatalities, local news sources claim.
The KWS is also investigating a range of environmental factors, including water sources and other potential contaminants, to determine whether the elephants were exposed to a common source.
The Amboseli ecosystem is a wide area on the border with Tanzania, a country famous for its wildlife. Figures for the Amboseli Trust for Elephants shows more than 2,000 elephants were in the ecosystem as of last year.
