Veterinary Units
Treating sick and injured wildlife across Kenya, saving thousands of wild lives each year
We operate six fully equipped Mobile Veterinary Units and a rapid response Sky Vet initiative headed by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) vets to alleviate the suffering of injured wild animals across Kenya.
We respond to all manner of wildlife emergencies from snares, spears, arrow and gunshot wounds, to injuries caused through human-wildlife conflict. Working in diverse habitats, our patients include injured and distressed elephants, rhinos, giraffe, zebra, lions and countless other species.
3,628
Elephant cases
9,505
Other wild animal cases
13,133
Total veterinary cases attended
Our Veterinary Units operate in critical conservation areas throughout Kenya, treating a diverse range of animals including threatened and endangered species. Able to mount a rapid response to come to the aid of any distressed, injured or sick wild animal in need.
All our Veterinary Units are all fully equipped with custom-made vehicles, darting hatches and dart gun, equipment shelves, vaccine refrigerator, operating table and all the necessary medicines and equipment required for rapid and effective veterinary response to any case. Each team is led by a KWS veterinarian and includes KWS capture rangers and a Sheldrick Wildlife Trust driver.
Types of incidents attended by the Vet Units
- Snares, which are traps often made out of metal wire, nylon or vegetable fibres, are indiscriminate and can cause severe injuries, suffering and pain to trapped animals.
- Arrows, laced with poison, are used by poachers and can cause prolonged suffering, sepsis and ultimately, death.
- Spears can cause deep wounds which can become infected, leading to sepsis.
- Territorial fight injuries can cause lameness, affecting an animal’s ability to feed and hunt.
- Disease outbreak, which can spread rapidly and be fatal to populations of wild species.
Areas we cover in Kenya
