During June to September 2016 the DSWT/KWS Sky Vet program was called to handle 16 emergency wildlife cases, several of which were supported by the DSWT helicopter or outsourced helicopters in the Mara and Meru regions to help with elephant darting operations as well as search and monitoring operations also using the DSWT’s fixed-wing aircrafts.

Of all the cases attended, 13 included elephant cases with 4 spear cases, 1 snare case, 4 poisoned arrow cases, 1 case with a gunshot wound plus 2 natural causes and a rescue of an adult elephant stuck in a well. Sky Vets also attended to a rhino with a bullet wound and rescued a badly wounded white rhino calf after its mother was killed by gunshot.

The KWS Veterinary Officers involved in these cases were flown throughout Kenya during this reporting period including cases in Tsavo East, the Chyulu Hills, Laikipia, the Masai Mara, Meru National Park as well as Nakuru and Lake Baringo.

Out of the 16 cases treated, 12 of the cases were given a positive prognosis whilst 2 of the cases were given a guarded prognosis due to the severity of the elephant and rhino’s wounds. Without rapid veterinary response, the majority of these cases would have died from their injuries.