The SWT/KWS Sky Vets program was called into action on 12 occasions between February and March, attending to wildlife cases with support from the SWT helicopter on most occasions, and once with a chartered aircraft, helping with elephant darting and search and rescue operations.
Of the cases attended to, 11 involved elephants, including 1 human-wildlife conflict case where 2 elephants were relocated from Kibwezi town. There was also one lion human-wildlife conflict case where the lion was relocated with the help of the SWT helicopter after another lion had been killed in the area by the community in retaliation for livestock predation.
Of the elephant interventions, two cases involved snares, one bullet wound, one spear wound, the human-wildlife conflict case, two were rescues and four cases related to natural causes.
Out of the 12 total cases treated there was an 67% success rate. Without rapid veterinary response, the majority of these animals would have died from their injuries.
In partnership with the KWS, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates five Mobile Units and the Sky Vets project, attending to wildlife veterinary cases across Kenya
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