A female elephant has been rescued by the Kenya Wildlife Service after spending nearly 24 hours trapped in a drying mud pit in Muchuro, Isiolo County.
The rescue followed an alert from local residents who spotted the distressed animal and notified authorities, prompting the KWS Rapid Response Team to intervene.
“Deep in Muchuro in Isiolo County, community members spotted a female elephant trapped in a drying mud pit, her body pressed against the hardening earth and her strength fading,” KWS said in a post on Sunday.
The response team spent the night at the scene monitoring and protecting the elephant as arrangements were made for a specialised veterinary operation.
“The KWS Rapid Response Team rushed to her aid, spending the night by her side, protecting her and monitoring her condition until help could arrive,” the wildlife agency said.
The KWS ECA Mobile Vet Unit, led by Dr Michael Njoroge, later travelled to the remote site despite challenging terrain.
Upon reaching the site, the team found the elephant exhausted and completely caked in dried mud.
Veterinary officers first cleared the hardened mud around the elephant before securing heavy-duty straps beneath her body. Two Mobile Vet Unit vehicles were then used in a coordinated operation to pull her out.
After several hours, the elephant was successfully freed.
“Behind every successful rescue is a team willing to go the extra mile for wildlife,” KWS said.
“They keep showing up, keep fighting, and keep giving wildlife a second chance,” it added.
KWS credited the local community for raising the alarm, saying the incident highlighted the crucial role residents play in protecting wildlife.
The rescue comes amid heightened concern over elephant deaths in the Amboseli ecosystem, where 18 elephants have died in recent weeks.
Four suspects have been arrested as persons of interest in the deaths of the 18 elephants, with preliminary investigations pointing to possible poisoning by a toxic substance.
The first 15 elephant deaths were recorded between June 24 and July 24, prompting the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), security agencies and scientific teams to investigate the cause.
In a statement on Saturday, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said field investigations, laboratory tests and environmental sampling had been conducted, with preliminary results pointing to the “probable involvement of a toxic substance”.