The mystery deepens, but the solution seems to be drawing nearer and converging on a single word: poisoning. Following the alarm raised in recent days over the sudden death of fifteen elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, initial laboratory analyses indicate the presence of a possible toxic substance – a pesticide used in agriculture. However, this product has also been linked to incidents of poaching in the past, although, judging by the location of some of the elephants’ bodies, it would appear to have come from a tomato field.
The land that is home to some of Africa’s most iconic elephants may therefore have been the scene of a contamination incident that has yet to be fully clarified. The Kenyan authorities are urging people to avoid jumping to conclusions, but the investigations have taken a clear direction. It now remains to be seen whether the pesticide was used deliberately. It is unlikely that normal doses sprayed on fields could kill nothing less than elephants.
In the past, particularly in Zimbabwe, a mass die-off of elephants caused by poachers was attributed precisely to cyanide.
Following the initial alert raised by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the police have now taken over the investigation. Analyses carried out by the University of Nairobi have detected the presence of a substance with an extremely high cyanide content in biological samples taken from some of the animals, although experts stress that it is still too early to determine whether this is in fact the sole cause of the deaths.
The deaths occurred between 24 June and 24 July in the areas of Amboseli National Park, Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku Ranch. Of the fifteen elephants found dead, ten had exhibited the same symptoms: progressive paralysis, particularly in the hind limbs, which led to their death within one or two days. The other five carcasses, however, were in too advanced a state of decomposition or had been partially consumed by scavengers, making a full diagnosis impossible.
Tests carried out by the Government Chemist have, however, ruled out the presence of the main poisons normally sought in cases of this kind. This is why the authorities are broadening the scope of their analyses, looking for less common substances and also checking for possible contamination of the area’s water sources, soil and vegetation. The aim is to determine whether the elephants ingested cyanide from a single environmental source. 
This is also because the farm where the cyanide-based pesticide was actually used is home to goats and cows as well.
The KWS has also sought to reassure residents and visitors: at present, there is no evidence to suggest a disease that is transmissible to humans or other animals. The incident appears to be localised and continues to be monitored by vets, researchers and wildlife specialists.
The incident takes on particular significance because it concerns one of the most famous ecosystems on the African continent. Amboseli is home to over two thousand elephants and is considered one of the best places in the world to observe them in the wild, against the unmistakable backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. Just a few weeks ago, the park had paid an emotional tribute to the natural death of the legendary ‘super tusker’ One Ton, one of the last great elephants with gigantic tusks remaining in Africa.
For Kenyan tourism, and safari tourism in particular, the hope is that the mystery will be resolved quickly. Understanding the cause of these deaths is not only about protecting one of the most important elephant populations on the planet, but also about preserving one of the natural treasures that make Kenya a unique destination for millions of visitors.