Four people have been arrested in Kenya as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of elephant deaths over the past two months. Officials stated that three Kenyans and one Tanzanian were detained on suspicion of poisoning at least 18 elephants in Amboseli National Park, the Kenya Wildlife Service told the BBC.
The investigation is exploring whether the elephants died from cyanide poisoning after consuming large quantities of tomatoes that had been sprayed with illegal pesticides. Preliminary laboratory tests have detected traces of cyanide in crop samples taken from the elephants' stomachs. The affected elephants, primarily adult females and their calves, also exhibited signs of paralysis, which authorities believe indicates cyanide poisoning.
Tomato farms are located in the Kimana area, a corridor between Amboseli National Park and Tsavo National Park in southern Kenya. This vast Amboseli ecosystem, which spans the border near Tanzania, is home to over 2,000 elephants. Pesticides prohibited in Kenya are sometimes smuggled across the border with Tanzania and used in farms within the Amboseli area, where elephants are known to raid farms for food. The suspects have since been released on bail as the investigation continues.