Reporting Date: 26.12.11

While on a Full Day Game Drive around Talek plains, Daniel and his guests came across a sick, elderly bull elephant lying down on its side. It is pretty unusual for an old adult elephant to lie down. Daniel explained to his guests that the bull must  have been unwell. On looking closer, they realized that this elephant had a wound on its left front leg. The wound slowed him down and as a result he could not feed. Because of its weight it prefered to lie down to relieve pressure from the wounded leg. 

On realizing his predicament, Daniel informed the Park wardens who later sent a veterinary doctor to treat it. When daniel passed again through the area later in the day, he spotted the bull walking, although slow but it was a good sign that it will be well again. The Kenya Wildlife Service, the Kenya Governemnt department charged with the care and protection of wildlife in Kenya, has a special veterinary unit dedicated to treating injured or sick animals. More attention is often given to threatened or endangered animals as recorded in the IUCN Red list. 

NB: * = Same animals seen by different rangers