Ndovu = Elephant

Samburu National Reserve 

“It’s a great day for science! “ This was Mutinda’s opening line on Thursday.  We were headed to use some of the stains that the human clinic has in stock.  We wanted to look at the blood of our Grevy’s zebra.  We found out that she has a blood borne parasite (anaplasmosis) and possibly also has another blood borne parasite (babesia).  Both are treatable in the early stages.  Her bloods told us that she has advanced stages, so her prognosis is not great.  We are going to go back out and give her another medication to treat them.  This is a very expensive drug, so we had to justify using it; we also found out that she is very anemic, probably due to the parasites.

STE, Mandibles of Poached Elephants

We left the lab and headed off to Samburu again to go and do a necropsy (post mortem) on a lion.  The lion had been seen Tuesday night, fit and healthy.  This lioness had a 4 -6 week old cub that cannot be located either.  She was found dead, after exhibiting odd symptoms on Wed morning. 

We drove for about 2 hours to get to Samburu and when we parked, I saw a bunch of Save the Elephants trucks.  Low and behold we ended up at the Save the Elephants headquarters.  I was shocked!  I introduced myself, and received a very very warm welcome.  I ate lunch with George, Frank and Saba (and their beautiful family). 

We went and did a necropsy on the lioness and found what we were suspecting, a snakebite.  It was horrible to see the damage that was done by the venom.  We were able to pinpoint the bite to her back.  This is very strange, but she probably rolled over on an adder. We even were able to extract a snake fang from her.  It was sad, but it was nice to know she died of natural causes.  We don’t have any idea where her cub is.

From there, we went back to camp to get ready for the immobilizing of an elephant.  The bull elephant was in good condition, but he needed a tracking collar placed.  The immobilizing was so calm.  He was darted from a close distance, and then he slowly ambled to a clearing in the shade.  He stood there for about 8 minutes and then calmly lay down.  The sound of his body hitting the ground was amazing.  Everyone then mobilized to around the elephant.  I helped straighten his trunk out and put an Acacia thorn to keep his trunk open and patent.  You have no idea how heavy an elephant trunk is.  It was covered in short guard hairs, which pricked me as I moved it.  I went on to monitor anesthesia by closely monitoring respirations.  His breaths were nicely spaced and deep. 

Monitoring respirations

 The collaring team went to work quickly placing the collar.  Water was poured on him so that he would not overheat.  It was amazing to see the network of blood vessels in his ears.  It really showed how an elephant uses his ears to cool himself.  The blood is so close to the surface that the heat dissipates out when the elephant flaps his ears.  It was surreal to be that close to an elephant.  

Drawing Blood from the Bull Elephant

Administering the Antidote

Everyone quickly did all of his or her duties, and we went to administer the antidote.   Everyone but Mutinda and I and Tim scattered back to their trucks.  Mutinda and I determined which way we were going to run if something were to happen.   I quickly drew blood for diagnostics and Mutinda administered the antidote seconds after I finished.  We then bolted back to the truck.  We waited a few minutes and then realized that the elephant was going to need more drugs.  Mutinda then slowly walked back out to the elephant with an Askari (armed) to administer more antidote.  Within milliseconds, the elephant was moving.  It took him about 2 more minutes and then he not so gracefully rocked his whole body, gaining momentum to stand up.  He stood up on his first attempt.  He then looked around, a bit dazed.  His trunk immediately went up to investigate the tracking collar placed on him.  He felt it over and over and over again.  He will have some stories to tell the others.   He then slowly made his way back into the brush. 

We then said our good byes to the Save the Elephants team.  And our team headed back to Lewa.  Now it is a bit scary driving in Kenya at night.  It is really something that should not be done.  However, we had to get back.  Methenge gracefully sped us down the highway back to Lewa.  I gazed out the truck bed “window” at the stars.  It still amazes me how many stars you can see in Kenya. 

A Grevy's Zebra

So yesterday (Wed) we started out searching for a black rhino female who is pregnant and lame.  We found her and everyone emptied out of the back of the land cruiser.  I decided to stay on the vehicle for a simple reason.  The philosophy is that you will be fine, if you can outrun someone else.  I looked around me and fully noted that Kenyans surrounded me.  Kenyans are notoriously fast runners.  I made the mental decision that I would be the slow one in the running game.  I chuckled at this, but knew it was true!  We watched her for a while, but alas decided not to pursue any medical action for the risk of harming the baby. 

Mutinda then showed me the human clinic located on Lewa.  It really does have a state of the art lab.  Shortly, a villager came up to us and said their local cat had an abrasion.  I felt quite like Dr. Dolittle jumping from species to species.  We walked to the village and waited for them to catch the cat for us.  Mutinda asked me to do my physical exam and state what I thought that we could do.  I was shown the wound, which actually is a burst mammary tumor.  I also found another mammary mass cranially located to the obvious burst one.  Now in cats, mammary tumors are about 90% Malignant.  The size of these masses really dictates how the cat will do.  The ruptured mass was about 3.5 cm.  This put her into the “bad” category.  Based on literature, she has about 6 months to live.  However, we want to make things more comfortable for her.  She still has kittens, although they are about 8-10 weeks old.  They are not still nursing, but they still heavily rely on their mother to teach them how to hunt, especially in an area where meals are not provided for them.  We put off surgical removal of the masses due to the cat’s poor condition (thin, dehydrated).  Today I went to the grocery store (in the midst of other patients) and stocked up on cat food for the owner.  I will go and deliver this tomorrow.  Hopefully we can put weight on her and also rehydrate her enough that the anesthesia would not be such a risk. 

On the walk home last night, tree hyraxes serenaded me.  Who knew something the size of a cat could make such a fuss! Google the sound of a tree hyrax and you will be shocked. They normally serenade us at 5 am, but every once in a while, they kick off at other times. 

Speaking of other patients…

Today we started out by immediately going to Ol Pejeta again.  They had called saying they had a Grevy’s zebra that was poorly.  Grevy’s are horribly endangered. 

Now for those of you who don’t know…I worked alongside a wonderful researcher, EB, 2 years ago at Lewa.  I came to Lewa to assist her on her project.  It was then that I fell in love with not only Africa, but also Grevy’s.  So Grevy’s hold a very dear spot in my heart. 

So this Grevy’s was a juvenile and was quite obviously poorly.  She held her head in a funny way; she was skinny, and just not quite right.  We decided to immobilize her.  It was such a flurry of quick thinking.  I had a bag full of all the things that I needed.  I immediately went to work doing my physical exam and drawing blood samples.  She had swollen joints, was very anemic, and was covered in ectoparasites.  We jabbed her with antiparasitic treatment, antibiotics, and vitamins.  Others were taking stool samples, body measurements, monitoring her anesthesia, getting tick samples, and cooling her off with water.  From the time of darting her, to reversing her was 20 minutes.  The antidote we gave her worked immediately and she ran off, stumbling a bit. 

It was absolutely amazing to finally touch a Grevy’s.  There was no time for awe during the anesthesia though; the awe came after the fact.  The whole time we were working with her, we were watched by 2 Northern White Rhinos.  There are only 7 Northern White Rhinos left in the world.  4 of them are at Ol Pejeta.  It was surreal.

We left Ol Pejeta and made our way to Mpala, a research conservatory.  There was a report of a limping elephant.  I was so glad to be heading to Mpala again.  I went there a few times during my last trip to Kenya.  During the long drives that we have (for example, it takes 1.5 hours to get from Lewa to Ol Pejeta, 1 hour from Ol Pejeta to Mpala, and 2 hours from Mpala to Lewa) I get Swahili lessons from Timothy.  We stick to basics, but it is still fun, and makes both of us laugh as we bounce around in the back of the land cruiser due to bumpy roads. 

Timothy is going to be coming to London for 3 months starting in July.  His mum works for the Kenyan Embassy there.  I have offered to show him around the RVC, as he is interested in a Masters there.

We made our way up to the research station and upon arrival at Mpala, I walked over to the lunch area.  I knew my friend Matt was there!  It was a great reunion.  He and I had been talking about me possibly coming to visit at Mpala this weekend…but there I was!  He came out with our team to go and find the Elephant, and it was good to catch up with him.  We gave updates on all those that we both know. 

We found our elephant, which no longer was limping.  We even made him run, to see if that showed any lameness.  Everyone also got out of the vehicle, sans Matt and I.  We share the same philosophy that we would be the ones left behind if everyone had to run! We also decided not to do anything with him, as he had seemed to recover from his lameness issue. 

We then made our way back to Nanyuki (a close town to Lewa).  I ran in to get cat food and we were on our way back to Lewa.  I received compliments from Methenge (assistant to the vet).  He said that I work very quickly with the patients.  He said I just do it.  From someone of few words, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride with that compliment.   Maybe it is because I bring Biltong (dried meat) for him. J 

Once back in Lewa, we came across an impala that seemed to have hives all over him.  We will monitor this and see if we need to take any action.

Updates:

Lioness with the abscess that we treated has been reported to be doing much better.

Elvis (the rhino in the hut) has been reported to not be limping anymore.

Drosty Hoff Sundowner

Last night John came by to take myself, Josh and Shukri to enjoy a sundowner.  We rushed off to try and catch the sunset.  On the drive up to a hill, I could hear Josh and Shukri in the back of the Land Cruiser laughing.  Their laugh was infectious and it made me smile.  Josh kept popping his head out of the covered back to say funny things to me in the front seat.  I am pretty sure that he was just trying to scare me again.

Backtrack: On the way back to camp from the waterfalls it started to rain, Josh's head immediately came into my peripheral vision and startled me as he started to sing Toto's Africa.

"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had"

Just picture him squealing that through the window as we are driving slowly down a super bumpy road!  It was utterly fantastic.  It was a lot like "unexpected juice".

Let me explain unexpected juice.  So Josh, Shukri, and I were out on Saturday morning in the sun.  Reading, listening to music, soaking up the vitamin D.  We were just at the point of sweating.  That dry parched feeling in my mouth crept in.  I suddenly wanted some juice.  So I went into the kitchen and poured myself some juice, and also poured 2 other glasses of juice.  There was a piece of pineapple left over from my breakfast.  I was feeling fancy and attached bits of the slice onto all three rims of the glasses.  I then made my way back out into grass feeling quite like a server at a resort.  Josh and Shukri described the juice as "unexpected juice".  They said it was the most perfect thing that could have happened to them at that exact point.  So we have kept this saying of a perfect unexpected situation.  

Back to Sunday night : 

We made it atop of a hill fairly quickly and I rushed to pour the wine!  You cannot have a sundowner without wine!  We then climbed to the side of the hill to watch the sun go down.

Drosty-Hoff….the finest of boxed wines :) 

The view was breathtaking.  It was such an amazing feeling to be surrounded by such good people in such a beautiful place.  

There is something about having a view as beautiful as this.  It can make a long hard day seem like nothing.  You feel so small, so tiny in this world….but at the same time so significant.  Maybe those feelings were influenced by a glass of wine at 6000 feet.  

What an utterly perfect end to a perfect weekend.  It was the perfect send off for Shukri and Josh.  They are both teaching in different schools close (1.5 hours ? ) from Lewa.  They have been staying at Lewa on weekends, but then going and staying with a host family close to the school where they are teaching during the week.  They will not be coming back to Lewa as they both head to Nairobi on Thursday.  

Dianne made us chapatis and a coconut sauced chicken dish.  Chapatis are the most delicious things in the world, and as a bonus they eliminate the need for a fork.  Carol made me chapatis on my arrival night at Lewa.  She remembered how much I loved them!  I am going to have a chapati making lesson before I go! Josh, Shukri and I sat outside and ate our dinner.  It is so nice to have met new friends and  I am sad to see them go.  

This morning (Monday), we went out to try and find a pregnant black rhino who has been reported as lame.  We just wanted to assess her condition.  We really can't do anything to help at this point, as we will harm the baby or cause premature delivery.  We didn't find her.  You would be so surprised as how hard it is to find such a large animal in the bush.  For example in this picture, taken with a lens at 72mm, there are two white rhino in it and 3 elephant.  Try and spot them.  It is much easier with binoculars, but sometimes it is still difficult.  

Once back in the office, I have been busy writing up the reports for all of the animals that I have seen this weekend.  Reports are extremely important.  For example, Elvis (the rhino who went into the hut).  We didn't treat him, but we knew he had a problem.  If we don't report that he had a problem that we examine, we may forget in a years time that he had had this problem.  We can monitor his progress for years and years…so having a general idea of his health is very important.  We will be able to pick up on chronic problems vs acute ones.  

I also had some visitors late this morning.  I think they saw their reflection in the window.  For about 45 minutes, they would both jump up on the window sill and knock with their beaks.  I kept thinking that it was Zazu coming to give his morning report.  

I now will be working on my Hartebeest project by reading up on some materials.  Back to work for me….

A waterfall…...

So John came to pick myself, Shukri, and Josh up this morning for a trip to the waterfall in Ndare Ndare Forest.  We made our way there through this forrest that does not make you think Kenya at all.  Twisted turns and steep inclines and declines.  John masterfully navigated the Land Cruiser through them all.  We arrived at a stopping ground and were told that the waterfall was 500meters away.  We started off up up up the mountain and then levelled out.  We were in the deep of the forest.  When we arrived at the waterfall….all three of us just stood there breathless from the view.  It was perfect.

We went behind a rock and changed into swimming costumes/make shift swimming costumes.  Josh decided to be brave and climb up above the waterfall with the guard to jump down.  Shukri and I were a bit less convinced about doing that.  I dove in and was shocked at the crisp clean water straight from the mountain.  We made our way under the waterfall.  We felt like we belonged in a brochure for the place.  We were those people having fun under the waterfall!  It was amazing!  We swam for a bit.  We had brought supplies for coffee and tea in the forest, but during the ride, the water thermos/flask had broken and we had no more water for hot drinks.  We had brought cashews, digestive biscuits, and dried mango.  It was a refreshing snack after the swim.  We then dried up and started off down the mountain again.  We drove deeper into the forest and made our way to a platform bridge.

Now this platform bridge was made of 2 very strong cables holding a basket that felt like walking on chain link fence.  I must say I got to the top of the stairs and had a moment of hesitation. We were all assured of its safety….but yeah my knees trembled at points, especially when the bridge swayed with movement.  The whole platform bridge was about 500meters.  It twisted and turned through the forrest, giving us a birds eye view of everything.  It was stunning and surreal.

The day is still young and we will see what else Kenya has to offer……

Babies…..

So we were having a relaxing day and then Ian (rhino guy) came to tell us that we were leaving.  Baby rhinos!  It was a spur of the moment thing because we didn't really know we were going.  There was talk about it, but nothing concrete.

So off we go into the bush where there are 3 baby rhino, Nicki, Hope and Kifili.  Nicki is blind, and so they took her in for protection.  The other two are orphans from poaching.  We were not allowed to touch them, as to reduce the chance of transmitting something that could make them sick.  However Kifili really wanted to be touched.  We kept having to dodge her.  I went out there with 2 of the teachers that are staying in the house next to me.  Josh and Shukri.  They are wonderful.  It is amazing how you can make great friends in the bush.

Josh had his foot stood upon by Kifili.  It reminded me of when I broke my foot.  When I broke it, I was walking to the grocery store, tripped, and landed badly.  However, I didn't think that this was a good enough story, so I said that a baby elephant had escaped from the zoo and I was helping it when it stood on my foot and broke it.  I laughed at the whole situation.

I have no idea how long we were with the rhino.  Time just sort of stood still.

John  then took us out on a game drive.  Lewa is so beautiful. We were able to see a black bird with this enormously long tail.  He barely could fly.  He looked like a black bag caught in the wind.  I have no idea what he was, but hopefully I will figure it out.  We were able to see elephant, rhino (tons!!!), impala, gazelle, eland, zebra, and a falcon….I am sure I left something out.

Simba Episode 2

Placing Tracking Collar

So Thursday night, after the lion darting, we stayed at Ol Pejeta because there was another lion that needed a tracking collar placed.  So Friday morning we got up to go and collar this lioness.  They had found her, but when we arrived, the pride had left.  We spent an hour and half trying to find them.  Finally we just stopped.      

The staff at Ol Pej continued the search while we waited  They finally found them about 2 hours later.  We proceeded through the brush and darted a small female.  We then had to search for her a bit as she ran off.  We found her collapsed in the shade.  We had to pull her out into the sun to be able to work with her.  It was in the sun, so I was constantly pouring water on her.  Groups took her measurements whilst the collar was being placed.  We also took an ear sample for dna again.  it was very straight forward.  We then had to wait an hour to reverse her.  

We use a cocktail of 2 drugs for Lion.  Ketamine and Medetomidine.  We wait the hour so that the Ketamine is fully worn off.  We are able to reverse the other drug.  So once the hour is up, we reverse and then wait.  She woke up well, a bit confused, but we were happy so we took off back to Lewa.  

Back at Lewa (3pm) we had a short meeting with a South African about poaching.  Looking at ballistics of the bullets retrieved and trying to place where the bullets are coming from.  It was not ground breaking stuff, just a quick meeting.  We then adjourned for the evening.  

Still sedated

Last night was Laura's last evening, so there was  big get together.  John (the head of security at Lewa) came to visit me.  I met him last time I was here and we have become good friends.  

There are 3 teachers who are staying at lewa on weekends from Canada.  They have not seen any predators, so this morning, the Lion guy came to take them out to see Lion.  It was a wonderful game drive, rhino, elephant, buffalo, falcon, but no lion for them.  

I have just spent the morning laying in the sun with 2 of the teachers.  I just did my laundry, and whilst hanging it out, I  realised not all of the soap was out…but I can't actually be bothered to re rinse them.  

Camilla, the statue artist. is here at Lewa today.  I think she and I will meet up for tea at some pint.  john also wants to take me out on a game drive as well.  

Today is calm and relaxing.  

Simba Simba Simba!

Utterly fantastic!!!!! 


We started out in samburu at buffalo springs about the croc.   So the deal is that the ranch has a lovely spring that runs through a part of it. The spring is also used in a natural style pool.  It's a major attraction of the park. The spring feeds the pool underground. Mr crocodile decided to move into spring and could make it to the pool if he so desired.  So we went to see said croc and see about moving him somewhere else where no harm could come to people.  And also talked to ranch about using wire to block the entrance of spring into pool. 

Well first thing, samburu is hot.  It lacks the elevation of lakipia.  It's more what one typically thinks about with Africa....hot and dry.  So we searched for the croc.  Poles were brought out to see if he was hiding in the grasses.  I have come to the conclusion that wild animals have absolutely no respect for vets and their time schedules.  

So we left, with thoughts of returning after lunch.  We went to a resort for lunch.  It was literally an oasis in the driest desert I have seen. The owner came round and are with us and then showed us the rooms.  Actually reasonably priced too for the views! Sarova Shaba I think is what it was called.  I took a picture of its name as I knew i wouldn't remember. 

We then drove from samburu to ol pejeta. Somehow I napped in the back of the car.  We arrived at ol pejeta and they had our lion!!!!!! 

We proceeded to them. We did a quick lap and saw her position along with her mating male.  We then retreated to set up. Syringes and needles for antibiotics,  slides for smears, scalpel blades, bottle of antibiotic, and pen were all shoved in my pockets.  I had my tub of iodine at hand.  We then drove slowly to dart her.  The grumbles of the two of them sent shivers down my back.  The male was not going to leave her. The first dart was fractionally off and got the male that was curled up with her.  He jolted but just made his was to the bush close by.  We then circled and darted the female, who had not run off.  This was surprising. But I guess because they were mating, she felt bonded.  We then waited for them to go down.  

Everything then happened very quickly.  I was monitoring anesthesia on the male. I moved his lips from obstructing his airway and also used a stick to shove his tongue through to the other side of his mouth and pulled it out of the way. Hehe it felt like a gigantic house cat tongue.  We then took an ear sample from him for DNA. He was stable so I left him with a guard monitoring breathing and jumped to the female.  She had an abscess on her back. And a few other incidental wounds.  I grabbed my blade and shaved as much as I could of the area and lanced the abscess.  I'll save you the gory details. But then I flushed the pocket if the wound with iodone after iodine after iodine.  I jabbed her with antibiotics.  The abscess was prob caused from the male biting her during mating.  






We then waited an hour from when we darted so that one of the drugs had completely worn off. Then we administered the antidote to the other drug and I was the only one on the ground monitoring respiration do from a distance.  A foot moved and I ran to the car gracefully hopped in.  The male woke up perfectly and ran to another close bush. The female woke slowly.  The drugs affected her more as she was older. She took an hour to get up and go.  

Applying pressure to venipuncture site

What an amazing experience. When I was working with the lions they literally just became my patients. I didn't forget that they were wild, but i focused. It was incredible. 

emptying abscess 

We stayed in ol pejeta last night as we have to collar a lion this morning. 

flushing with iodine

Oh and to prove how small the world is. I met Camilla.  She just did the statue of Sefton at the RVC.  She remembers seeing me there with Fiona. And remembers her interview with Fiona.  She is working on her next statue of a lion. She's coming to lewa on Saturday.  Hopefully I will have time for a non adrenaline filled conversation with her.  

Scarfing down breakfast and then out to the next lion.  Lots of love.