The drought in Kajiado has caused the only oasis of marshlands in the Amboseli ecosystem to dry up, risking the lives of hundreds of elephants.
The Kajiado South subcounty Kenya Wildlife Service warden Daniel Kosgey told the Star on Thursday morning,"Elephants are now dropping dead in numbers due to the effects of drought."
Kosgey said, “This drought is not sparing any ruminant animals in the wild. The elephants, zebras, giraffes, the gnu and even antelopes are dropping dead.”
Even the fierce jumbos we used to run away from, have now been humbled by this drought. They come in peace to ask for water from our homes
On Wednesday, one jumbo succumbed to the effects of the drought in the Amboseli, causing more panic in the communities ,dependent on community conservancies.
The marshlands in the Olgului Group Ranch are now drying up, for the first time in many years, owing to the pressure of grazing from community livestock and wild animals including the Amboseli elephants.
“We just do not know what to do at this point. We have the issue of water scarcity, dry grazing fields and drying trees, which are sources for elephant feeding,” Kosgei said.
Resident Peter Sein living on the border of Amboseli National Park and Kimana, told the Star on the telephone that every day they wake up to find dead zebras around their homes.
“Even the fierce jumbos we used to run away from, have now been humbled by this drought. They come in peace to ask for water from our homes,” Sein said.
Kosgey said the situation is worse than imagined, since the only water sources left are now being shared by wild animals and humans.
Hundreds of livestock are reported to have died in Kajiado South alone.
The county drought management committee is currently involved in distributing food to humans and dry grass for livestock.
All the sub counties of Kajiado in the south, west, north, east (Mashuuru and Isinya) and central have been devastated by the drought.
(Edited by V. Graham)
