Date Published:
Three suspects have been arrested over the poisoning of two lions in Narok and are expected to be arraigned in court.
The dead lions are feared to have consumed poisoned meat.
One of the dead lions was identified while the other one had been mauled by hyenas beyond recognition. A cub that was accompanying them was fine by this afternoon. At the same time, there were three carcasses of vultures in the vicinity suspected to have preyed on the lion carcasses.
The two dead lions were not among the pride of eight that had been reported and attended to yesterday but judging from the distances of about a kilometre radius could mean that they had consumed the suspected poison from the same source.
The remnants of the carcasses have been incinerated and remnants buried to prevent further access by other animals.
A report of suspected lion poisoning was made on Sunday around Governors Camp area. The report was made by Narok County rangers and Governor’s Camp management.
All the eight lions belonging to the Marsh pride are fine with no visible signs of poisoning.
One of these was reported to be showing clinical signs of poisoning which, included severe in-coordination, muscle tremors, profuse diarrhoea, papillary dilation, among others. Four others were reported to be showing mild signs. The one with severe signs was treated.
This morning the treated lion has been reported to have shown marked signs of improvement and has joined the rest of the group. All the eight were this afternoon observed to be together with no further signs of poisoning. Monitoring of the pride is ongoing.
A Kenya Wildlife Service veterinary doctor has conducted a post mortem examination in the presence of scene of crime officers. Samples will be ferried to the Government Chemist for toxicological analysis.
