Kenya’s worst drought in 40 years has left carcasses of wild animals strewn all over the Amboseli National Park – the country’s second-biggest
park.
A BBC crew witnessed hundreds of herbivores struggling to survive as others died of hunger. Local community rangers say at least tens of animals die every day.
The BBC crew witnessed an elephant thought to be decades old die at the park.
Residents said this was an everyday affair.
They are emotionally connected to the animals and witnessing their deaths was painful, they said.
“We feel bad. You know there is a saying in the Maasai community that says when we see big animals such as elephants dying then things are catastrophic and dangerous,” said one of the rangers.
Despite the drought, tourists on safari continue to throng the park. Safari holiday experiences are a big draw for tourists in the East African country.
Kenya’s tourism ministry last week said the country had lost 205 elephants, 500 wildebeests, 400 zebras and 50 buffalos to the drought.
The government this week started providing hay and water to some of the most affected parks.
Some of the ongoing interventions against the current drought situation across the country is the provision and distribution of forage such as hay and provision of water to wildlife ecosystems which have been adversely affected. pic.twitter.com/l4CpQtF5IH
— Kenya Wildlife Service (@kwskenya) November 7, 2022
