Four people have been arrested in connection with the deaths of 18 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, as investigations into suspected poisoning deepen.
The Kenya Wildlife Service, working with DCI and NIS officers, confirmed the arrests .
Two farmers were initially picked up, with two more suspects later taken in as a multi-agency team recovered chemicals believed linked to the incident.
The death toll has now risen to 18, with one more elephant under close veterinary supervision to prevent further losses.
Preliminary lab tests by KWS and the University of Nairobi detected traces of cyanide in samples taken from the carcasses, pointing to pesticides sprayed on nearby tomato farms.
The elephants died between June 24 and July 26 across Amboseli National Park, Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku Group Ranch in Kajiado County.
Ten showed signs of partial paralysis and died within one or two days.
Conservationists say the deaths are a painful reminder of growing human wildlife conflict as farms expand into elephant corridors. KWS has intensified surveillance and is testing water, soil and forage for contamination.
Tourism and Wildlife officials have called for tighter control of agricultural chemicals to protect wildlife that share space with communities around Amboseli.
