Mysterious elephant deaths in Kenya leave experts searching for answers

At least 19 elephants have died since June in a popular wildlife region of southern Kenya, with the local toll now reported at 20. Early tests have suggested cyanide poisoning from pesticides, but wildlife experts say the evidence does not fit all the symptoms they have observed.

In Kenya, since the end of June, at least 19 elephants, mostly females or young animals, have died after displaying the same symptoms, notably partial paralysis preventing them from standing.

Worries over the death of elephants are mounting in southern Kenya, where at least 19 animals have died since June from an unexplained condition. With symptoms including partial paralysis, conservationists and communities are demanding urgent investigations into what is killing the elephants.