On the 3rd of September Angela Sheldrick was alerted by Dr. Limo, the KWS Veterinary Officer seconded to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit, about a tragic case reported from the Masai Mara. Dr. Limo and the Mara Veterinary Team were taking their much deserved off days and were else where in the country at the time, but had received a report of an injured female elephant. In their absence the DSWT funded Sky Vets was requested.
What made this case particularly challenging is the injured female had a young milk dependent calf of about a year old. She had been observed for a number of days by the scouts on the ground and it appeared she had a severely broken leg and was virtually immobile as a result. The prognosis was bleak.