Context:
In Kenya’s Amboseli National Park ecosystem, a mystery unfolded following the sudden deaths of 15–16 African elephants within a single month. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) launched an investigation after preliminary tests detected cyanide poisoning, likely linked to agrochemicals from nearby farms.
What It Is
Formerly the Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, it is one of Kenya’s most famous national parks. Known as the “Land of Giants”, it is celebrated for large herds of free-ranging African elephants set against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Kajiado County, southern Kenya, abutting the border with Tanzania |
| Drainage and basin | Protects a dried-up Pleistocene lake basin in a semi-arid savanna ecosystem |
| Gazetted as National Park | 1974 — originally a game reserve for the Maasai |
| UNESCO status | Man and Biosphere Reserve, 1991, recognising the coexistence of Maasai pastoralists, their livestock and wildlife |
