Kenyan Officials Suspect Cyanide in Tomato Pesticide Killed 15 Elephants Near Amboseli National Park

Fifteen elephants died near Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya. The deaths happened between 24 June and 24 July 2026. Officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service investigated the strange event. They found cyanide in samples from the dead animals. This is a very dangerous poison. The officials think the elephants ate tomatoes from nearby farms. Farmers use pesticides on their crops. The pesticides may have had cyanide in them. Ten elephants showed signs of paralysis before they died. They died within two days. Five other elephants were already dead when people found them. The group included elephants of different ages and sexes. This is the first time in decades that so many elephants died here. The Amboseli ecosystem has more than 2,000 elephants. The park is near the border with Tanzania. People are worried about farming near the park. Elephants often walk onto farms for food and water. Officials say there is no immediate risk to humans. They ruled out foul play for now. The incident raises concerns about expanding farming near the park. Wildlife protection is very important for this region. Authorities will continue to study the problem. They want to keep elephants safe in the future.