- African Elephant News
- Posts
- 🐘 August 5 2026
🐘 August 5 2026
The Elephant News Service is provided by Save the Elephants for elephant lovers, scientists and conservationists who want to stay informed on the latest elephant news from reputable media sources worldwide. The stories are presented in no particular order.
Cyrus Ombati, The Star (Kenya), August 4, 2026
A Sunday morning at a family homestead in Meru turned tragic when a stray elephant attacked and fatally injured a 51-year-old man, renewing concerns over the growing threat of human-wildlife conflict in the region. Gerald Kinoti was attacked at his father's home in Kiangawa Village, Murinya Sublocation, Ntugi Location, Buuri East Sub-County, Meru County. Police said Kinoti's son was asleep when he was awakened by neighbours screaming as they chased the elephant from the family compound
Maxwell Amunga, Kenyans.Co.Ke (Kenya), August 4, 2026
WildlifeDirect has raised alarm after 15 elephants died in the Amboseli ecosystem, warning that the same toxins could be reaching Kenyan dinner tables. Through a statement shared to Kenyans.co.ke on August 4, the conservation group says the deaths, recorded between 24 June and 24 July, point to a much bigger problem than wildlife loss alone. Preliminary investigations by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the government lab have linked the deaths to cyanide contamination traced back to pesticides used on tomato farms.
Cyrus Ombati, The Star (Kenya), August 4, 2026
A 32-year-old man was arrested in Meru County after Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers intercepted him allegedly transporting a 9.5-kilogram elephant tusk valued at about Sh1 million. The suspect was arrested at Kisima area in Buuri West Sub-County while riding a motorcycle. According to police, a KWS officer based at the Meru Wildlife Service Station, received intelligence at about that a man was transporting an elephant tusk from the Meru direction towards Nanyuki.
Disclaimer: The price of ivory quoted in this article is incorrect. The current price for ivory in Africa is estimated to be between $50-$100 per kilo. Overstating the price of ivory incentivises poachers.
RESOURCES
🔬 Research: Large mammal population trends in Comoé National Park (1958–2022): Towards understanding their asymmetric decline and recovery in West Africa’s largest savanna park. (PLOS One, May 28, 2025)