Veterinary Services

To achieve this, the department uses various technical strategies such as clinical intervention to sick or injured wild animals, regular disease monitoring, surveillance, prevention and control of disease in free-range and in captivity. Other strategies include veterinary research, animal translocations and relocations, animal rescue activities, and captive animal management. The department also offers quarantine to confiscticated animals or animals on transit through Kenya.

The department is comprised of competent wildlife veterinarians, laboratory technologists, animal health technologists, animal capture staff, research scientist and other supportive staff. They can mobilize themselves quickly in response to reported cases from the field stations, National Parks, National Reserves and ranches that require veterinary interventions.

OBJECTIVES OF THEVETERINARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

The main objective of the department is to sustain a stable, healthy and viable breeding population of wildlife in Kenya.

Respond to and resolve cases of habitat destruction by wildlife and human-wildlife conflict cases throughout the country.

The department greatly helps to conserve some of the Kenya’s most endangered wildlife species such as the black Rhino, Grevy’s Zebras and Cheetahs by establishing viable breeding groups within National parks and Sanctuaries.

1. Veterinary Clinical Intervention

   The department responds to field case reports of sickness, deaths and injury of animals to provide appropriate veterinary intervention and also collect samples for laboratory diagnosis. The field veterinary staffs are able to handle all species such as elephants, rhinos, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, antelopes, birds, reptiles and fish.

2. Carry out scheduled or emergency translocations of different species of wild animals for various reasons

   Translocate to set up endangered species into breeding groups especially in cases where decline/extinction is confirmed such as in Black Rhino, Hirola and Roan antelopes.

   Move animals out of areas where they are causing destruction of the habitat and/or overstocking has been confirmed to be a problem and to resolve human/ wildlife conflicts.

   For introduction or reintroduction of wildlife species into National Parks and Reserves, Ranches and conservancies.

3. Disease Surveillance, Monitoring and Control

   The Department is greatly involved in regular surveillance and monitoring of some of the infectious diseases that can threaten wildlife populations both in the wild and in captivity such as Rinderpest disease, Rift Valley Fever, Avian influenza, Anthrax and Canine dystemper disease. Some of these diseases are zoonotic in nature or are shared between wildlife and livestock and should be identified in wildlife and controlled before they spread to livestock or human beings.

   Wildlife acts as sentinel or markers of some diseases that affect livestock. Regular surveillance allows detection and epidemiology of circulating pathogens thereby allowing control of these diseases in livestock. Mitigation measures are put in place in livestock thereby preventing spread to in-contact wildlife and livestock.

4. Veterinary Research on Wildlife and Zoonotic Diseases

   Investigate the cause of disease outbreaks, conduct thorough diagnosis and institute control measures on newly reported diseases. Provide treatment to clinically sick animals and necropsy on animals that have died.

   Radio collaring, ear notching and putting identification marks on animals to support other research scientists and conservationists in monitoring and tracking especially the endangered species.

   Preliminary research is undertaken in the department, which encompasses biochemical and haematological health parameter, parasitological survey and serological based studies. Sample collection from the animals is done opportunistically during translocations or clinical interventions under internationally accepted bioethical procedures and these are used for disease surveillance and monitoring activities.

5. Captive animal management

   The department is fully responsible for proper care and management of captive animals in the Nairobi Safari Walk, KWS Animal Orphanage in Nairobi and Impala sanctuary in Kisumu plus all other captive wild animals in KWS-approved captive animal facilities in Kenya.

   It is the role of this department to ensure that these facilities are well designed to meet the required standards for the animals. The veterinarians design all the animal health services such as vaccinations, deworming and breeding strategies used in these facilities.

6. Rescue of orphaned and sick/animals

   All orphaned wild animals found within the National Parks, Reserves, Private and Community conservancies in Kenya have to be reported to the KWS veterinary department who will then make appropriate arrangements for the rescue and rehabilitation of such animals.

   Animals severely ill or injured and may be vulnerable to survival in the wild due to longer period needed to recover are also rescued. These animals are brought to the veterinary department animal holding pens for regular attention and treatment until such a time when they recover or become strong enough to be released back to the wild.

7. Quarantine of wild animals

   The department has from time to time been called to quarantine confiscated animals in the veterinary clinic animal holding pens. This includes animals illegally being exported or brought to Kenya without the required animal health certifications. Further, animals that have been illegally reared as pets or for commercial purposes in the country are confiscated and quarantined. These animals are quarantined for regular monitoring and disease screenings before being released into the country or sent back to their origin.

8. Develop Wildlife Veterinary Practice Policy Documents & Records

   The department develops and reviews all policies that pertain to wildlife veterinary practice in all aspects of wildlife health of both free-range and captive animals.

9. Internship and Training Opportunities

   The department accepts students in the fields of veterinary sciences, applied biology, and animal health sciences from Universities and colleges for internship/attachment. Interns are accepted through the K.W.S training department. The number of students accepted at a given period is limited to the facilities and activities available.

   The department also collaborates with other Institutions and/or Universities in Kenya and outside that provide wildlife/conservation management courses or research for training and skill-based exchange programmes.