Nairobi — Investigators probing the mysterious deaths of 15 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem have detected a potential toxic substance in samples collected from several of the animals, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced.

Preliminary laboratory findings from the University of Nairobi identified the suspected toxin, prompting further scientific analysis to determine whether it was responsible for the deaths.

KWS said experts are now conducting quantitative tests to establish the concentration and significance of the substance before drawing conclusions on the cause of the fatalities.

At the same time, preliminary tests by the Government Chemist returned negative results for the toxic substances initially screened, with additional analyses for other possible toxins still underway.

The wildlife agency is also investigating environmental factors, including water sources and other potential contaminants, to determine whether the elephants were exposed to a common source.

KWS emphasized that there is no evidence the incident poses a risk to human health, adding that surveillance across the Amboseli ecosystem has been intensified as investigations continue.