Kenyan police have arrested four people on suspicion of being linked to the mysterious deaths of 18 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem. Initial investigations revealed that the animals were poisoned, as preliminary tests pointed to the intake of a toxic substance and chemical traces were also discovered.

The Kenya Wildlife Service revealed on Monday that the four detained individuals have been released on bail. This development follows a string of mysterious elephant deaths in the Amboseli ecosystem, with around 15 fatalities reported between June 24 and July 24. Three more elephants died days later, bringing the total death toll to 18. The affected areas include Amboseli National Park, Kimana Sanctuary, and the Kuku Ranch area.

Wildlife officials previously stated that some of the elephants exhibited symptoms including partial paralysis before dying within a day or two. Preliminary laboratory results suggest that a toxic substance may have been involved in the deaths. Earlier indications pointed toward possible cyanide poisoning after elephants allegedly consumed pesticide-contaminated tomatoes from farms bordering the national park. However, the suspected cause has not yet been definitively established.

Some wildlife experts have questioned whether farm pesticides were responsible, noting that there have been no reported mass deaths among other animal species in the area. Investigators also searched an area in Tikondo, located in the Loitoktok sub-county roughly 220 kilometers southeast of Nairobi, where they recovered various substances, including chemicals believed to have originated from a neighboring country.

Authorities are currently searching for a fifth person believed to hold information relevant to the investigation. The Kenyan Tourism and Wildlife Ministry emphasized that the arrests and recovered substances do not by themselves establish criminal responsibility, as the investigation remains ongoing.