Extreme News reporter Manda Hu Xiuwen
On the plains of southern Kenya, red dust flew in the hot air, and corpses piled up on scorched earth.
The carcasses of elephants, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, cattle and other animals are scattered across the plains of this East African country, piling higher and higher.
Cow bones nearby (Source: Daily Mail)
Some parts of Kenya have not had rain for three years, and severe drought has had a devastating impact on animals, with an estimated 2.5 million livestock dying this year, the Daily Mail reported on November 15.
Huge animal cemetery
Photographer Charlie Hamilton James visited Amboseli and Tsavo National Park, where he used his camera to capture the harsh reality of the crisis, the worst in the memory of the Maasai.
Animal carcasses (Source: Daily Mail)
The wildlife photographer, who has worked with David Attenborough, documented the massive animal graveyard on a ten-day trip to the National Geographic Society.
"There was a big drought and the animals had nothing to eat. Now that the drought has been going on for three years, it is full of animal carcasses. "We talked to the local Maasai people and it was the worst drought they can remember.
Moses Lean, a local farmer who spoke to Charlie, said he originally had 390 head of cattle, but now only 43 remained. He has three wives and 17 children, 14 of whom are unable to attend school because they have no money. Moses Lean had no pension or other financial resources.
Another farmer, Patrick Ketko, lost 53 cattle, 82 sheep and 89 goats in two months, killing five animals a day. Ketko, 29, also grows crops after being forced to give up caring for livestock because of drought, which now rely on donated hay.
Climate change exacerbates droughts
The photographer said the Maasai believe climate change and too many cattle are responsible for the mass death of animals.
Authorities said at least 205 elephants, 512 wildebeests, 381 common zebras, 51 buffaloes, 49 rare fine-striped zebras and 12 giraffes died in the past nine months. The actual number will be much higher.
Dead zebra (Source: Daily Mail)
Charlie said: "Climate change is exacerbating droughts, but there are too many cows and they eat everything they can. Drought and overgrazing have left the land barren and animals unable to obtain enough forage. ”
The Maasai understand why this is so. This is their land, they are a herd of people who accompany cattle, but they also know that there are too many cattle.
Farmers drive cows to drink water (Source: Daily Mail)
In semi-arid Makueni County, 47-year-old farmer John Gichuki said: "It's traumatic to watch livestock die of thirst and starvation. "Jichuki's corn and bean crops have failed for four consecutive seasons.
Charlie said he never went to the safari to look for dead animals, "We saw a dead baby elephant and we were devastated. Many of the dead animals were only two or three years old. ”
baby elephant orphaned by drought (Source: Daily Mail)
The drought-affected areas in northern and southern Kenya are home to most of Kenya's elephants. Many adult elephants died of drought, leaving baby elephants orphaned.
Images of tragic animal carcasses show the severity of the drought, with farmers forced to sell their land and millions facing starvation.
(Source: Polar Eye News)
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