Wednesday 23 April 2014

MAY 2013: POSTMORTEM REPORT ON A DEAD WHITE RHINO IN LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

By DR. E. Ndambiri.
Background Information
An adult female white rhino carcass was found on 24/05/2013 near Naishi in Lake Nakuru National Park. A postmortem was carried out to find out the cause of death.

Important Postmortem Findings
1. It was on left lateral recumbence mouth full of grass meaning it was grazing at the time of death.

2. Both horns were precisely removed with little surrounding tissue excavation leaving two circular raw wounds

3. Examination of the carcass revealed that the animal had good muscle cover scoring 4 within the score of up to 5 which could mean good muscle cover. The carcass was less than 48 hours old.

4. There were two skin fenestrae laterally on the right scapular. One was at the mid scapular posteriorly and the other one was about thirty centimeters above. The two were evidence of penetrating projectiles. 

5. The dorsally placed fenestra was tracked into the inside. It hit the right scapular and then inclined up hitting the 7th thoracic spinous process and exited on the left side of the animal. This bullet head was never recovered. 

6. The mid fenestra was likewise traced and inclined dorsally from right side to the left side of the animal. It penetrated through the rght scapular, the dorsal right lobe, the descending aorta, the dorsal left lobe and on to the left scapular at dorsal third position before settling at trapezium muscle close to the skin on the left side of left scapular. This bullet head was recovered.

Conclusion
1. The subject died of fatal gunshot injuries which caused extensive hard and soft tissue injuries. Both right and left dorsal lung lobes plus dorsal aorta were punctured resulting to heavy bleeding which was witnessed by the clotted blood within the thoracic cavity. Heavy bleeding resulted to insufficient respiration. These  two led to cardiorespiratory failure hence shock

2. Death was as a result of human involvement because of the use of gun. The recovered one bullet head was handed over to Lake Nakuru National Park Senior Warden.

Pictorial Presentation


Fig. 1: Points of fenestrae on scapular

Fig. 2: Points of puncture on the lungs

Fig.3: Fracture on the inside of left scapular

Fig. 4: Bullet head on cut trapezium muscle



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