Sharjah24- AFP: Josphat Wangigi Kagai, a park ranger from Kenya, says such horrifying scenes are all too often as a result of the severe drought affecting the Horn of Africa. He is pointing at the body of the juvenile elephant.
"I used to wear a face mask because of the smell of rotting animals, but now I am used to it," the 37-year-old said , his voice thick with sadness.
In southern Kenya's famed Amboseli National Park, flanked by the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, the signs of the drought are everywhere.
The earth is dry and cracked, animal bones lie along the trails and emaciated trees with yellowing leaves bear witness to the impact of the worst drought in 40 years.
Its latest victim was just seven years old -- far shy of the species' usual life expectancy of six decades.
"For the past few weeks, we've been doing this almost every day," he said, using an axe to remove the animal's tusks to prevent poachers from taking them.
"It makes me feel so sad," said the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) ranger, who has worked in the park since 2016.
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