An elephant carcass, laced with poison and surrounded by more than 100 dead vultures, marked one of the most devastating wildlife poisoning events yet seen in the Kruger National Park. Remote sensing triggered a scramble to save birds that were still alive. In a coordinated emergency operation spanning helicopters, ambulances and nearly 24 hours of intensive care, 84 poisoned vultures were pulled back from the brink. The operation this week was undertaken by a combined team of South African National Parks rangers and Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) officials in the park's Mahlangeni Section, where the elephant carcass was found. According to Gareth Tate, head of EWT's Birds of Prey Programme, the organisation's wildlife poisoning detection system triggered an alarm, flagging suspicious activity. "The following morning, SANParks rangers conducted surveillance and uncovered a mass poisoning event involving more than 120 dead birds," Tate said. "It was a shocking, gruesome scene."