Mystery of hundreds of elephants found dead in Botswana
Issued on: 03/07/2020
An elephant carcass in Botswana, where 356 of the animals have been found dead by unknown causes in recent weeks. © Reuters / France 24
Text by:FRANCE 24Follow|
Video by:Sam BALL
Nearly 400 elephants have been found dead in Botswana in recent weeks but local authorities and wildlife experts are struggling to find an explanation, with disease and poisoning among the possible causes.
The reports of the deaths in the northern Okavango Delta region first began in early May. Since then, the government has confirmed 275 deaths.
But aerial surveys by wildlife group Elephants Without Borders have counted some 356 elephant carcasses.
Poaching has been ruled out as a cause, as the ivory has not been removed from the elephants.
Infectious disease as well as poisoning by farmers have also been considered and samples from the elephants have been sent to labs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing.
"At this stage it’s difficult to really tell what could be the cause of the mortality,” Mmadi Reuben, head veterinarian at the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, told AFP.
“We have eliminated from the local labs the possibility of anthrax being the cause of the mortality, but there are still of a lot of infectious diseases and potentially other toxins that are still being investigated by the laboratory samples that have been collected."
The unexplained deaths have sparked concern among wildlife groups, with Botswana previously considered a safe-haven for elephants.
The country is home to almost a third of Africa’s elephants and although numbers are declining across the continent due largely to poaching, Botswana’s elephant population has grown to 130,000 from 80,000 in the late 1990s.
But elephants are seen as a growing nuisance by farmers whose crops have been destroyed by the animals, while last year the country controversially lifted a five-year ban on elephant hunting.
Text by:FRANCE 24Follow|
Video by:Sam BALL
Nearly 400 elephants have been found dead in Botswana in recent weeks but local authorities and wildlife experts are struggling to find an explanation, with disease and poisoning among the possible causes.
The reports of the deaths in the northern Okavango Delta region first began in early May. Since then, the government has confirmed 275 deaths.
But aerial surveys by wildlife group Elephants Without Borders have counted some 356 elephant carcasses.
Poaching has been ruled out as a cause, as the ivory has not been removed from the elephants.
Infectious disease as well as poisoning by farmers have also been considered and samples from the elephants have been sent to labs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing.
"At this stage it’s difficult to really tell what could be the cause of the mortality,” Mmadi Reuben, head veterinarian at the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, told AFP.
“We have eliminated from the local labs the possibility of anthrax being the cause of the mortality, but there are still of a lot of infectious diseases and potentially other toxins that are still being investigated by the laboratory samples that have been collected."
The unexplained deaths have sparked concern among wildlife groups, with Botswana previously considered a safe-haven for elephants.
The country is home to almost a third of Africa’s elephants and although numbers are declining across the continent due largely to poaching, Botswana’s elephant population has grown to 130,000 from 80,000 in the late 1990s.
But elephants are seen as a growing nuisance by farmers whose crops have been destroyed by the animals, while last year the country controversially lifted a five-year ban on elephant hunting.
350 elephants found dead in Botswana within past two months
Scientists in Africa have reported more than 350 elephants have died within the last two months in what has been described as a "conservation" disaster in Botswana. File Photo by Gernot Hensel/EPA-EFE
July 1 (UPI) -- More than 350 elephants have died in Botswana within the past two months in what experts have described as a "conservation disaster."
Niall McCann of British charity National Park Rescue said his colleagues first discovered 169 dead elephants in early May during a 3-hour flight over the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the southern African country which is home to one-third of the continent's elephant population.
"To be able to see and count that many in a 3-hour flight was extraordinary. A month later our, colleagues did another flight over and spotted 187 new carcasses, bringing the total to over 350," McCann said. "This is totally unprecedented in terms of numbers of elephants dying in a single event unrelated to drought."
Acting director of Botswana's department of wildlife and national parks, Cyril Taolo, said the government has confirmed 280 deaths and has sent samples for testing but said COVID-19 restrictions have delayed the process, so causes for the deaths are not yet known.
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Poisoning or an unknown pathogen are considered the most likely possibilities as the government has ruled out anthrax and poaching, noting the tusks had not been removed.
Male and female elephants of all ages have died and witnesses have said some were seen walking in circles, indicating possible neurological impairment, while others have appeared weak and emaciated, suggesting more forthcoming deaths.
"If you look at the carcasses, some of them have fallen straight on their face, indicating they died very quickly. Others are obviously dying more slowly, like the ones that are wandering around. So it's very difficult to say what this toxin is," McCann said.
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Botswana reports mysterious deaths of hundreds of elephants
Issued on: 02/07/2020 -
Botswana is home to some 130,000 elephants
MONIRUL BHUIYAN AFP/File
Gaborone (Botswana) (AFP)
Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, the head of the wildlife department said Thursday, ruling out poaching as the tusks were found intact.
The landlocked southern African country has the world's largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.
"We have had a report of 356 dead elephants in the area north of the Okavango Delta and we have confirmed 275 so far," Cyril Taolo, the acting director of the department of Wildlife and National Parks, told AFP in a text message.
He said the cause of the deaths was yet to be established with anthrax having been ruled out.
"We do not suspect poaching since (the) animals were found with tusks," he said.
Samples have been collected and sent to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing.
Similar deaths were first reported in May when authorities found 12 carcasses in just a week in two villages in the northwest of the country.
The latest discoveries were flagged by a wildlife conservation charity, Elephants Without Borders (EWB), whose confidential report referring to the 356 dead elephants, was leaked to the media on Wednesday.
EWB suspects the elephants have been dying in the area for about three months.
According to the report dated June 19, 2020, "70 percent of elephant carcasses were considered recent, having died about a month ago, and 30 percent of the carcasses appeared fresh, ranging from one day to two weeks old".
"There was good evidence to show elephants of all ages and sex appear to be dying," said the report penned by EWB director Mike Chase.
Several live elephants appeared to have been weak, lethargic and emaciated, with some showing signs of disorientation, difficulty in walking or limping, EWB said.
"One elephant was observed walking in circles, unable to change direction although being encouraged by other herd members," said the report.
© 2020 AFP
Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, the head of the wildlife department said Thursday, ruling out poaching as the tusks were found intact.
The landlocked southern African country has the world's largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.
"We have had a report of 356 dead elephants in the area north of the Okavango Delta and we have confirmed 275 so far," Cyril Taolo, the acting director of the department of Wildlife and National Parks, told AFP in a text message.
He said the cause of the deaths was yet to be established with anthrax having been ruled out.
"We do not suspect poaching since (the) animals were found with tusks," he said.
Samples have been collected and sent to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing.
Similar deaths were first reported in May when authorities found 12 carcasses in just a week in two villages in the northwest of the country.
The latest discoveries were flagged by a wildlife conservation charity, Elephants Without Borders (EWB), whose confidential report referring to the 356 dead elephants, was leaked to the media on Wednesday.
EWB suspects the elephants have been dying in the area for about three months.
According to the report dated June 19, 2020, "70 percent of elephant carcasses were considered recent, having died about a month ago, and 30 percent of the carcasses appeared fresh, ranging from one day to two weeks old".
"There was good evidence to show elephants of all ages and sex appear to be dying," said the report penned by EWB director Mike Chase.
Several live elephants appeared to have been weak, lethargic and emaciated, with some showing signs of disorientation, difficulty in walking or limping, EWB said.
"One elephant was observed walking in circles, unable to change direction although being encouraged by other herd members," said the report.
© 2020 AFP
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