The elephant mortality in Botswana has increased sharply in a month. Mid May 36 dead animals had been found, more than a month later, it involved more than 350 deaths, writes The Guardian. Authorities are still guessing about the cause of death.
More elephants may have died in the recent period. Conservationists fear that not all dead animals can be spotted in time in the vast natural landscape.
Both old and younger elephants died recently of unknown cause. Niall McCann, director of the British National Park Rescue conservation organization, speaks of an “unprecedented death rate for elephants”.
McCann also criticizes the Botswana government for its “lack of action”. According to him, there is not yet a laboratory that investigates the cause of death, while a new pathogen is being taken into account. However, local authorities say samples have been sent to a lab and results are expected within a few weeks.
Hunters poisoning seems impossible
Because many elephants were found near the Okavango River or another drinking location, park managers do not rule out poaching by poachers. However, this cause of death seems unlikely, because animals that eat the carcasses do not show any symptoms of disease.
In addition, many elephants still had their tusks, which poachers often kill the animals for.
Initially, the Botswana Ministry of the Environment thought that the elephants succumbed to anthrax. The animals can ingest the anthrax bacteria if they swallow earth during grazing, which has happened a lot in recent months due to the persistent drought.
At the end of last year, more than a hundred elephants died in the north of the country, but according to The Guardian this time it is excluded that it is anthrax.
No large-scale elephant mortality in neighboring countries
Locals have noted, according to the British newspaper, that several elephants would have walked in circles before they died. “That indicates a limitation within the nervous system,” said McCann.
As far as is known, no ‘extraordinary’ elephant mortality has been observed in Botswana’s neighboring countries. In the country, a third of all elephants live in Africa. Since mid-last year, more than 130,000 animals can be hunted again.
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