Over Fifty Elephants Suffer “Mystery” Deaths In Botswana
The deceased elephants were found with tusks intact - meaning the mass deaths have puzzled wildlife officials.
Twelve elephant carcasses have been found in Botswana, following the previous discovery of 44 deceased elephants who were found back in March. The deaths so far have been called a “mystery” as the elephant’s tusks hadn’t been removed, meaning that poachers are not suspected.
Wildlife officials are currently testing samples to try and work out what has caused these deaths. Dimakatso Ntshebe, a regional wildlife director told Bloomberg that “the testing is for anthrax first and if that is ruled out, we will send the samples to South African labs for further testing.”
Botswana is home to the world’s largest elephant population, which is estimated to be around 130,000.
The country has experienced a tumultuous relationship with its elephant population, with President Mokgweetsi Masisi controversially lifting a hunting ban last year. The move drew criticism from wildlife and conservation groups, who have been urging for global ivory and hunting bans to help protect wild elephant populations.
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