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epa08524241 Aerial view of the corpse of one of the approximately 350 elephants that have been found dead for unknown reasons in the area of the Okavango Delta, near the city of Maun, in northern Botswana, July 3, 2020. Precedents of pachyderm deaths do not appear to be related to poaching, as their coveted ivory tusks are still attached to the corpses. Authorities are conducting various tests to determine the cause of death. EPA-EFE / STR
GABORONE, Sep 21 (Reuters) – Toxins in water produced by cyanobacteria killed more than 300 elephants in Botswana this year, authorities said Monday, announcing the outcome of an investigation into the deaths that had puzzled and alarmed conservationists. .
Cyanobacteria are common microscopic organisms in water and are sometimes found in soil. Not all produce toxins, but scientists say toxins occur more frequently as climate change increases global temperatures.
Cyril Taolo, deputy director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, told a news conference that the number of dead elephants had risen to 330, from 281 reported in July.
The department’s chief veterinary officer, Mmadi Reuben, told the news conference: “Our latest tests have found that cyanobacterial neurotoxins are the cause of deaths. These are bacteria that are found in water.
“However, we still have many questions to answer, like why only elephants and why only that area? We have a number of hypotheses that we are investigating. “
Other animals in the Okavango Panhandle region appeared unharmed.
Some cyanobacterial blooms can harm people and animals, and scientists are concerned about their possible impact, as climate change leads to warmer water temperatures, which many cyanobacteria prefer.
Temperatures in southern Africa are rising twice the world average, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“It’s about having the right conditions, at the right time, in the right place, and these species will proliferate,” Patricia Glibert, a professor at the Center for Environmental Sciences at the University of Maryland, who has studied cyanobacteria, told Reuters.
“These conditions are coming together more often, in more places, so we are seeing more of these toxic blooms around the world.”
In neighboring Zimbabwe, some 25 elephant carcasses were found near the country’s largest game park and authorities suspect they succumbed to a bacterial infection.
The animals were found with intact tusks, ruling out poaching and deliberate poisoning. Park authorities believe the elephants may have ingested the bacteria while searching for food. The bodies were found near water sources.
“We considered the possibility of cyanobacteria, but we have no evidence that this is the case here (in Zimbabwe),” said Chris Foggin, a veterinarian for the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, who analyzed samples of dead elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Zimbabwe has sent samples to Britain and is awaiting permits to send samples to two other countries, Foggin said.
Africa’s total elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to nearly a third of the continent’s elephants, has seen their numbers grow to around 130,000. (Additional reporting from Alexander Winning in Johannesburg; written by MacDonald Dzirutwe in Harare; edited by Raissa Kasolowsky and Janet Lawrence)
