Botswana investigates the mysterious deaths of at least 275 elephants

GABORONE (Reuters) – Botswana is investigating an increasing number of unexplained elephant deaths, having confirmed that 275 had died, compared to 154 two weeks ago, the government said on Thursday.

The dead elephants were first seen months ago in the Okavango Panhandle region, and authorities say they have been trying to discover the cause ever since. Poaching has been ruled out as a cause of death, as the bodies were found intact.

“Three laboratories in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Canada have been identified to process samples taken from dead elephants,” the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism said in a statement.

Elephants Without Borders (EWB), a conservation organization, reported that its own aerial studies showed that elephants of all ages appeared to be dying. The group counted 169 elephants killed on May 25 and another 187 on June 14.

“Several live elephants we observed seemed weak, lethargic, and emaciated. Some elephants appeared disoriented, had difficulty walking, showed signs of partial paralysis or lameness, “EWB Director Mike Chase said in a report reviewed by Reuters on Thursday.

“An elephant was observed walking in circles, unable to change direction although other members of the herd encouraged it.”

Chase said urgent measures were needed to establish whether the deaths were caused by illness or poisoning.

Africa’s overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to nearly a third of the continent’s elephants, has seen 130,000 grow from 80,000 in the late 1990s.

However, they are seen as a nuisance by some farmers, whose crops have been destroyed.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi lifted a five-year big game ban in May last year, but the hunting season did not take off in April, as global travel restrictions meant that hunters in many countries affected by the coronavirus were unable to enter Botswana.