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Monday, September 21, 2020
Photographs of hundreds of dead elephants in Botswana went around the world a few weeks ago. For a long time it was unclear what the pachyderms died of. Now the authorities announce a cause. However, not all the issues have finally been clarified.
Botswana authorities have identified cyanobacteria as the probable cause of the massive death of elephants in the country. Laboratory tests with blood samples from dead animals and soil and water samples have shown that these toxic microorganisms killed the animals in the Northwest Okavango Delta, said Mamadi Reuben, chief veterinarian for the park authority. wild life.
Some types of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are life-threatening toxins. This can have consequences for animals when they drink water, for example if the microbes there multiply on a large scale with the growth of algae. In recent months, a total of 330 dead elephants have been found in the Okavango Delta, said Cyril Taolo of the wildlife park authority. Poaching was ruled out from the start as a cause of death, as the corpses were found with their fangs intact. It is not yet clear why apparently no other species are affected, Reuben said.
The dying “stopped in late June 2020 when the water points dried up,” Reuben said. A type of cyanobacterium that produces neurotoxins was found in all blood samples from dead animals. The tests were conducted in laboratories in South Africa, Canada, Zimbabwe and the United States.
The Okavango Delta is famous throughout the world for its spectacular landscapes and rich wildlife. The largest population of elephants in the world lives in Botswana. Their number is estimated at around 130,000 animals, which corresponds to a third of all the elephants on the African continent. The southern African country has so far had a good reputation on the continent in terms of protecting nature and animals, but sparked outrage last year due to the lifting of the elephant hunting ban. Recently, at least 22 elephants were found dead in neighboring Zimbabwe. There the cause of death has not yet been clarified.
