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Botswana authorities have identified cyanobacteria as the likely cause of the mass extinction of elephants in the country. Laboratory tests with blood samples from dead animals, as well as soil and water samples, have shown that poisonous microorganisms killed the animals in the Okavango Delta, in the northwest of the country, said the chief veterinarian of the authority of the wildlife park, Mamadi Reuben.
Animals would have ingested the bacteria, for example, by drinking from wells. The dying “came to a halt in late June 2020 when the water wells ran dry,” Reuben said. Blood tests for the bacteria were performed in laboratories in South Africa, Canada, Zimbabwe, and the United States.
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.
Poaching as a cause is already ruled out
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 government now wants to further investigate the emergence of toxic bacteria.
The Okavango Delta in Botswana is famous around the world for its spectacular landscapes and rich wildlife. With about 130,000 animals, Botswana has the largest population of elephants in the world. The number corresponds to one third of all elephants on the African continent.
