After months of investigations , authorities say they may have some insights into what caused thedeaths of 100 of elephantsin Botswana .
Cyril Taolo , head of Botswana ’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks , toldReutersandAFP young agencythat “ born toxin ” , such as toxin - bring out bacterium in the expanse ’s swamps , are most likely behind the spate of elephant deaths inthe southern African country .
Taolo stressed that these are only preliminary results and further test are ask before they reach any solid ending . However , their initial investigations have reportedly govern out two of the most mistrust culprits : poaching and splenic fever . It also appears improbable to be an infectious pathogen that ’s spread from elephant - to - elephant .
“ We have receive more psychometric test results from other countries including the United States , and so far the results show that it ’s extremely unlikely that the cause could be an infectious pathogen , ” Taolo toldReuters .
“ It ’s a game of elimination where we set out testing the most plebeian cause and then move on to the less common ace . We then have to verify and bear out these solution from dissimilar testing ground tests , ” he add .
“ Our main aid … is now on investigating large-minded environmental ingredient such as of course produced toxins from bacterium that are discover in the environs , such as water body . ”
At least 281 elephant carcase have been found around the Okavango Delta over the retiring three month , according to the government ’s official statistics , although someindependent conservationistshave say the substantial destruction toll is between 350 and 400 .
Botswana is a stronghold for Africa ’s riotous elephant populations and is household to more than 130,000 savanna elephants and around a third of the continent ’s full remaining population . While the species is a major source of touristry and pride to the country , they frequentlyattract resentmentdue to increase contact with humans , often resulting in the destruction of tilled land and sometimes dying . This is , in part , why some surmise poachers killed the elephants .
While sea poacher might not necessarily be to fault for this finicky dice - off , Botswana ’s elephant have been subjected to a immense amount of pressure from poaching and hunting . Research put out in 2019used aerial view and field visit to show that the issue of poached elephant carcass in Botswana had increased by nearly 600 percentage from 2014 to 2018 . Most of these fauna are believe to have been killed for their pearl . The land also controversiallylifted its banon hunting elephant in May 2019 , in which they auctioneer six permit to trace a sum of 60 elephant , although it ’s unclear if these hunts function forrader due to the disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic .
