Over 150 elephants have mysteriously died in Botswana over the past few months . Both poaching and poisoning have been rein out , leaving wildlife officials scratching their hand over the form of the on-going expiry .
Regional wildlife authorities have reported at least 154 elephants have died over the old two months in the wildlife - racy swamp of Okavango Delta in Botswana , Reutersreports . The carcasses were found inviolate , evoke they were not poached for their tusk or meat . There was also no evidence of poisoning , which can occur where there is human - animal conflict , or splenic fever , a bacteria usually establish in grunge that ’s known to taint wildlife in the area .
“ We are still experiencing elephant dying in the Okavango Panhandle . We also see elephants that show that they are sick and are on the verge of dying , ” wildlife officer Dikamatso Ntshebetold reportersin Gaborone , the capital city of Botswana , in early June 2020 .
The Department of Wildlife has begun removing tusk from the carcasses to deter tusk poachers from approaching the consistency . Locals have also been warned against run through meat from the drained animal , suggesting self-assurance are still investigating the possibility of disease or intoxication . It ’s been reported that tissue samples from the deceased elephants have been sent to neighboring country South Africa for further analysis . However , it could be a while until results are invite due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic .
Botswana has the high identification number of elephants in Africa , more than 130,000 savannah elephants — about a third of Africa ’s remain universe . However , the southern African country has a complex relationship with elephant . While the mintage is a major author of money , tourism , and pride , they frequentlyattract a fair amount of resentmenttoo . Growing numbers game of elephants in late decades have seen increasing contact with humans , often resulting in the demolition of farmland and even deaths .
In reception to theuptick in incidents of human - elephant dispute , Botswanalifted its banon hunting elephant in May 2019 . Although Botswana managed to sell 60 licence to hunt down elephants in other 2020 , hunting season failed to take off in April due to the Covid-19 pandemic and global travelling restrictions .
Wildlife in Botswana has add up under increase imperativeness from pearl poaching in the past duo of years . Research published in 2019used aerial study and field visits to show that the number of poach elephant carcass in Botswana had increased by almost 600 percent from 2014 to 2018 . Most of these animals are believed to have been killed for their off-white .
