More than 360 elephants have died in mysterious circumstances in Botswana in the past three months, according to local conservationists.
Some carcasses were found clustered around waterholes, while others appeared to have died “falling flat on their faces,” according to Niall McCann, director of conservation at United Kingdom charity National Park Rescue.
Live elephants seen nearby appeared physically weak, and one was walking in circles, unable to change direction, observers said. Other species in the area did not appear to have been affected by whatever struck down the elephants.
The Botswana government is testing samples from the dead elephants, but is yet to determine a cause of death.
The landlocked southern African country has the world’s largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.
“We have had a report of 356 dead elephants in the area north of the Okavango Delta and we have confirmed 275 so far,” Cyril Taolo, the acting director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, told AFP in a text message.
He said the cause of the deaths was yet to be established with anthrax having been ruled out.
“We do not suspect poaching since (the) animals were found with tusks,” he said.
CNN/AFP
