Elephants -
SIPA
Twelve other elephants were found dead in Zimbabwe, bringing to 34 the number of pachyderms which, in one month, probably succumbed to the same bacteria, wildlife authorities said on Monday.
"A total of 34 carcasses have been found […] but others have not yet been located," said Director of Parks and Wildlife Authority Fulton Upenyu Mangwanya.
The animals died between August 24 and September 23 near Hwange Park, Zimbabwe's largest reserve, located near the border with Botswana.
"They were found lying on their stomachs", which suggests
"An extremely sudden death," he said.
Tests conducted in Zimbabwe indicate illness caused by bacterial infections.
The trail of poisoning ruled out
The rangers had initially feared poisoning by poachers, but this track was ruled out because the animals were found with their tusks intact.
Further analyzes are to be carried out in South Africa, but also in laboratories in Great Britain and the United States.
Elephants are overpopulated in Zimbabwe, which has more than 84,000 individuals, for an estimated ecological capacity of between 45,000 and 50,000.
In the Hwange reserve, which has between 45,000 and 53,000 elephants over some 14,600 km2, many of them have died of hunger and thirst in recent years.
In neighboring Botswana, which has 130,000 free-roaming elephants, the world's largest population, the mysterious deaths this year of more than 300 pachyderms have been attributed to natural toxins.
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Zimbabwe
Animals
elephant