Over 350 elephants have died in northern Botswana since early May, which described by officials as a "conservation disaster".
“This is a mass die-off on a level that hasn’t been seen in a very, very long time. Outside of drought, I don’t know of a die-off that has been this significant,” Dr. Niall McCann, the director of conservation at U.K.-based charity National Park Rescue told the Guardian this week.
The surreal deaths occurrence was reported in May with 169 elephants have died in a short period at the Okavango Delta, where it affects no ages and sexes of the elephants.
The Botswana government has not yet tested samples to determine the caused of deaths but they found out that 70 percent of deaths have appeared around water holes. Witnesses say they've seen elephants walking in circles, indicating a possible neurological impairment.
While some elephant carcasses have been found face down, suggesting a sudden collapse and death, other elephants have been found wondering around. However, its unclear how rapidly illness progresses in the animals.
Dr. Cyril Taolo, the acting director for Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks, the government has sent samples from the deceased animals for testing and expects the results in the next couple of weeks. However, Taolo noted that “the COVID-19 restrictions have not helped in the transportation of samples in the region and around the world.”
According to the Guardian, there are only two most likely the caused of the death of the elephants: poisoning or pathogen. Cyanide poisoning is famous for poachers to take take down animals in the region, but scavenging animals do not appear to be dying at the carcasses.
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