Harare, Zimbabwe – New findings shed light on the mysterious mass deaths of African elephants in Botswana and Zimbabwe in 2020, with scientists attributing the outbreaks to potential conditions caused by global warming and the climate crisis. The sudden deaths of the elephants led to widespread public interest and speculation, with early investigations ruling out poaching and malicious poisoning as potential causes.
Dr. Chris Foggin, a veterinarian at Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust in Zimbabwe, described the deaths of the elephants as enigmatic due to the narrow window in which they occurred. The animals died over a short period, indicating a unique and puzzling situation, according to Foggin, the coauthor of the study on the cause of the deaths.
As food and water resources declined during the dry season, the elephants were forced to travel greater distances to find necessities, ultimately leading to their demise. It was later revealed that a bacterial infection, specifically Bisgaard taxon 45, caused the fatal septicaemia in the elephants. This conclusion was based on the analysis of samples taken from 15 of the deceased animals in Zimbabwe, as detailed in the journal Nature Communications on Oct 25.
The study emphasized the threat African elephants face from poaching and habitat destruction, with their numbers dwindling and projected losses of 8% per year, according to the IUCN Red List. The findings serve as a reminder of the ongoing conservation efforts needed to protect this flagship species from further decline.