Zimbabwe probes mysterious death of 11 elephants a month after Botswana saw 275 carcasses

Zimbabwe authorities are carrying on an investigation on suspicious death of 11 elephants in a forest situated to west of country. According to reports, investigators have ruled out cyanide poisoning and poaching as a probable cause of tragic deaths.

dead bodies of elephants were discovered with tusks intact on Friday in Pandamasue forest, which is located between Hwange national park and Victoria Falls.

READ: Botswana: Hundreds Of Elephants Drop Dead, Scientists Call It ‘conservation Disaster’

Tests conducted to determine deaths

A spokesman for Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Manment Authority Tinashe Farawo is reported to have said that blood samples have been sent to laboratory for furr analysis to determine cause of ir deaths. 

As per reports, tusks on carcasses rule out poaching. re have been earlier reports of poachers in Zimbabwe poisoning dozens of elephants for tusks in pursuit of illegal ivory. 

“We can only ascertain cause of death after tests. But we have ruled out cyanide poisoning,” Farawo told Associated Press. “Only elephants were affected. vultures or any or animals were affected.”

READ: Number Of Elephants In Uttar Pradesh Increased To 352 From 232 In Three Years: Census

In a similar incident in recent months, over 275 elephants were found dead in Botswana under mysterious circumstances. According to reports, scientists have named mysterious circumstance a ‘conservation disaster’. first cluster contained around  165 carcasses of dead elephants which were reported back in May. A UK based conservationist was reported to have said that a mass die-off is very rare and added that without a drought-like situation, a die-off like this one has t been so significant. 

Botswana has world’s largest elephant population, estimated at 156,000, and Zimbabwe second largest, estimated at 85,000. Last year, about 200 elephants in Zimbabwe died of starvation as a result of a drought.

(With AP inputs)

READ: Man Trampled To Death By Elephants In Chhattisgarh

READ: Two Elephants Found Dead Inside Reserve Forest In Odisha