Zimbabwe: 11 Elephants Found Dead
The carcasses of 11 elephants killed in mysterious circumstances in western Zimbabwe have been discovered.
Last Friday, 28 August, the remains of the elephants were found in Pandamascue Forest, which is located between Hwange National Park – Zimbabwe’s largest natural reserve – and Victoria Falls.
It is believed that the elephants were not killed by poachers, as their tusks – which are usually sold in the illegal global ivory trade – remained intact.
Speaking to a media outlet, Tinashe Farowo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said that blood samples from the elephants have been taken to a laboratory for analysis to determine the cause of their deaths.
He explained: “We can only ascertain the cause of death after the tests. But we have ruled out cyanide poisoning. Only elephants were affected, no vultures or any other animals were affected. Initial tests show that it is not cyanide.”
Last month, 275 elephants died under similar circumstances in neighbouring Botswana. Poaching, poisoning and anthrax have been ruled out as the cause of their deaths, which are still being investigated.
