(ORDO NEWS) — In Botswana, terrible things are happening right now: something is taking the lives of elephants. According to experts, more than three hundred elephants have already died. Authorities and biologists are collecting data to find out why. So far, there are only preliminary versions of what is happening.
According to Cyril Taolo, head of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, a natural toxin may be the cause of the death of animals. The poachers are definitely not to blame: there were no traces of violent death on a single corpse. Hunters also stand aside as the season has not been opened due to the coronavirus.
Initially, everyone thought of some kind of virus, but the collected biomaterial after analysis in laboratories in South Africa, Canada and the United States showed only the presence of a toxin. This means the environment is at fault.
Experts said that looking for bio-samples is a difficult task. The bodies of elephants can lie in a separate area, which takes several days to reach. Another problem is damage to samples during transportation.
At the moment, the work of all specialists is aimed at finding toxins that can be in water or food. So far, 275 elephant carcasses out of 356 known have been studied. Only after analyzing all the bodies will it be possible to come to some kind of conclusion.
The problem started in early July. Then the organization “Elephants Without Borders” first started talking about her. People found emaciated elephants who could hardly move. One elephant walked in circles, because he was unable to change the direction of movement.
Experts are doing everything they can to save the animals. They understand that the sooner they determine the cause of death, the more elephants will be saved. In addition, the toxin can be dangerous not only for elephants, but also for other animals and people.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.