350 elephants found dead in Africa

A doctor and his colleagues in the southern African country of Botswana have found more than 350 elephant carcasses since the beginning of May, Report says citing BBC News.

Dr. McCann, of the UK-based charity National Park Rescue, told the BBC local conservationists first alerted the government in early May after they undertook a flight over the delta.

"They spotted 169 in a three-hour flight," he said. "To be able to see and count that many in a three-hour flight were extraordinary.

"A month later, further investigations identified many more carcasses, bringing the total to over 350."

"This is unprecedented in terms of numbers of elephants dying in a single event unrelated to drought," he added.
 
McCann said more carcasses were discovered in June, which brought the total "up to 350."

Lab results on samples taken will be disclosed in several weeks, according to the report. Botswana holds one-third of Africa's elephant population, which continues to decline.

According to the report, Botswana's government in May ruled out poaching as a reason for the massive number of deaths.

Dr. McCann said the way many elephants were positioned, either on their faces or possibly walking in circles, suggests that something could have attacked the elephants' neurological systems.

Either way, without knowing the source, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil. Dr. McCann points to the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have started in animals.

"Yes, it is a conservation disaster - but it also has the potential to be a public health crisis," he said.

Botswana is home to a third of Africa's declining elephant population.