350 elephants died from toxic algae in the water

 

 

Elephants
350 elephants died from toxic algae in the water
New study: Climate-related poisonings an alarming trend

Christina Nordh

Published 2024-11-29 16.14

The researchers say the 2020 mass death of elephants is the largest documented case so far. Photo: Handout

350 elephants were found mysteriously dead in Botswana four years ago.

Toxic algae caused by climate change may be behind, according to a new study.

In the study - a collaboration between the University of Botswana, the National history museum in London, Queen's university Belfast and the Plymouth marine laboratory - scientists warn that climate-related poisoning is an "alarming trend".

The mass death in Botswana's Okavango Delta is described by scientists as a disaster for nature conservation.

Elephants of all ages were seen walking in circles before collapsing and dying. The first cases were detected in May and June 2020.

The incident is the largest documented elephant death where the cause was initially unknown.

- That is why people have been so concerned, says the lead author of the study, Davide Lomeo at King's College London, to The Guardian.

Enhanced by the climate

The new study has been published in Science of the Total Environment and it is claimed that the elephants were poisoned by the water where there was an algal bloom of toxic blue-green algae, cyanobacteria. Climate change increases the intensity and strength of toxic algal blooms, according to the study.

The researchers' theory is that the elephants, on average, walked just over 100 kilometers from the springs and died within 88 hours of drinking. A total of 3,000 waterholes were examined and it was found that the waterholes that had had a heavy bloom of toxic algae in 2020 had many carcasses.

- The animals had no choice but to drink from them, says Lomeo.

200,000 antelopes died

"Globally, this confirms the alarming trend of climate-related death," the study says.

In the same year, the neighboring country of Zimbabwe fought against a rare bacterium that entered the animals' bloodstream. 35 of them died. According to reports, this was due to prolonged drought in the country. In 2015, 200 ,000 saiga antelopes in Kazakstan, the mass death being linked to an outbreak of blood poisoning haemorrhagic septicaemia.

Now experts are warning that mass die-offs are becoming more and more common as global temperatures rise and could cause the extinction of several species.

Niall McCann, head of conservation at UK-based National Park Rescue, says:

- This study provides a convincing explanation for the mass death of elephants that shocked the world in 2020