Botswana Safari News
5 Std.·
Panhandle elephant deaths not caused by anthrax- results
Results from veterinary lab have shown that the 60 elephants that died in the Okavango panhandle were not killed by anthrax.
This was confirmed by Regional Wildlife coordinator Dimakatso Ntshebe who revealed that they received the results on Wednesday.
However the samples tasted negative for anthrax but failed to prove which other pathogens is responsible for the deaths.
Ntshebe said there was a second comprehensive tests was later done after the first test, by team of Department of Wildlife and National Parks and Veterinary services. He said they expect the second result to shed light on the cause of deaths.
60 elephants have died in the panhandle area. Earlier suspicious were the elephants could have died from poisoning as result of human and wildlife conflict. But some observers have pointed this is unlikely at this time as many farmers in the area have finished harvesting. Poaching has further been ruled out as all the carcasses had tusks intact.
Hope the next results will clarify the mystery.

Quelle: fb
Gruß Gina

Botswana Safari News
13 Std. ·
Ron Thomson statement that Botswana elephants die from overpopulation misleading-Botswana experts

The statement reportedly uttered by respected South African elephant expert Ron Thomson linking Okavango elephants deaths to overpopulation is ridiculous and misleading, according to elephant experts in Botswana. since May 11, Botswana's Okavango panhandle has been experiencing mysterious elephant deaths. Almost a month later, authorities here are still struggling to identify the cause of deaths.

Thomson is a qualified field ecologist who has 58 years of experience working in Africa’s national parks and management systems. To show his respect, Thomson last year met President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Yesterday a tweet by Johannesburg based Environmental journalist, Emmanuel Kolo quoted Thomson saying he ruled out disease as the cause of deaths in Botswana. ‘Thomson says what he had long predicted is now happening –deaths caused by elephant overpopulation.’

In Botswana, experts have not been amused by Thomson’s statement. A leading veterinarian stated: ‘that’s an oversimplification. Overpopulation itself does not cause death. It leads to stress in individuals which makes them more susceptible to disease. Its these disease outbreaks that cause death. Until we know what the cause of all the deaths is, we will not be able to say it is related to overpopulation.’

Okavango Research Institute Professor of Tourism Studies Joseph explained that while he believes Botswana is overpopulated with elephants however, he does not agree with Thomson.

Regional wildlife coordinator Dimakatso Ntshebe rhetorically asked why the elephants would die during the green season while they did not die during the bad drought last year. Ntshebe does not as well agree that overpopulation is the cause of death as Thomson states.

Ntshebe added:’ what we believe is that the deaths are caused by a disease and we are investigating. We have sent samples for testing in South Africa and we are waiting for results. We continue to take more samples every day and send it to the veterinary lab for tests. Currently, we have theories on what could be the source of deaths and we continue to sample’ he said.

Meanwhile, Ntshebe stated that more than 130 elephants have died. However other sources state that the toll is now more than 160. Ntshebe revealed that the intensity of the discovery of the new carcasses has decreased adding that however, they continue to record few new cases.

Quelle: fb
Gruß Gina

Botswana Safari News
14 Std. ·
Ntshebe challenge international animal rights groups not just critisise but help
The Wildlife Coordinator Dimakatso Ntshebe has challenged international animal rights to help with the resources to help investigate the mysterious death of elephants in the Okavango panhandle.
Ntshebe's call come after an international animal rights group, Global March for Elephants and Rhinos Organization called on SADC to intervene in the ongoing investigation of the cause of deaths.
The letter is co-signed by Rosemary Alles, Mergan Carr, Jodie Graham, Hale Anderson and Mariana Fernandes.
In part the letter reads:" GMFER hereby officially requests the engagement and assistance of South Africa's Minister Barbara Creecy in her role as the incoming chair of the African Ministerial Conference on the environment; we respectfully request that Minister Creecy engage diplomatic ties to work with Botswana to immediately unravel the reasons (s) leading to mass deaths of elephants in the Okavango region."
The letter says elephants migrate across national boarders frequently, entering and leaving neighbouring nations at will; studies reveal that the majority of Africas elephants cannot be categorically designated as the ' national property' of any nation. And as such the date of these animals and causal factors governing their deaths must be of international concern.'
Ntshebe meanwhile denied seeing the letter nor knowledge of it.
However he stated in the interview that Department of Wildlife and National Parks had left no stone unturned to investigate the deaths and they are still continuing to do so.
According to Ntshebe its the first time the area is expiriencing mortalities at this magnitude and there is therefore challenges which would be overcame.
' we have investigated and sampled all the possibilities. We have sampled vegetation the elephants eat, water they drink and taken various samples from the carcasses
Further we have spoken to to the community to ask them if there had been similar mortalities in history and the response we got was no."
Further the preliminary results showed that anthrax did not cause the deaths.
Ntshebe explained that the Department of Veterinary Services is currently undetaking further analysis of more collected samples and some would be sent to private labs for further analysis.
Ntshebe stated that as department they are open to all the help in terms of resources and ideas to make a break through in the cases. The regional boss said they are experiencing resources shortages and anyone willing to assist government whether its an international NGO they are free to contact his office or any relevant government agency.
However he said some local NGOs have already made proposal to help with air transportation and other resources in the ongoing investigation. He said the proposals are being considered by his superiors in Gaborone.
Meanwhile as of today a total of 184 elephants have so far died in the panhandle since April. Ntshebe said however it looks like new cases have decreased as the carcasses they record are old.

Quelle: fb
Gruß Gina

Schuuubs!

Danke für den Link, Friederike .

Gibt es inzwischen neue Ergebnisse bezogen auf die Suche nach der Ursache für den Tod so vieler Elefanten?

Besorgte Grüße aus AC

Udi

Es gibt immer noch keine Testergebnisse für die Ursache des Elefantensterbens.

Der Artikel im Africa Geographic von heute listet auf, was man bisher weiß. (Achtung, verstörende Bilder!)
africageographic.com...MH7EuqR-leKMx6oleEDg

Gruß Gina

Gruß Gina