Eleven Elephants Die in Zimbabwe, Parks Authority Says Anthrax Suspected Cause

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Investigation into the deaths of 11 elephants in Zimbabwe is ongoing, with veterinaries suspecting anthrax as one of the probable causes, Tinashe Farawo, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), said on Saturday.

​Earlier this week, Zimparks said that 11 elephants were found dead in the town of Hwange in the country's northwest.

August 29, 2020

Neighbouring Botswana also recently witnessed a number of unexplained deaths of the country's elephants. The first deaths were reported in northern Botswana on 11 May. By July, the number rose to 350. The exact cause of the mass deaths is not yet known. According to previous media reports, since all the elephants were found untouched, poaching was ruled out. Further investigation revealed that the deaths were neither the result of anthrax nor poisoning by people. The pattern of their deaths suggests that the mammals may have been neurologically impaired.