At least 100 elephants die from drought in Zimbabwe

HARARE — At least 100 elephants have died in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest game reserve, from the El Nino-induced drought, an international animal welfare and conservation group said on Monday.

Summer rains are five weeks late due to the ongoing El Nino phenomenon, as dozens of elephants have already died in Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest protected area and home to about 45,000 elephants, said the International Fund for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, in a statement.

"At least 100 elephants are already reported dead due to lack of water," it said.

The organization said the 104 solar-powered boreholes in the park were inadequate to match extreme temperatures that are drying up existing water holes, forcing wildlife to walk long distances in search of food and water.

Water-dependent mammals like elephants are among the most affected, and these and other wildlife species will face a crisis if rains do not come soon, IFAW said.

In September, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority reported that "many animals" were moving from the national park to neighboring Botswana in search of water and food.

The "anticipated" animal deaths "must be seen as a symptom of deep-seated and complex challenges affecting the region's natural resources conservation, aggravated by climate change", IFAW expert Phillip Kuvawoga said.

In 2019, over 200 elephants died in Zimbabwe from severe drought, the IFAW said.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has classified southern Africa as a region at risk, facing an increased probability of extreme heat and reduced rainfall due to global warming.

Xinhua - Agencies