This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
On July 2, 2020, the wildlife department in Botswana reported a mysterious surge in elephant deaths in the country's famed Okavango Delta.
The landlocked southern African country is home to the world's largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.
According to Cyril Taolo, the acting director of the department of Wildlife and National Parks, at least 275 elephants have died in the area north of the Okavango Delta, with 356 carcasses reported.
Despite initial concerns about anthrax, the cause of the deaths remains unknown, with samples sent to laboratories in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Canada for testing.
Conservation biologist Keith Lindsay described the deaths as sudden and alarming, with some elephants found dead while walking, and others showing signs of weakness and disorientation.
Elephants Without Borders, a wildlife conservation charity, suspects that the elephants have been dying in the area for about three months, with 70% of the carcasses appearing to be recent deaths.
