Reason Behind the Mass Death of 100 Elephants in Zimbabwe

Saem Turns to Muddy Field Amid Severe Drought
"Dry Season Lasts Longer Than Average"

Over 100 elephants in a national park in Zimbabwe, Africa, have died en masse due to severe drought.

According to AFP, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) reported on the 11th (local time) that at least 100 elephants have died recently in Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe. This appears to be a result of water shortages in the area. IFAW pointed out, "The dry season has lasted longer than usual, turning what was once a spring into a mudflat."

[Image source=Pixabay]

Hwange National Park spans 14,600 km² in western Zimbabwe and is home to approximately 45,000 elephants. Although the park authorities installed 104 solar-powered pumps, IFAW stated that these were insufficient to supply the drying water sources amid the severe drought.

IFAW criticized that the mass death of elephants was already a "forewarned tragedy." Since September, animals in Zimbabwe have begun migrating to Botswana in search of water and food, and IFAW emphasized that the mass death of elephants should be seen as a chronic and complex crisis caused by climate change.

Furthermore, IFAW warned that this situation signals a recurrence of the nightmare in 2019 when over 200 elephants died in southern Africa.

Zimbabwe is home to about 100,000 elephants nationwide, making it the second-largest population in the world after Botswana. An environmental scientist working locally said, "Surface water has dried up here, so we rely on pumps," adding, "Elephants depend on water to survive, which is why they are dying en masse like never before." Adult elephants generally require about 200 liters of water per day, and the current water output from the pumps is insufficient for their survival.

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, the dry season ends in November and the rainy season continues until March of the following year, but this year there has been almost no rainfall. Moreover, forecasts suggest that this situation may persist into next year.