04 Sep 2023

 An in-depth investigation and analysis into the causes of high mortality rate of elephants in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) region is ongoing.

This follows the discoveries of the 2022 Elephant Survey, which observed a total of 26 641 elephant carcasses in the KAZA TFCA region between August  2022 and October 2022 when the survey was conducted.

According to the 2022 KAZA Elephant Survey launched on Thursday in Livingstone, the high concentration of fresh and recent carcasses was in the border region between Botswana and Namibia along the Kwando-Linyanti-Chobe river system.

The report outlined that the recent mortality index referred to carcasses that had died 12 months prior to the survey, of which the fresh and recent carcass ratio was 1 165 in the KAZA region.

It points out that Chobe and Savuti recorded the highest number of fresh carcasses with an estimation of 249 and 266 respectively.

Moreover, the survey report states that of the total 26 641 fresh and old carcasses, Sebungwe-Zimbabwe constitutes 17.46 per cent, Angola 16.27 per cent whereas Botswana stands at 12.80 per cent while other zones have a carcass ratio below eight per cent.

Elucidating on the matter, the 2022 KAZA Elephant Survey coordinator Mr Darren Potgieter stated that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks- Botswana was informed of the high number of fresh carcasses observed during the course of the survey where an investigation was launched in 2022.

He said based on the ground investigation, poaching had been ruled out as the principal cause as the tusks on the carcasses were found to be intact.

Mr Potgieter briefed that the mortalities might be due to old age, over population or drought that had occurred long before the survey was conducted last year.

Reacting to the elephant mortality statistics at the report launch, the Blotswana Minister of Environment and Tourism Ms Philda Kereng underscored the need for an in-depth investigation and analysis of the causes of high mortality rate of elephants in the region.

She further said research on the cause of the mortalities could be extracted from the 2022 Elephant Survey as a baseline and be expanded.

The minister said it was imperative for KAZA states to expedite on solutions to eradicate elephant mortality.

Ms Kereng highlighted that elephants were a natural resource that contributed immensely to KAZA states economy through tourism.

“People around the world visit Africa to enjoy the rich and unique wildlife tourism that we offer, which is why it is important to act now to eliminate elephant mortality,” she said. ends