Elephant deaths

[AimSmall]

From CNN:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/06/africa/african-elephant-deaths-zimbabwe-scn/index.html

 

[Hunt anything]

I didn’t really scrutinize the article but it some what speculative. They say “ it’s too early to blame climate change” and in the same sentence they blame climate change. Then they say the bacteria wasn’t found in some of the dead elephant and then blame the bacteria. The one thing that was interesting was they say population density could have played a roll. Which as a farmer I would think is plausible. Too many fish in the pond (or in this case too many elephant in the bush) cause stress along with the added stress of the dry season will make them more susceptible to diseases.

 

[Dinsdale]

read the paper if interested, it was also peer reviewed which is a bit better standard then a CNN article

 

[thriller]

Is there an article available from a scientific source? I am interested in whats going on but have little to no faith in CNN's ability to report facts.

 

[thriller]

found it didnt see it at first. with all scientific data I encourage people to examine multiple sources to draw conclusions as scientists like everyone else are people and can have agendas. not saying they are wrong or right just everyone needs to do their own homework.

Pasteurella sp. associated with fatal septicaemia in six African elephants - Nature Communications

A series of unexplained elephant mortalities occurred in northwest Zimbabwe in 2020. Here the authors show that six elephants died of bacterial septicaemia associated with a little-reported Pasteurella species.

www.nature.com

 

[John Telford]

Elephant die off happening in Chobe right now. Twenty and counting since October. Overpopulation and no nutrition in the foliage seems to be the obvious cause. Samples have been sent to the lab to check for anthrax .

 

[PietVis]

I hunted in NG 2 a while after the first mortalities were reported. One of our trackers was a very sharp Herero man with a unpronounceable name. He lives in the area and has a Moraka where he keeps own livestock. A person with deeper understanding and a bit of substance, a man whose opinion I would listen to.

He gave me the most plausible explanation I've heard up to date.

According to him overgrazing in the Delta cause cows elephants to drift into the desert were they eat plant species that are unkown to them. Johan Calits showed me the overgrazing in the Delta on a earlier visit, and bemoaned the loss of the edible tree species. So the shifting grazing habits seems plausible.

I asked the Herero to show me the plant that kills the elephants, which he did. Gifblaar (Dichapetalum cymosum), a highly poisonous prostate shrub.
The explanation and the location and nature of the mortalities seem to fit.

 

[Woodcarver]

I didn’t really scrutinize the article but it some what speculative. They say “ it’s too early to blame climate change” and in the same sentence they blame climate change. Then they say the bacteria wasn’t found in some of the dead elephant and then blame the bacteria. The one thing that was interesting was they say population density could have played a roll. Which as a farmer I would think is plausible. Too many fish in the pond (or in this case too many elephant in the bush) cause stress along with the added stress of the dry season will make them more susceptible to diseases.

They referenced 227,900 elephant living in 193,051 square miles. Around here, pasture is rated at 35-45 acres/head of cattle. How many acres per elephant is considered adequate in those regions? I have my doubts that 750 acres would sustain an elephant year round in most of the African bush. That same 750 acres is also trying to support numerous other species at the same time. It strikes me that overgrazing, caused by higher population densities, would be the most likely cause. Any time a species is overpopulated and in higher densities, the spread of disease and parasites can become rampant.

 

[flatwater bill]

Haven't been there for 4 years, but at that time asked a game warden in Hwange how many elephant in the Park......about 45,000 he said. How many can it support? I asked. About 15000 was the reply. A nearby tourist from UK, who overheard our conversation, yelled at both of us and told us we were lying. Anyway, my farm will only support a fixed number of cattle. Even I know that. ....thanks for article. But agree with @thriller .......always double check anything from CNN...........FWB

 

[Sourdough]

The problem is not an over population of Elephant, but rather an over population of people. Just saying.

 

[revturbo9967]

A dead elephant was found on my hunt in September. Seemed to be a full grown but younger bull. It was gone within 24 hours of my ph having the ivory removed.

 

[Mort Hill]

I can smell that from here in Tennessee!

 

[revturbo9967]

The smell has not left my nose since

 

[John Telford]

A dead elephant was found on my hunt in September. Seemed to be a full grown but younger bull. It was gone within 24 hours of my ph having the ivory removed.

View attachment 573263

Which area was this?

 

[revturbo9967]

Omay north, Zim

 

[Hagler.450Ex]

The smell has not left my nose since

It has to fade away and finally leave the nose, there is no soap made that can make it go away. Not as bad with animals, but I've thrown good clothes away due to our species. The ivory should have been easy though.