Current Events > Hundreds of elephants found dead in Botswana

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53257512

Dr Niall McCann said colleagues in the southern African country had spotted more than 350 elephant carcasses in the Okavango Delta since the start of May.
No one knows why the animals are dying, with lab results on samples still weeks away, according to the government.
Botswana is home to a third of Africa's declining elephant population.

Dr McCann, of the UK-based charity National Park Rescue, told the BBC local conservationists first alerted the government in early May, after they undertook a flight over the delta.
"They spotted 169 in a three-hour flight," he said. "To be able to see and count that many in a three-hour flight was extraordinary.
"A month later, further investigations identified many more carcasses, bringing the total to over 350."
"This is totally unprecedented in terms of numbers of elephants dying in a single event unrelated to drought," he added.

Back in May, Botswana's government ruled out poaching as a reason - noting the tusks had not been removed, according to Phys.org.
There are other things which point to something other than poaching.

"It is only elephants that are dying and nothing else," Dr McCann said. "If it was cyanide used by poachers, you would expect to see other deaths."
Dr McCann has also tentatively ruled out natural anthrax poisoning, which killed at least 100 elephants in Bostwana last year.
But they have been unable to rule out either poisoning or disease. The way the animals appear to be dying - many dropping on their faces - and sightings of other elephants walking in circles points to something potentially attacking their neurological systems, Dr McCann said.

Either way, without knowing the source, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil. Dr McCann points to the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have started in animals.
"Yes, it is a conservation disaster - but it also has the potential to be a public health crisis," he said.

Dr Cyril Taolo, acting director for Botswana's department of wildlife and national parks, told the Guardian they had so far confirmed at least 280 elephants had died, and were in the process of confirming the rest.
However, they did not know what was causing the animals' deaths.
"We have sent [samples] off for testing and we are expecting the results over the next couple of weeks or so," he said.

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Nooooooooo

Whyyyyy

I love elephants so much :(

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thats really sad. Elephants are likely going to be extinct outside of zoos within our lifetimes

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:(

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This legit depressed me.

I really love elephants

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elephants are awesome. fuck 2020. fuck humanity. just fuck the whole world. But leave elephants alone.

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boxington posted...

The way the animals appear to be dying - many dropping on their faces - and sightings of other elephants walking in circles points to something potentially attacking their neurological systems

Prion disease, huh?

Either way, without knowing the source, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil.

...or heavy metal poisoning?

:(

CoViD-20

boxington posted...

Either way, without knowing the source, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil.

So...is this the 2nd bowl?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_bowls

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I believe Botswana was one of the last countries in Africa that actually offered decent protection for the wildlife, including elephants.

This is really sad. Those animals will be extinct in our lifetime, most likely.

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MFBKBass5 posted...

I believe Botswana was one of the last countries in Africa that actually offered decent protection for the wildlife, including elephants.

Now this is just learning more towards a prion disease.
Genetic bottleneck plus close proximity does fit the usual pattern.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Now this is just learning more towards a prion disease.
Genetic bottleneck plus close proximity does fit the usual pattern.

Prion is BAD! NO CURE

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Any creature that takes really messy shits is not something I can love.

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Questionmarktarius posted...

Now this is just learning more towards a prion disease.
Genetic bottleneck plus close proximity does fit the usual pattern.

Yeah. I wasnt saying they were killed or hunted. Just sucks that the population of elephants is already so small due to irresponsible poaching.

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Solid Sonic posted...

Any creature that takes really messy shits is not something I can love.

I feel attacked

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boxington posted...

I feel attacked

lol

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Seems like some kind of parasite or disease.

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Questionmarktarius posted...

Prion disease, huh?

...or heavy metal poisoning?

Prions are nasty shit. A damn protein basically goes from 2D to 3D and you are 100% assured to die not a damn thing medicine can do.

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well i hate this shit

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Stuff like this and pandemics will become more common due to climate change and encroachment on nature

pikachupwnage posted...

Prions are nasty shit. A damn protein basically goes from 2D to 3D and you are 100% assured to die not a damn thing medicine can do.

Heavy metals have a definite point of no return where medical intervention is also useless.
Botswana is having a huge mining boom right now, and these symptoms could plausibly be caused by the mercury/thallium/lead "poisoner's corridor" of heavy metals.

boxington posted...

I feel attacked

lol. me 3

bump~

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boxington posted...

bump~

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Elephants have a really complex culture.

They also think you're cute the way you think a puppy is cute:

https://www.unilad.co.uk/featured/elephants-think-humans-are-cute-just-like-we-think-puppies-are/

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SaltyWet posted...

Elephants have a really complex culture.

They also think you're cute the way you think a puppy is cute:

https://www.unilad.co.uk/featured/elephants-think-humans-are-cute-just-like-we-think-puppies-are/

I wish elephants were the dominant species of this planet instead we have stinking ass monkeys that destroyed the planet in this era

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Rexdragon125 posted...

Stuff like this and pandemics will become more common due to climate change and encroachment on nature

Likely. All ecosystems hang in the balance.

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one more

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Rexdragon125 posted...

Stuff like this and pandemics will become more common due to climate change and encroachment on nature

This. We're fucking up our planet to a point of no return.

Kingbuffet posted...

This. We're fucking up our planet to a point of no return.

No return for humans, maybe.
The big rock were "fucking up" will continue to exist until the sun explodes in about four billion years.