Deadly algae flowers: over 350 elephants in Botswana died!

Deadly algae flowers: over 350 elephants in Botswana died!

A shocking incident shakes Botswana: Over 350 elephants died of poisoned water holes!

In 2020 the inconceivable happened: over 350 majestic elephants in Botswana fell victim to a fatal danger! The cause? A devastating poison that came from cyanobacteria and poisoned the water holes that used these gentle giants to drink. Scientists have now uncovered the shocking details of this tragedy.

The cruel discovery was initiated by a comprehensive examination of the sudden elephant dent in the Okavango Delta. Around 20 water holes were identified in an area of ​​around 6,000 square kilometers, which were contaminated with these dangerous cyanobacteria. These algae are not only invisible, but also extremely dangerous!

What are cyanobacteria and how do you endanger elephants?

cyanobacteria, also known as blue algae, are not all toxic, but some can generate fatal algae flowers in a standing water. These fatal flowers were discovered in the study by researchers at King’s College London. The elephants died in May and June 2020 after they had drunk out of these poisoned water holes. Researchers like Davide Lomeo, an expert on earth observation, explain that environmental factors such as sudden temperature increases and nutrient pollution can lead to the production of these dangerous toxins.

The shocking deaths came to light when the organization of Elephants Without Borders carried out routine air shots in 2020. The pictures showed a frightening number of elephant carcasses that were scattered across the landscape. A total of 161 carcasses and 222 skeletons were counted, while 2,682 living elephants were recorded in the region at the same time. The accumulation of the Kadaver indicated a sudden death - a devastating event that put the scientists on alert!

But how did the researchers get on the trail of the poisonous algae? First of all, they had to exclude other possible causes. Although the region is known as a hotspot for poaching, the carcasses found themselves with intact tusks, which indicates another cause of death. Other diseases such as the encephalomyocarditis virus or spleen fire could also be excluded. The distribution of the carcasses and the spatial patterns indicated that local environmental factors played a crucial role.

The uncanny details of the poisoning

The researchers used satellite images to pursue the paths of the elephants. On average, they covered 16.5 kilometers before they died - a terrifying reference to the dangers that went from the water holes. The fatal toxins meant that many elephants died only 3.6 days after drinking from the contaminated water holes. These alarming data match earlier reports on the toxicity of blue algae.

The exact circumstances remain unclear. Researchers cannot precisely determine how poisonous every water hole was or whether the elephants drank from several water holes. It is possible that the elephants were poisoned in their organs by accumulating toxins. The COVID-19 pandemic also made the timely examination of the carcasses, which made the situation even more complicated.

The shocking results were officially recognized by the Botswanas government as environmental poisoning by cyanobacterial toxins. But the question remains: can something like that happen again? The answer is uncertain. Experts warn that in dry areas where animals are dependent on standing water, similar mass deaths could occur at any time. The danger lurks not only for elephants, but also for other animals and even aquatic forms of life.

The tragedy of the elephants in Botswana is an urgent wake -up call for the protection of our environment and the animals that are in their lives. Research on cyanotoxins remains crucial to prevent such disasters in the future!