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‘Climate-induced poisoning’: 350 elephants probably killed by toxic water
Satellite data analysis suggests algal blooms could be behind mass die-off in Botswana that sparked flurry of theories in 2020
Photograph: HandoutResearchers stated: “Globally, this event underscores the alarming trend of sudden, climate-induced diseases.” In the same year 35 elephants died in neighbouring Zimbabwe from an obscure bacteria getting into the blood, which was linked to prolonged drought conditions. Dr Niall McCann, who was not involved in the research, and is the director of conservation at UK-based charity National Park Rescue, said: “This study provides a compelling explanation for the mass die-off of elephants that shocked the world in 2020.” The research “adds to the growing body of evidence that climate change can have a range of lethal effects on wildlife (as well as livestock and people), from radically changing water availability, to providing the conditions for harmful bacteria and algae to proliferate and overwhelm animal populations”. Dr Arnoud van Vliet from the University of Surrey, who was also not involved in the paper, said it gave “support to the previously established view that cyanotoxins in drinking water may have caused the mass deaths”.
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