Elephants and buffaloes are dying of starvation in a wildlife-rich area of western Zimbabwe, the state-controlled Herald reported on Friday.
The paper said at least four elephant calves and several buffaloes have died recently in the Matetsi area near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s prime tourist resort.
”I am aware that several buffaloes were reported dead in the last three weeks,” Minister of Tourism Francis Nhema was quoted as saying.
A wildlife expert blamed the drought for the deaths.
”What is happening does not surprise me because we received poor rains the last season, and animals during this time tend to walk long distances to get water and in search of appropriate food.
”It is during these long journeys … that they suffer from malnutrition and the vulnerable eventually die,” Chris Foggin, of the Department of Veterinary Service, told the Herald.
Comments from an official from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority show Zimbabwe’s current diesel shortage may also be partly to blame.
The authority’s spokesperson Edward Mbewe said there is a ”delay in diesel supplies, which is used to pump water engines scattered across the sanctuary”, the Herald said.
He said the animals rely on pumped water for drinking.
But Mbewe said it is also possible the elephants died ”of a mysterious disease”.
Zimbabwe’s once-thriving wildlife sector has taken a knock since the launch of the government’s land-reform programme five years ago, which saw several privately run wildlife conservancies invaded by settlers searching for land to farm. — Sapa-DPA