22 More Zimbabwean Elephants Poisoned to Death by Poachers
Rangers in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park have reportedly found the bodies of 22 more African elephants who were poisoned by cyanide, reports The Guardian. It is believed the elephants were killed by poachers for their ivory tusks.
This latest poisoning brings the total of elephants killed via cyanide poisoning in Zimbabwe in just the month of October to 62.
Caroline Washaya-Moyo said the Zimbabwe Parks and National Wildlife Management Authority is deploying specially trained dogs and even drones in an effort to tighten monitoring of Hwange, where 59 of the 62 poisoned elephants were killed. They’ve also reportedly busted a group of ivory smugglers from at least one part of the supply line:
On Monday, the national parks also announced that over the weekend authorities at Harare international airport seized 173 kilograms (380lb) of ivory worth $43,250 that was about to be smuggled to Singapore. Three Zimbabweans and a Malian national were arrested over the smuggling attempt, the parks agency said in a statement.
No mention is made of how the cyanide found its way into the elephants—previous poisonings have been reportedly carried out via watering holes, and at least one attack involved poisoning oranges.
The report says more than 200 elephants died by cyanide poisoning in 2013. Poachers have claimed nearly a third of that total just this month, with a few days still to go.
