African elephants’ mysterious mass deaths revealed: bacterial infection

In 2020, mysterious mass deaths occurred in elephant populations in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Researchers eventually discovered that the deaths were caused by a little-known bacterial infection.

Between the end of February and March 2020, about 60 elephants died in northwestern Zimbabwe. The animals all exhibited similar symptoms before dying, including difficulty breathing, weakness and lameness.

Initially, experts believed that the deaths could be the result of poaching, poisoning or drought. However, further investigations ruled out these possibilities.

Researchers analyzed samples from the dead elephants and found that a bacterium called Bisgard Taxon 45 infected the animals. This bacterium is a gram-negative bacillus that can cause sepsis or blood poisoning.

The researchers believe that elephants are forced to travel long distances in search of food and water during droughts, which may lead them to come into contact with infected animals or animal carcasses.

With climate change, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, which could lead to an increase in the incidence of this bacterial infection, the study authors said.

The African elephant is an endangered species that is currently under intense pressure from poaching and habitat loss. This study suggests that climate change may also pose a threat to these animals.