News / Regional
Severe drought kills 100 Jumbos in Zimbabwe
18 Nov 2011 at 09:44hrs | Views
Severe drought has killed an estimated 100 elephants worth $2 million in Hwange National Park in the past month or so, and is threatening thousands other jumbos in the country's largest wildlife sanctuary.
Elephants are the mainstay of Zimbabwe's tourism industry and each beast is valued at $20 000, according to Statutory Instrument 9 of 2009.
Erratic rainfall patterns, unprecedented high temperatures and a population boom has seen National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority pumping borehole water into artificial drinking holes to serve the 40 000 jumbos in the giant park.
Parks rangers, have since the heat wave that swept the country in late October reported alarming death rates, especially in calves and old jumbos, who have had to endure the long distances to the various artificial drinking holes.
Asked for comment Parks director general Vitalis Chadenga said his organisation was doing its best, even with limited resources to artificially supply water.
Elephants are the mainstay of Zimbabwe's tourism industry and each beast is valued at $20 000, according to Statutory Instrument 9 of 2009.
Erratic rainfall patterns, unprecedented high temperatures and a population boom has seen National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority pumping borehole water into artificial drinking holes to serve the 40 000 jumbos in the giant park.
Parks rangers, have since the heat wave that swept the country in late October reported alarming death rates, especially in calves and old jumbos, who have had to endure the long distances to the various artificial drinking holes.
Asked for comment Parks director general Vitalis Chadenga said his organisation was doing its best, even with limited resources to artificially supply water.
Source - Herald
