- Title: Zimbabwe says 55 elephants die from starvation after drought
- Date: 22nd October 2019
- Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (OCTOBER 22, 2019) (REUTERS) ZIMBABWE NATIONAL PARKS SPOKESPERSON, TINASHE FARAWO, WITH HIS COLLEAGUE OPENING UP A MAP OF ZIMBABWE FARAWO AND HIS COLLEAGUE LOOKING AT THE MAP FARAWO'S HAND POINTING AT THE MAP HWANGE LANDMARK ON THE MAP (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZIMBABWE NATIONAL PARKS SPOKESPERSON, TINASHE FARAWO, SAYING: "We lost at least 55 elephants over the last two months which is September and October. But as we move into the rainy season, we expect the situation to be worse because we are now moving into the more drier time for this country, which means October into November until the onset of the rain. We are desperately waiting for the rains because the situation is dire." HWANGE NATIONAL PARK LANDMARK ON MAP, FARAWO POINTING WITH HIS PEN ON THE MAP (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZIMBABWE NATIONAL PARKS SPOKESPERSON, TINASHE FARAWO, SAYING: "Most of them (elephants) if you look at them, they don't look healthy now because there's no food, there's no water and this situation is worse in many years and it's happening. That's why we have been saying to the international community: 'Hear us, these are our problems, allow us to trade, allow us to derive some benefit' because believe you me, if we had the resources it means we would sink more bores, we would drill more bores." FARAWO TYPING ON HIS LAPTOP FARAWO TALKING ON THE PHONE HANDS ROLLING UP THE ZIMBABWE MAP FARAWO TALKING TO HIS COLLEAGUE CARS DRIVING ON THE ROAD PEOPLE WALKING ACROSS THE STREET
- Embargoed: 5th November 2019 15:25
- Keywords: Zimbabwe elephants Harare HWANGE NATIONAL PARK
- Location: HWANGE NATIONAL PARK AND HARARE, ZIMBABWE
- City: HWANGE NATIONAL PARK AND HARARE, ZIMBABWE
- Country: Zimbabwe
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA002B26J3UV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC MATERIAL IN SHOT 2
At least 55 elephants have died in a game park in western Zimbabwe since September from starvation caused by a severe drought, the wildlife agency said on Monday (October 21).
Zimparks spokesman Tinashe Farawo said the animals had died near water holes dotted around the Hwange National Park, a sign that they had travelled long distances to access water.
In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday (October 22), Farawo said they were "desperately waiting for the rain because the situation is dire".
Investigations showed that at least 55 elephants had died from lack of food and water in the park, which holds the biggest elephant herd of 50,000 animals.
More than 200 people have died from elephant attacks in the past five years, according to Zimparks (Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority).
The agency was looking to drill more boreholes in Hwange because some existing ones had dried up but it lacked the money, said Farawo. The agency does not get funding from government.
The El Nino-induced drought has cut maize output by more than half, leaving a third of the human population also needing food aid.
(Production: Gift Sukala, Sisipho Skweyiya, Marissa Davison) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
