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A recent study has confirmed that the mysterious deaths of nearly 400 African elephants in Botswana’s Okavango Delta in 2020 were caused by toxic algal blooms fueled by climate change.
Researchers have linked these blooms to stagnant waterholes that became hazardous after significant climate-induced shifts in rainfall patterns and temperature.
The research, led by King’s College London, combined satellite data with spatial analysis to trace the connection between contaminated waterholes and the elephant carcasses.
It revealed that toxic cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, proliferated in stagnant water following the extreme weather shifts of 2019 and 2020.
These algae produced toxins that poisoned elephants drinking from the waterholes, with symptoms including disorientation and collapse before death.
The findings highlight how erratic weather patterns, such as the driest year in decades in 2019 followed by extreme rainfall in 2020, created favorable conditions for harmful algal blooms.
This abrupt environmental change resuspended nutrients and sediments in waterholes, leading to an unprecedented surge in toxic algae populations.
The study’s lead researcher, Davide Lomeo, emphasized the risk posed by prolonged dry periods and erratic rainfall cycles, which are expected to increase under climate change projections for southern Africa.
Such conditions exacerbate water quality issues, making waterholes potentially lethal for wildlife.
While elephants were the most visible victims, researchers believe that many smaller animals also succumbed to the toxins but were scavenged before carcasses could be documented.
This event underscores the far-reaching impact of climate-induced ecological changes on biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Botswana, home to a third of Africa’s remaining elephants, is a critical habitat for the species, whose population has already been under severe pressure from poaching and habitat loss.
Mass die-offs like this add to their vulnerability, threatening the survival of the species.
The study underscores the urgent need for water quality monitoring across the region to mitigate future risks.
Satellite-based methods used in the research proved effective in detecting contamination, offering a scalable solution for early intervention.
Southern Africa is experiencing rising temperatures and increased dryness as a result of climate change, which heightens the risk of harmful algal blooms.
Experts emphasize the critical need for extensive monitoring of water bodies to detect and address such threats. With the region facing another severe drought, there is a significant concern that conditions similar to those leading to the 2020 elephant die-off could reoccur.
This research highlights the critical need to address the cascading effects of climate change on wildlife and ecosystems, underscoring the importance of global conservation efforts to safeguard biodiversity in a rapidly changing world.
Also Read l Tech Meets Wildlife: How AI is Saving Elephants in Tamil Nadu
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