Hundreds of endangered African elephants suddenly died. New evidence finds a link to climate change
New data from satellites has provided further evidence that the deaths of hundreds of endangered Botswanan elephants were the result of climate change.
A new analysis found that the mass die-off in 2020 was likely tied to toxic algae in watering holes. The blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, had exploded after the region experienced a very wet year followed by a very dry one, British researchers said Thursday.
“Botswana is home to a third of all African elephants, and this unprecedented die-off within their largest remaining population underlines the escalating concerns surrounding the impact of drought and climate change on the Okavango Delta, one of the most important ecosystems in the world,” Davide Lomeo, a PhD student at King’s College London, said in a statement.
Lomeo was the lead author of the research published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/hundreds-of-endangered-african-elephants-suddenly-died-new-evidence-finds-a-link-to-climate-change/ar-AA1v06N6?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=f9f653baa9914da4ba06c99beda8432d&ei=39