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Botswana Hopes Mysterious Elephant Deaths Are Over; Zimbabwe Records Its
First

Mqondisi Dube

   GABORONE - Botswana says a string of mysterious elephant'¯deaths has
   come to a halt since June, after at least 281 carcasses were found.

   Experts in the southern African country, with the world's largest
   elephant population, said there were no signs of poaching or predators.
   Most of the blood samples sent abroad for testing indicate a toxin
   caused the deaths.

   However, it is not clear if the toxin is man-made or natural, says
   Botswana's Ministry of Wildlife and Environment Permanent Secretary
   Oduetse Koboto.

   "We have received most of the results. A lot of variables that we
   suspected had tested negative. We ruled out any virus, no bacteria.
   Pathogens (are) also negative," he said. "The only thing that we are
   waiting for is toxicology. What is evident is that we are now dealing
   with a poison."'¯'¯'¯'¯'¯'¯

   Koboto says they are waiting on one last batch of test results from the
   United States before reaching a conclusion.

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