Over a hundred elephants have died of thirst in Zimbabwe’s popular Hwange National Park, and conservationists fear losing more as a drought caused by climate change and the El Nino global weather pattern dries up watering holes. The seasonal El Nino, which causes hotter, drier weather throughout the year, has been exacerbated by climate breakdown, scientists say, a cause of concern at the ongoing COP28 discussions on climate action in Dubai.
Elephants and other wildlife are dying in Zimbabwe, as an extended dry season has reduced once abundant water holes, to muddy puddles. Summer rains are five weeks late due to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, as dozens of elephants have already died in Hwange National Park, the county’s largest protected area home to about 45,000 elephants. At least 100 elephants are already reported dead due to lack of water.
“If you look at the mortalities that we have recorded, to date we have about 112 to 113 elephants. And most of the animals that are affected are the old, the young and the sick because those animals can’t move long distances in search of water. These are the issues of climate change that we have been talking about”.
Tinashe Farawo, Zimparks spokesperson – Zimbabwe
The devastating impact of climate change on wildlife and humans calls for an integrated and holistic approach to support climate-resilient landscapes and communities. News of the tragedy comes during COP28, while global leaders gather to determine ambition and responsibilities and identify and assess climate measures at the global climate change conference in Dubai. IFAW’s agenda at COP28 advocates for wildlife conservation as a nature-based solution to tackling climate change.
Temperatures continue to soar and Hwange sometimes records more than 40 degrees Celsius.The situation is worse for wildlife, with elephants having become one of the most affected. We are trying to but in our best to provide more water, more bore holes for the elephants
Tinashe Farawo, Zimparks spokesperson – Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s rainy season runs from November to March, but it has barely rained so far this year. The drought is expected to continue into 2024, according to Zimbabwe Meteorological Services.Zimparks said animals are being forced to walk long distances to search for water and food, and several herds of elephants have crossed into neighboring Botswana. Conservation groups are trying to supply extra water by desilting watering holes and pumping more water through solar wells to help deal with the crisis.