26 more elephants killed with cyanide in Zimbabwe

Rangers in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park have discovered the carcasses of 26 elephants at two locations, additional victims of cyanide poisoning. The rest of the animals were too young to have any ivory, the Zimbabwe Parks Authority said. Twenty-six elephants were found poisoned by cyanide in two areas, similar to how 14 other elephants were killed last week.

Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said no arrests had been made so far.

Rangers recovered one kilogram of cyanide at one of the crime scenes, said Washaya-Moyo, adding the cash-strapped Harare is increasing patrols in the park to stem the poaching, which she says has become more sophisticated and silent as poachers no longer use guns.

The cyanide is often obtained from poorly guarded mining sites. “Cyanide poisoning is becoming a huge problem here and we are struggling to contain it”, said Trevor Lane, a founder of the Bhejane Trust and a leading wildlife conservationist to British daily, to the Associated Press.

The discoveries come less than a fortnight after rangers found 14 dead elephants, which had succumbed to the same fate. A few tusks were left behind after the recent killings, which officials said is a sign that the patrols are disrupting poachers’ work. “All this poaching is because of American policies. An elephant would cost $120,000 in sport hunting but a tourist pays only $10 to view the same elephant”, she said. They are banning sport hunting.

Last year, more than 300 elephants died after suspected poachers placed cyanide near their watering holes.