VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe – A recent study conducted by scientists from the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, the Animal and Plant Health Agency UK, the University of Surrey, and laboratories in South Africa has revealed that a bacterium closely associated with deadly septicemia could be the cause of the deaths of six African elephants in Zimbabwe, as well as potentially more in neighboring countries. These findings highlight the growing pressure of infectious diseases on African elephants, whose populations are already under threat. The study comes as a significant development in understanding the various pressures faced by this endangered species.
The mysterious deaths of 35 elephants, predominantly occurring between August and September of 2020 in a 40 x 25 km radius of North-Western Zimbabwe, prompted the scientific investigation. This incident was preceded by the death of approximately 350 elephants in neighboring northern Botswana from May to June 2020, which had sparked international concern. The fact that African savanna elephants are already an endangered species, with only 350,000 remaining in the wild and ongoing losses estimated at eight percent annually, makes these findings particularly concerning.
Dr. Chris Foggin, the lead investigator and a Wildlife Veterinarian at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, described the challenges they faced in investigating the mortality in the wildlife areas of north-west Zimbabwe. The difficulty in identifying and reaching the carcasses in time to obtain useful samples proved to be a significant obstacle in their work. However, through extensive postmortem examinations and toxicology analyses, the study concluded that the deaths were caused by a septicemic infection caused by a little-known bacterium provisionally named Bisgaard taxon 45, an unclassified member of the Pasteurellaceae bacterial family.
The identification of this bacterium is a significant step forward in understanding the reasons behind these elephant deaths, according to APHA Head of Virology Professor Falko Steinbach. It also sheds light on the potential transmission of the bacteria among elephants, especially given their highly sociable nature and the link between this infection and the stress associated with extreme weather events such as drought, which may make outbreaks more likely. This research was published in Nature Communications and adds to the growing list of disease-related threats to elephant conservation.
The findings from this study are critical in highlighting the various threats facing African elephant populations and in identifying the need for further research to better understand the long-term implications of this bacterium on the African elephant population and other wildlife. Understanding these threats and their impacts is essential for the sustainable conservation of the species.