What's killing elephants in the North West?
Friday, May 22, 2020

Answers sought: Elephants are dying around Seronga and experts donu00e2u20acu2122t know why PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
Any time now, the results of post-mortems into the deaths of nearly 60 elephants in the far northwest are due. Since March, elephant carcasses have been found in the lush veldt around Seronga and Eretsha villages, with wildlife authorities quick to rule out poachers as the cause.
“So far, veterinary officers have ruled out the possibility of poaching because all carcasses of the elephants were found intact,” Department of Wildlife and National Parks officials wrote in a statement this week.
Instead, it has sparked a storm of accusations, denials, and unresolved questions about the influence of De Beers on the nation’s politics. Former president Mokgweetsi Masisi’s claims that the diamond giants bankrolled his removal to dodge taxes – and that the new Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government watered down a favourable diamond deal – are explosive matters. But without evidence, they risk becoming a toxic distraction from...