Drought, overgrazing cause deaths of 80 elephants in North West reserve since August

Plans are under way to euthanase starving elephants in the Madikwe Game Reserve in North West on the border with Botswana.  

Pieter Nel, an ecologist at the North West Parks and Tourism Board, said its database showed that 80 elephants had died from starvation since August.

The drought and the uncontrolled growth of the elephant population were the main drivers of deaths in Madikwe, said the Madikwe Futures Company, a nonprofit contracted in to assist the parks and tourism board.