It took years to solve the mystery elephant deaths. Now, the threat is spreading

Elephants that dropped dead in Zimbabwe were victims of an obscure bacteria combined with extreme heat. Scientists fear more elephants – and other species – could suffer the same fate

The first elephant to die was an eight-year-old male. It was found on 24 August 2020 on the southern border of Panda Masuie forest reserve, Zimbabwe, collapsed on its side like a grey marquee in the reddish dirt.

When Dr Chris Foggin, a wildlife veterinarian at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, went to examine it, his first guess was anthrax – a common killer at that time of year. He was cautious taking organ samples, and burned the carcass when he had finished.