“You will see carcasses scattered in the parks”

Drought in southern Africa is taking a toll on the elephant population. Lack of rain during the recent rainy season has led to water and food shortages.

What is happening?

The recent El Niño phenomenon has contributed to severe drought in several southern African countries. The period from October to April is normally the rainy season, according to NOAA. Instead, hot, dry weather has prevailed, limiting the food and water resources that the region’s nearly 230,000 elephants need to survive, Reuters reported.

“The drought has taken its toll and you will notice that most of the water points in the parks around KAZA are drying up,” Zambian Environment Minister Rodney Sikumba said, according to Reuters. “With no water and no food, you will see carcasses scattered around the parks.”

Why is the fate of elephants in Southern Africa important?

Southern Africa is home to the world’s largest elephant population. Scientists believe the extreme drought that began there in late 2023 is the result of both a buildup of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere and a strong El Niño, as detailed by Reuters.

The warming of the eastern Pacific along and near the equator, or El Niño, occurs about every two to seven years, according to NOAA. This phenomenon is linked to below-average rainfall in southern Africa. Our warming planet is linked to more frequent and intense droughts as climate change accelerates the water cycle, as the UCAR Center for Science Education has reported.

The drought in southern Africa is not only affecting elephants but also people. NASA found that some parts of the region received only half or less of their usual rainfall from late January to mid-March. The drought is putting the food security of millions of people at risk.

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The World Food Programme has issued an “urgent call for action” as the severe drought has affected more than 30 million people.

Droughts are another example of extreme weather events that scientists say are increasing as the planet warms. At the other end of the water cycle, research has shown that rising temperatures translate into an increased likelihood and intensity of flooding. Heat waves are occurring more frequently in major cities across the country, according to the EPA.

Extreme weather events have serious consequences for populations who lack the means to mitigate their effects. Southern Africa has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world.

What is being done to combat drought?

Zimbabwe’s Parks and Wildlife Authority has received $3 million from the country’s relief fund to boost water supplies to national parks, according to Reuters. Authorities are also taking extra precautions against fire risks to reduce the devastating effects of droughts.

Reducing the pollution that warms our planet is ultimately the best way to combat climate extremes. There are many ways we can all contribute as individuals. One way is to change the way we buy, cook, eat, and reuse food. Keeping food fresh longer, shopping smart at the grocery store, and ditching plastic bags can also reduce pollution and waste.

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