Elephants

Elephants in Botswana are dying of a mystery disease.

I am so pleased we honeymooned there in President Kama's time! Kama understood that Botswana had three big industries, diamond, beef, and tourism, and his total conservation policies attracted people who had money to spend and wanted to support environmental efforts. Hunting was supported by certain lobbies and his successor gave way to them; they weren't just trophy hunters, though such people are unironically prize shits, but farmers. Very hard to keep elephants out of fields and of course, they can kill. I honestly believe that farming can be one of the most pernicious enemies of Conservation, or even a healthy planet. The animal least likely to be seen in Botswana now is the cheetah, because they roam plains that make good fields, and were shot en masse as vermin, years ago.

There are ways round these issues. Elephants will shy away from some species of bee, and if your farmland is out of an elephant migratory route, you have less chance of bother. But if they like your crop, and god knows they eat, the quickest, least thoughtful way to deal with them is to kill them.


Botswana dry season + elephant damage. Of course everythng flourishes again when the rains come, but one can see why farmers might be concerned.

And of course, there's the ivory trade. And now this mystery virus. Seems always to be near waterholes, but no predation nearby, indeed, no other corpses. Very odd, and horrible. Let's see how quick the government is to test the water and autopsy the bodies. Personally, I have my doubts, first because it is physically hard to get to places in Botswana and secondly, there was a desire for fewer elephants.

I don't like the smell of this at all.