Neuro-toxins in water produced by cyanobacteria killed more than 300 African elephants in the Okavango delta region, Botswana (country in Southern Africa). Neuro-toxins are substances that damage, destroy, or impair the functioning of neural tissue.
Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are microscopic organisms found naturally in soils and all types of water. These single-celled organisms (bacteria) live in fresh, brackish (combined salt and freshwater), and marine water. In warm, nutrient-rich (high in phosphorus and nitrogen) environments, cyanobacteria can multiply quickly. Not all produce toxins but scientists say toxic ones are occurring more frequently as climate change drives up global temperatures.
An algal bloom is a rapid increase in the population of algae or cyanobacteria in an aquatic system.
Toxic blue-green algae thrive in warm, slow-moving water. Warmer water due to climate change might favor harmful algae. Warmer temperatures prevent water from mixing, allowing algae to grow thicker and faster. Climate change might lead to more droughts, which make freshwater saltier. This can cause marine algae to invade freshwater ecosystems. Algae need carbon dioxide to survive. Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the air and water can lead to rapid growth of algae, especially toxic blue-green algae that can float to the surface of the water . Climate change might affect rainfall patterns, leading to alternating periods of drought and intense storms. This can cause more nutrient runoff into water bodies, feeding more algal blooms.
The African elephant is the largest animal walking the Earth. Their herds wander through 37 countries in Africa. They are vulnerable as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. African elephants in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe are included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
It is a landlocked country of southern Africa. Botswana is mostly flat with a few hills, most of its highest points located along the south-east section of the country (the eastern edge of the Kalahari Basin).
The semi-arid Kalahari Desert covers about 70% of Botswana’s surface.
While Kalahari does receive about 500 millimetres in the wettest parts per annum, the Kalahari is considered a desert because it has a vast surface area covered with sand. Indegenous People It is also home to the tribes like- San people (Bushmen), Tswana, Kgalakgadi, and Herero people. Okavango Delta It is one of the world’s largest inland deltas. It spans about 15,000 square kilometres and is relatively flat topography.
