The Elephants Of Hwange (32/268)

The Elephants Of Hwange (32/268)

60 years ago the Hwange National Park in the south-east of Zimbabwe was founded to provide refuge for elephants, for only about 1,000 of their species were still living in the 15,000 square kilometres of the savannah south of the Zambesi river. Soon the park was offering a safe habitat not only to elephants, but also to giraffes, antelopes and many other animal species. Today most of the animals here are once again endangered. For in the past decades the elephant population has risen dramatically: some 40,000 animals claim the Hwange National Park almost exclusively for themselves, the vegetation cannot keep pace with this population increase. Smaller animals such as gnus or reed bucks hardly get a look-in, while certain antelope species are now no longer to be found here.Even predators are now threatened by the vegetarian pachyderms, for if gazelles and antelopes disappear then nothing remains for them to hunt. Hence the African wild dog, one of the most threatened animals on the continent, could also become a victim of the elephants.

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