Poisoning leads to Africa’s worst elephant massacre in 25 years.
Poachers use cyanide to poison hundreds of animals for their tusks in devastating new tactic in the illegal ivory trade.
Poachers in Zimbabwe have killed more than 300 elephants and countless other safari animals by cyanide poisoning.
There is now deep concern that the use of cyanide – first revealed in July, but on a scale that has only now emerged – represents a new and particularly damaging technique in the already soaring poaching trade.
Poachers killed the elephants over the past three months by lacing waterholes and salt licks with cyanide.
Animals are drawn to them during the dry season in the already arid and remote south-eastern section of the 5,660-square mile park.
Zimbabwe's authorities say the cyanide has been planted by villagers who sell the elephants' tusks for around £300 each to cross-border traders.
They can be resold in South Africa for up to £10,000 a pair, according to court papers relating one recent incident, sometimes re-emerging as carved artefacts such as bangles in Cape Town's craft markets.
In 2011, at least 17,000 African elephants were killed for their tusks.
Read more - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/10390634/Poachers-kill-300-Zimbabwe-elephants-with-cyanide.html
More on elephant poaching here -
Elephants face extinction unless ivory trade is banned - They may disappear in as little as ten years at this rate of poaching.
Money from poaching elephants financed Kenya mall terror
http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/2013/10/money-from-poaching-elephants-financed.html
Ivory buyers, shame on you
http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/2013/05/animal-news-ivory-buyers-shame-on-you_1.html
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