For several weeks, Hwange national park, one of the most important in Zimbabwe, has seen a massive movement of animals, particularly elephants and buffalo, towards neighboring Botswana. Reason for this move: lack of water.
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Since August, thousands of elephants have left Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe for neighboring Botswana in search of water.
Animal migration is not an unusual phenomenon, says Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for Zimbabwe’s national parks. “ Animals are always moving in search of water and food. They say they can have breakfast in Zimbabwe, lunch in Zambia and dinner in Namibia… They have no borders “, he says.
But this year, more of them are migrating and much earlier in the season. “ The real problem is climate change. Right now it’s summer, temperatures can reach 40-45 degrees. Last year we didn’t have as much rain as usual, and so many waterholes are dry. Animals love water: an elephant can consume up to 300 liters of water per day. So, they move around more, they go to the villages and that causes conflicts. They attack men. There is real competition for water and food », he continues.
A competition exacerbated by overpopulation, according to Tinashe Farawo. Hwange Park covers 14,600 km2, and is home to around 50,000 pachyderms, one of the highest concentrations in the world.