Bodies of 87 elephants found near Botswana sanctuary
Charity blames gruesome find on ‘poaching frenzy’ in months since disarming of rangers

Dozens of elephants have been found dead near a wildlife reserve in Botswana, months after the country defanged its anti-poaching taskforce.
Conservation charity Elephants Without Borders (EWB) uncovered the gruesome scene after conducting an aerial survey of the area around the Okavango Delta wildlife sanctuary in northern Botswana.
An incident report written by EWB’s Dr Mike Chase and seen by US news service NPR said that the horrifying discovery of 87 dead elephants was “indicative of a poaching frenzy” in the area that had been going on for some time.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“All carcasses [were] presumed to be poached, because all of them had their skulls chopped to remove their tusks,” he wrote, adding that the poachers appeared to have tried to hide their crimes by “concealing the mounds of rotting flesh with drying bushes”.
According to the Great Elephant Census, elephant populations in Africa are declining at the rate of around 8% per year, “primarily due to poaching”.
Chase told the BBC he was “astounded” by the scale of slaughter, which the broadcaster says “coincides with Botswana's anti-poaching unit being disarmed” with no explanation.
In May, the government announced that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ anti-poaching officers would no longer carry weapons, a sharp break from its previous “shoot to kill” policy on poaching.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Botswana’s zero tolerance approach allowed it to escape the worst of the poaching scourge decimating populations across the continent. More than a third of Africa’s remaining 352,271 elephants are found in Botswana, giving it a reputation as the “last sanctuary” for elephants, says the BBC - a status that now hangs in the balance.
“We have the world's largest elephant population and it's open season for poachers,” Chase warned.
“This requires urgent and immediate action by the Botswana government.”
-
Political cartoons for October 18
Cartoons Saturday's editorial cartoons include conversion therapy, Russ Vought, and more
-
President Trump: ‘waging war’ on Chicago
Talking Point Federal agents are carrying out ‘increasingly aggressive’ immigration raids – but have sanctuary cities like Chicago brought it on themselves?
-
Crossword: October 18, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime minister
In the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago