Poachers in Zimbabwe poisoned more than 80 elephants, in attempts to keep up with the growing demand for illegal ivory on the black market.
The remains of 87 elephants have been found in Hwange National Park since May, public relations manager for Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Management Caroline Washaya-Moyo told CNN. The poachers laced salt licks with poison to kill the animals and take their valuable tusks. So far, park officials have found 51 tusks - that means poachers managed to get their hands on around 123 tusks.
Five alleged poachers were arrested in August, after the carcasses of 41 elephants were discovered in the park, located 500 miles southwest of the Zimbabwe border city of Harare. Three of the arrested poachers have been sentenced this week, and two of the investigations are still open.
The recently appointed Environment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said that harsher punishment in poaching-related crimes is necessary.
"That will be one of my missions in the new parliament, given the recent case of elephants which were poisoned by poachers," Kasukuwere announced when he visited the park last week, following the poisoning.
Chairman of organization The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force Johnny Rodrigues agreed with Kasukuwere's sentiments.
"They need to be given some extensive jail time. If it was, they wouldn't carry on doing it," he told CNN. Then, referencing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, he said: "They want permission from CITES to sell the ivory they have in stock and they think they will get it if there are too many elephants here."
CITES, also known as the Washington Convention, works to uphold minimums on plant and animal sales on the international market.
Rodrigues reported that current elephant population in Zimbabwe is around 35,000. Washaya-Moyo claimed it to be around 45,000. He also revealed the health issues that other animals face when one species is poisoned.
"When other animals and birds feed on the rotting elephant carcasses, they will also die from the poison," he said. "Hundreds of animals are now at risk."
