Most of the animals killed were large bulls carrying heavy tusks, Elephants Without Borders said. Chase said elephants in Zambia and Angola, north of Botswana, "have been poached to the verge of local extinction, and poachers have now turned to Botswana". Botswana Tourism Minister Tshekedi Khama confirmed to AFP that dozens of elephants had been poached. The Botswana poaching occurred just months after former president Ian Khama, deeply passionate about protecting wildlife, stepped down, handing power to his chosen successor Mokgweetsi Masisi. "Until now Botswana's elephant herds have largely been left in peace, but clearly Botswana is now in the cross-hairs," said Jason Bell, IFAW's vice president for conservation.

Source: Daily Nation September 04, 2018 15:00 UTC