Zimbabwe Drought

A severe drought that has drained water sources in Zimbabwe's largest national park has left 55 elephants dead since September, a spokesman for the country's wildlife agency said on Monday.

Some of the animals died while searching for water at Hwange National Park. Others were killed by residents after wandering into surrounding communities looking for food, Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for Zimbabwe's Parks and WildLife Management Authority said.

"The elephants are traveling long distances to look for water and end up invading communities. Some died of thirst in the park, some while in search of water. Community members killed others after they destroyed their properties," Farawo said.

Twenty people have been killed in human-animal conflict in the country since January, according to the spokesman.

Farawo said an elephant mauled a man to death after he tried to chase the animal, which had wandered into his garden to drink water in his backyard in a local settlement last week.

"That's why we are saying, allow us to trade in these animals, and we can raise funds for their security and food. But the so-called conservationists condemn us. The park was meant for 15,000 elephants, but we are now talking of over 50,000," he said.

Farawo said the water crisis at the park was at a dire stage, and authorities have had to dig boreholes deeper to provide care for the animals.