From Zimbabwe, CEOAFRICA.com gathered that more than 80 elephants have died as a result of cyanide poisoning at the Hwange National Park.

It was disclosed by sources that nine suspected poachers have been arrested since the first of the elephant carcasses were discovered later last month. The carcasses were discovered after national parks authorities teamed up with police to track suspected poachers, after hearing gunfire in the park.

Investigations by the police resulted in the grisly discovery of the elephants, with their tusks removed. Further investigations led the police to nearby Mafu homestead, where six suspected members of the poaching gang were arrested and 17 elephant tusks were recovered.

Authorities said the poaching syndicate laced salt licks with cyanide and placed the salt at main water sources where the Hwange elephants drink.

Since then, a large scale operation has been launched resulting in three more arrests and the discovery of even more elephants remains.

The Chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), Johnny Rodrigues, described the situation as very precarious. He blamed greed and corruption for allowing poaching to reach this level.

“The repercussions are just so big. All the carnivores in the park like your lions, your leopards, the birds, they will all have perished too from eating the elephant meat. The situation is just going to get worse and something needs to be done to stop the carnage”, he said.

Furthermore, the new Minister of Environment Saviour Kasukuwere, has declared war against poaching.

“We declare zero tolerance to poaching. We cannot continue with this non-sense,” he said.

Also, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi, who accompanied Kasukuwere to Hwange, described the poisoning as murder case of Zimbabwe’s wildlife and pledged to take the fight an international level.