Dozens of elephants have died of thirst in Zimbabwe’s popular Hwange National Park and conservationists fear the loss of more, as drought caused by climate change and the El Niño weather phenomenon dry up waterholes.

The El Niño phenomenon, which causes warmer and drier weather year-round, has been exacerbated by the climate crisis, scientists say, with concerns being raised about the issue at the ongoing COP28 UN climate conference in Dubai.

The Hwange has no major rivers and authorities rely on solar-powered boreholes to supply the animals with water, a Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) official said.

“We are relying on artificial water sources because our own surface water resources have been reduced. As elephants depend on water, we are recording more deaths,” Zimparks chief ecologist at Huanghe National Park Daphine Madlamoto told Reuters.

The elephant population in Huanghe is 45,000 and a fully grown elephant needs 200 liters of water per day. But as water runs low, solar-powered pumps in the park’s 104 boreholes, or wells, cannot pump enough water.

Reuters reporters saw dozens of dead elephants near waterholes, and park officials said more elephants had died in bushy areas, providing ready prey for lions and vultures.

“The park is dealing with the impact of climate change. We have less rain,” Madlamoto noted.

Zimbabwe’s rainy season runs from November to March, but it has rarely rained this year so far. The drought is expected to continue into 2024, according to the Zimbabwe Meteorological Service.

According to Zimparks, animals are forced to travel long distances in search of water and food, and some herds of elephants have crossed into neighboring Botswana. Environmental groups are trying to increase water supplies by cleaning up pits and pumping more water from solar wells to deal with the crisis.

Zimbabwe’s elephant population stands at almost 100,000, but its conservation capacity is limited to just over half of them, meaning its national parks are under pressure, according to Zimparks.