Elephant Tragedy Prompts Scientists to Probe Viral Secrets of Botswana Water Pans
Scripps researchers analyze viruses in water pans to understand potential disease threats while laying the groundwork for future wildlife protection
In 2020, more than 350 African savanna elephants mysteriously died in Botswana’s Seronga region in just two months. Many of the carcasses were found near seasonal water pans, raising alarms about waterborne diseases, but little was known about the microbial and viral communities in these remote waters.
Researchers from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography have collaborated to investigate the microbial and viral ecology of the environment where this mass die-off occurred. Kenosi Kebabonye, a PhD candidate studying chemical ecology, Emilie Skoog, a postdoctoral scholar in the Bowman Lab and expert in viruses, and Lihini Aluwihare, an aquatic biogeochemist, have been analyzing samples of water collected from water pans in Botswana where elephants in the region were known to frequent. With support from Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks, the team tested these water pans for cyanobacteria and viral communities.
Researchers analyzed metagenomes — or genetic material present in a sample — from the water pan samples and uncovered a diverse viral community. Some of these viruses are known to cause disease in both elephants and humans. For example, elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHVs) were detected in the water pans that were sampled, and these viruses have been linked to disease in elephants in captivity and in the wild.
While the team is continuing to work to find a clear cause of the elephant deaths, their initial findings emphasize the importance of understanding microbial and viral communities in remote water pans as a baseline for detecting future health risks to wildlife.
“Our results show, most importantly, that you should consider the viral communities and the microbial communities in these water pans, and to be able to have some baseline data that we can then use to track these communities for future sampling,” Skoog said.
Their work, which was recently published in the journal iMetaOmics, showcases how foundational science in under-studied regions can support early-warning systems, inform public health and conservation efforts, and protect vital sectors like tourism. The paper reflects this interdisciplinary effort and highlights the need for continued monitoring and investment in research.