From Zimbabwe, it was gathered that the number of elephants killed by cyanide poisoning, has increased to 102.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Authority that ten bodies of elephant dead for less than three weeks were discovered at a waterhole 40 kilometres from the main tourist camp in the western Hwange National Park.

Authorities arrested two suspected poachers at a village outside the game park where a small quantity of cyanide was discovered.

The statement further disclosed that eight vultures eating the carcasses also died. Soaring vultures are often the first sign from considerable distances of an illegal kill by poachers.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Regional Manager Arthur Musakwa told state radio that the organization was working the police and recruiting more rangers in a bid to clamp-down against poaching in the park.

He said a spoor was spotted by rangers who followed it to the homes of the two suspects where they found 200 granules of cyanide. The poachers applied the cyanide at a natural salt lick.

The suspects are helping the Authority and the police with information which will help in breaking the syndicate thought to be behind ecological disaster.

13 elephant tusks have been recovered so far.