About 12 baby elephants are said to have died in the forest between Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls.
The forest is close to where Chinese nationals are currently prospecting for coal.
Interestingly, China is said to be one of the biggest buyers of elephants and its products such as ivory.
Zimbabwe has been in the media before for selling live baby elephants to the Asian country.
Currently, Harare is pushing CITES to allow it to dispose of off its ivory and rhino horns to China and Japan.
The ivory and rhino horns are currently valued at about US$600 million.
Zimbabwe has been complaining that it has an overpopulation of elephants and the parks are not coping.
It is believed there are 88 000 elephants in Zimbabwe against a carrying capacity of about 55 000.
Zimparks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the deaths to Studio 7 adding that they are investigating the cause of death.
“It’s unfortunate that we have 12 baby elephants that were found dead between Victoria Falls and Hwange.
“Our investigations show that it was not the work of poachers because they still had their tasks and there is no sign of cyanide that could have been used to kill them.
Farawo added “There are no other animals that died at the water source that is why we are ruling out cyanide.
“We took samples for testing. The baby elephants that died range between 2 and 6 years,” he said.
He said there is a possibility that the baby elephants might have eaten certain plants or fruits which are not good for them due to drought and the fact that they cannot reach leaves from tall trees
Meanwhile, the government of Zimbabwe has been castigated for allowing the Chinese to prospect for coal in Hwange National Park.
However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba defended the move on Twitter, adding that land use can be changed.
“What is a national park except land use for wildlife? Does that stop an evolving society from re-designating a land piece for other uses, principally that called mining?
“You want our subsoil assets stomped upon by mating elephants while you starve?
“By the way, what is your stake in Hwange National Park, you as a black Zimbabwean?
“Just wanting to know so I gauge the basis of this pseudo-environmental whining that forgets you need power and cooking coal to industrialize,” he said
Hwange National Park popular for Safari
The mining of coal in Hwange National Park is predicted to increase cases of human and wildlife conflicts.
Others are of the view that it will also affect the movement and feeding patterns of certain animals.
Hwange National Park is arguably one of the popular places for safari tourism which generate foreign currency for Zimbabwe.
Safari tourism creates a lot of jobs as well as benefit local communities around national parks.
Zimbabwe is angry with CITES over elephants
Some Members of Parliament in Zimbabwe have questioned why the country still maintains its membership to CITES.
Tourism Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu who was last week forced to abandon a climate change meeting after pornography popped up in his presentation, say it is of no use to leave CITES.
He said the move would only make sense if the buyers China and Japan also exit the Convention.
However, the two economic powerhouses are said to be reluctant to exit as they fear suffering some consequences.
