HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A spokesman for Zimbabwe's national parks says authorities are investigating the deaths of 11 elephants in a forest in the west of the country.

The carcasses of the elephants were discovered on Friday in Pandamasue Forest, located between Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls. Tinashe Farawo, spokesman of the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said blood samples have been taken to a laboratory for analysis to determine the cause of their deaths.

The dead elephants were found with the tusks still on their bodies, ruling out poaching. In recent years poachers in Zimbabwe have poisoned dozens of elephants and then have taken their ivory tusks to sell to illegal traders.