The corpse of an elephant that died from thirst lies in the mud of the dried up Lake Banzena in the drought stricken Gourma region of southern Mali, May 24, 2009. The tracks surrounding the corpse are from other elephants that came to grieve. Mali's 350 to 450 desert elephants, the northernmost elephant species of Africa, are accustomed to surviving in harsh drought conditions. But one of their crucial water sources, Lake Banzena, recently dried up, putting the animals at risk. [Agencies]