Two professional hunters who shot dead a research elephant and then tried to hide the evidence have had their licences revoked by Botswana’s government.

Michael Lee Potter and Kevin Sharp destroyed the elephant’s collar in an effort to cover up the shooting.

In a statement on Saturday, Botswana’s environment and tourism ministry described the incident as “unfortunate” and said the pair had surrendered their licences after shooting the animal dead at the end of November.

The hunters’ nationalities could not be immediately established. Mr Potter was banned for an indefinite period, while Mr Sharp has been banned for three years.

“In addition, the two hunters will replace the destroyed collar,” the ministry said.

Inside India’s first elephant hospital Show all 20 1 /20 Inside India’s first elephant hospital Inside India’s first elephant hospital One of the rescued elephants takes a bath in the morning at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Wildlife SOS is a conservation nonprofit organisation in India working for animal welfare, elephant conservation and care EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital A specialised ambulance designed to rescue elephants EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Gajraj, who was rescued from an Indian royal family, walks inside the treatment area EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Elephants are rescued from heartbreaking conditions in circuses, from street begging and from highway accidents EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Gajraj arrives for his treatment EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital An elephant with the chronic foot disease and generalised infection EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital A worker hoses one of the rescued elephants EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital A volunteer feeds an elephant in the morning EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital One of the rescued elephants takes a bath EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Tethering chains, iron hobbles and hooks, which were used to control captive elephants, on display EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Gajraj takes a mud bath EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Gajraj receives treatment at the hospital EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital One of the elephants enjoys a meal of fruit and vegetables EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Senior veterinary officer Dr Yaduraj shows scans on the screen of a high-end X-ray device EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Volunteers scrub down an elephant as it takes a bath EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital Rescued elephants at the hospital EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital According to a World Animal Protection data, there are more than 3,000 elephants still in captivity in India, used for the tourism and leisure industry, and many of them are in need of proper care and attention EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital One of the elephants receives medical treatment EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital A rescued elephant has a snack EPA Inside India’s first elephant hospital A senior veterinary officer treats an elephant with chronic foot disease and generalised infection EPA

“The ministry will work with the hunting industry to ensure that the necessary ethical standards are upheld.”

Neither hunter was available for comment, Reuters reports.

The shooting has parallels with the killing of Cecil the lion by an American hunter in neighbouring Zimbabwe in 2015. The lion was also wearing a research collar and was supposed to be protected. His death provoked outrage on social media.

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi sparked global controversy when he lifted a ban on elephant hunting in May. The ban had been installed five years earlier by his predecessor, Ian Khama, an ardent conservationist.

Africa’s overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continent’s elephants, has seen numbers grow to 130,000 from 80,000 in the late 1990s.

An enormous black market for ivory, mostly due to Chinese demand. remains a major threat to the species. Around 10,000 to 15,000 elephants are slaughtered every year – or roughly 40 a day.

As recently as 1980, there were over a million elephants in Africa; they now number just over 300,000 and are at risk of being wiped out from all but the most heavily protected pockets.

Officials in the southern African country say the animals are causing problems for farmers by ripping up their crops, so hunting is necessary to reduce their numbers.

The mostly arid country the size of France has a human population of around 2.3 million, and its expanses of wilderness draw millions of foreign tourists to view its wildlife.