EMOTIONALLY shattering photos show exhausted, parched animals draw their final breaths as their only source of water evaporates.

The devastating images were taken at Lake Ngami — in the Okavango delta of Botswana — as the region endures its worst drought in decades.

13 Drowning in dirt: the mud of the old lake bed envelops this cow in its final moments Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 Hundreds of hippos have already lost their lives Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 A horse kicks his way through the crust of dry mud to seek some relief from the cool wet mud below Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

The photos lay bare the horrors of the chronic drought, with herds of animals dying of dehydration as a severe drought ravages the region.

Malnourished hippos crowd together in one of the very few remaining mud pools as fisherman collect the final few catfish in the background.

A dying horse can be seen attempting to kick his way through the crusty mud in a vain search for water.

A forlorn cow is caked in mud and trapped in the bog awaiting its grisly fate.

13 This aerial shot shows the level of devastation of these usually abundant waters Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 A hippo seeks what little respite it can from the dry, cracked mud Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 A malnourished cow stands bow-legged on an arid plain Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 Desperate animals — in this case cows and hippos — search for the final remnants of water before the lake dries up Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

Another striking aerial shot shows desperate farmers hauling in the final few catfish from the lake before they also perish under blistering south African skies.

Meanwhile footage shows scavenging birds picking at the remains of the poor animals, which have succumbed to the deathly conditions.

Although nobody is sure the drying of the lake is directly due to climate change, Lake Ngami has not dried up entirely for nearly 40 years.

The lake is just the latest in a list of bodies of water that have disappeared as a desperate drought ravages the southern hemisphere.

The smell is appalling, and the animals’ suffering left me emotionally shattered Wildlife photographer Martin Harvey

The El Nino effect may also have affected the region with up to 38,000 at risk by the rapidly diminishing water levels.

Wildlife photographer Martin Harvey, 64, who captured these sobering shots, said: “I can’t say this is in anyway directly linked to climate change as it has happened before in the 1980s I heard — but perhaps it’s a forewarning of what is to come,” says 64-year-old.

13 Scavenger birds wait patiently, knowing their next meal is just minutes away Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 A fisherman pulls his haul of catfish to the nearby bank Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

Mr Harvey said: “The Okavango varies with good years and bad years. I believe Lake Ngami has dried up in the past before — many years ago.

“But I guess the simple answer is that this is one of the most severe droughts to hit the area in decades.

“The lake is drying up after having water for many years, and hippos are starving to death as there is no grass left in the area.

“Cattle are getting stuck in the mud trying to get to the water and subsequently dying of thirst.

“There is simply no other water in the area. As the Lake dries up people are catching the last of the catfish but who knows what will happen next.”

13 These sobering shots were captured by wildlife photographer Martin Harvey Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

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For the veteran wildlife photographer, this shoot was one of the most difficult he has ever undertaken.

“It was traumatising,” he admits.

“The smell is appalling, and the animals’ suffering left me emotionally shattered. People are horrified by what’s happening.

“I’m sure for the livestock owners it must be economically devastating.

“I only spoke to the fisherman who are trying to take advantage of catching the fish before the all die.

“They are poor people desperately trying to make any money they can.

“The lake will be completely dry in a few weeks at this rate so there is still more death to come.”

13 A stricken cow awaits its grisly fate Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 Horses use the last of their energy to seek what little water remains Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

13 Hippos group together in a disappearing mud pool whilst desperate fisherman pluck what few catfish remain from the shallow pools of water Credit: Mediadrumimages/MartinHarvey

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