Zimbabwe and Namibia have unveiled plans to cull hundreds of wild elephants and other animals in response to the severe drought conditions affecting the southern African nations. The meat will be distributed to feed communities struggling with hunger.
On Monday, Zimbabwe announced it would sanction the killing of 200 elephants, with their meat destined for impoverished residents. Meanwhile, Namibia has begun the process of slaughtering over 700 wild animals, including 83 elephants, following a plan revealed three weeks prior.
Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, stated that hunting permits would be issued to affected communities, and that the authority itself would participate in the culling of the 200 elephants.
“We will start culling as soon as we have finished issuing out permits,” Farawo said.
Farawo explained that the targeted elephants will be taken from areas where their numbers have become unsustainable, such as Hwange National Park in the country’s arid western region. The park is experiencing increasing competition for food and water between humans and wildlife, as rising temperatures exacerbate resource scarcity.
Hwange National Park currently holds over 45,000 elephants, despite having the capacity to support only 15,000. The overall elephant population in Zimbabwe stands at approximately 100,000, double what the country’s national parks can manage, according to park officials.
Last week, Zimbabwe’s Environment Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, informed Parliament that she had authorised the culling programme.
“Indeed Zimbabwe has more elephants than we need, more elephants than our forestry can accommodate,” Nyoni said.
She further noted that the government was preparing to follow Namibia’s example, with plans to cull elephants and enlist women to dry, package, and distribute the meat to communities in need of protein.
In Namibia, the government last month approved the culling of 723 animals, including 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas, 300 zebras, and 100 elands, among other species.
The animals will be sourced from five national parks as part of Namibia’s effort to reduce its elephant population amid ongoing human-wildlife conflicts.
“This is necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens,” Environment Department spokesman Romeo Muyunda said. “This is also a prime example that conservation of game is really beneficial.”
