Zimbabwe has announced plans to cull hundreds of wild animals, including elephants, to address hunger caused by ongoing droughts, AP said.
Under the plan, Zimbabwe will permit the hunting of 200 elephants for meat distribution to vulnerable communities, Tinashe Farawo, Spokesperson for Zimbabwe National Parks, confirmed. The culling will target areas like Hwange National Park, where Zimbabwe’s elephant population far exceeds the land’s capacity.
With over 45,000 elephants in Hwange, park officials argue the region can only sustain around 15,000.
Namibia is also set to cull over 700 animals, including 83 elephants, as part of its broader wildlife management strategy announced weeks ago.
Zimbabwe’s Environment Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, emphasized that a cull is needed to combat the overpopulation of elephants and help struggling communities affected by the worsening drought access much-needed protein.
The El Niño weather pattern has severely impacted the region, with Zimbabwe reporting over 100 elephant deaths from drought last December.
Conservationists understand the government’s actions, acknowledging that the prolonged drought and overpopulation of wildlife require difficult decisions to mitigate further environmental and human crises.
In Namibia, 723 animals, including hippos, buffaloes, zebras, and elands, will be slaughtered across five national parks.
This effort aims to balance wildlife populations and address human-wildlife conflicts exacerbated by dwindling resources.
Romeo Muyunda, Namibia’s environment department spokesperson, stressed that these measures align with the country’s constitutional mandate to benefit its citizens through sustainable use of natural resources.
Neighboring Botswana, home to the world’s largest elephant population, has not yet implemented a similar program.