Zimbabwe Allows Elephant Killing Other Than Population, Here’s the Main Reason

HARARE – Government of Zimbabwe recently decided to cull 200 elephants as part of efforts to manage the animal population amid a severe drought hitting the country.

The decision came after Zimbabwe’s environment minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, revealed that the current elephant population exceeds the capacity that the environment can support.

Zimbabwe, home to nearly 100,000 African elephants, is experiencing a severe drought, largely caused by the El Nino phenomenon. The drought has led to the deaths of dozens of elephants in Hwange National Park, the country’s largest game reserve, as well as crop failures that have led to a food crisis.

The elephant cull aims to reduce pressure on resources such as water and is also expected to help address food insecurity by providing elephant meat to communities in need.

The Namibian government, which is also experiencing drought, has taken similar measures by culling animals and processing their meat as a solution to the food crisis.

However, the decision has sparked controversy and criticism from various parties. Some conservationists are concerned that this action could send a negative message about animal conservation, especially since elephants are protected by international conventions such as CITES.

On the other hand, some environmentalists and conservationists, such as Christ Brown of the Namibia Chamber of the Environment, argue that if elephant populations are not managed properly, they can damage ecosystems and threaten other, less iconic species.

This is a very difficult and controversial step, showing how complex the challenges facing countries struggling with the impacts of climate change and extreme drought are.

(wbs)