Zimbabwe and Namibia to cull elephants to aid drought-affected people

In a significant move to address food shortages caused by severe droughts, Zimbabwe and Namibia have announced plans to cull hundreds of wild elephants and other animals. The initiative aims to provide meat to drought-stricken communities in both southern African nations.

Zimbabwe has committed to the culling of 200 elephants, with the intention of distributing their meat to support needy communities. Meanwhile, Namibia has already begun a plan approved three weeks ago to cull over 700 wild animals, which includes 83 elephants.

Tinashe Farawo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, confirmed that permits would be issued to allow hunting in areas facing dire shortages. The agency itself will also be involved in the culling of some elephants.

“We will start culling as soon as we have finished issuing permits,” Farawo stated.

The elephants targeted for culling will come from regions where their population has exceeded sustainable limits. Notably, the culling will occur in Hwange National Park, an area in western Zimbabwe already facing competition between wildlife and human populations for limited resources.

Hwange currently hosts more than 45,000 elephants but can only sustain approximately 15,000, according to Farawo. The overall elephant population in Zimbabwe, which stands at around 100,000, is reported to be largely unsustainable, leading park officials to take these drastic measures.

Climate conditions, particularly the El Niño weather phenomenon, have exacerbated the situation. In December, the parks agency reported that over 100 elephants perished due to the harsh drought. More wildlife is expected to face similar fates as the hottest months of the year approach.

In a recent parliamentary session, Zimbabwe’s Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni confirmed the government’s approval of the culling program. “Indeed Zimbabwe has more elephants than we need, more elephants than our forestry can accommodate,” she remarked.

Nyoni explained that the government intends to follow Namibia’s example by mobilizing local women to dry, package, and distribute the meat to communities in need of protein.

The Namibian government’s plan includes the culling of 723 wild animals, consisting of various species such as 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impalas, 300 zebras, and 100 elands alongside the elephants. This culling will take place across five national parks, where similar conflicts between wildlife and human populations are causing concern.

“This is necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens,” remarked Romeo Muyunda, a spokesperson for Namibia’s environment department. “This is also a prime example of how game conservation can benefit communities.”

In contrast, Botswana, which lies between Zimbabwe and Namibia, boasts the world’s largest elephant population, estimated at 130,000. However, unlike its neighbors, it has not adopted measures to cull its elephants to alleviate hunger among its people.

Experts in food security and agricultural sustainability have expressed understanding of Zimbabwe and Namibia’s decisions. Guyo Roba, from the Jameel Observatory, a Kenya-based environmental think tank, emphasized that the initiatives come in response to an overwhelming wildlife population relative to the available resources.

“They are grappling with a wildlife population that exceeds the carrying capacity of their environments,” Roba stated. “While this may generate initial controversy, the governments are caught between fulfilling international conservation obligations and addressing urgent population needs.”