Southern African Nations Turn to Elephant Culling Amid Drought to Feed Hungry Communities

Social Media · 2024-09-18T20:34:05Z

In response to a crippling drought, Zimbabwe and Namibia have announced plans to slaughter hundreds of wild elephants and other animals to provide much-needed food for their struggling citizens. The devastating drought, worsened by the El Niño weather phenomenon, has left many communities in these southern African countries facing severe hunger.

On Monday, Zimbabwe's government disclosed its decision to allow the culling of 200 elephants, with the meat being distributed to vulnerable communities. Similarly, Namibia has begun killing over 700 wild animals, including 83 elephants, as part of a strategy revealed three weeks ago to address the food crisis.

Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, confirmed that permits would be issued to affected communities to hunt elephants. Additionally, the parks authority itself would conduct culling to meet the quota of 200 elephants. "We will start culling as soon as we have finished issuing out permits," Farawo stated.

Farawo explained that the elephants will be taken from areas where their numbers have surpassed the capacity the environment can support. One such region is Hwange National Park in the arid western part of Zimbabwe, where humans and wildlife increasingly compete for scarce resources like food and water. The park currently hosts over 45,000 elephants but only has the capacity to sustain 15,000. Zimbabwe as a whole is home to roughly 100,000 elephants, double the population the country’s national parks can handle, according to park officials.

In December, Zimbabwe's parks agency revealed that more than 100 elephants had already died due to the severe drought. Farawo warned that many more animals could perish from thirst and starvation as the country enters its hottest season. The drought situation, exacerbated by rising temperatures, has put immense pressure on wildlife and human populations alike.

Zimbabwe's Environment Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, voiced her support for the culling program during a Parliamentary session last week. “Indeed, Zimbabwe has more elephants than we need, more elephants than our forestry can accommodate,” Nyoni said. She added that the government was preparing to implement the culling and involve women in the process of drying and packaging the meat to ensure it reaches communities in need of protein.

Namibia has also embarked on a large-scale culling operation. The Namibian government recently approved the killing of 723 animals, which includes not only elephants but also hippos, buffalos, zebras, impalas, and elands. These animals are sourced from five national parks, where the population of wildlife has grown beyond sustainable levels and has led to increased conflicts between humans and animals.

Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson for Namibia's environment department, explained that the decision aligns with the country’s constitutional mandate to use natural resources for the benefit of its citizens. "This is necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens," Muyunda said. He emphasized that this action demonstrates how wildlife conservation can directly benefit people.

While neighboring Botswana has the world’s largest elephant population at 130,000, it has not followed Zimbabwe and Namibia's lead in culling elephants to feed its population. However, Botswana's approach remains a notable contrast amid the region's broader struggle with drought.

Guyo Roba, a food security and agricultural expert from the Jameel Observatory, a Kenya-based environmental think tank, commented on the difficult decisions facing both Zimbabwe and Namibia. "They are working against a wildlife population that is above their carrying capacity," Roba said. He acknowledged that the measures might appear controversial at first glance, but stressed that the governments face a tough balancing act. "The governments are torn between remaining faithful to some of their obligations at an international level in terms of conservation and supporting the population,” Roba said.

As the drought continues to ravage southern Africa, the decision to cull elephants and other wildlife has become a desperate measure to address immediate food shortages. While controversial, it underscores the complex challenges these nations face as they seek to protect both their citizens and their natural heritage.

Credit: ABC 2024-09-19