In a drastic measure to address acute food shortages caused by one of the worst droughts in decades, Zimbabwe has approved the culling of 200 elephants.
The decision comes as nearly half of the country’s population faces severe hunger.
Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, confirmed that the culling will target 200 elephants.
“With nearly half of the country's population facing the risk of acute hunger, we are targeting to cull 200 elephants,” Farawo stated.
Zimbabwe’s elephant population, which exceeds 84,000, is nearly double the estimated capacity of 45,000. This makes it the second largest elephant population globally after Botswana.
The move follows Namibia’s recent decision to cull elephants and other wildlife to combat food insecurity exacerbated by prolonged drought. Namibia has faced criticism from conservationists and animal rights advocates for similar measures.
Zimbabwe’s Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni informed parliament last week that the country’s elephant numbers exceed what the forests can sustain. She highlighted that overpopulation leads to resource shortages and increased human-wildlife conflict.
“When wildlife overpopulates a park, they venture beyond it in search of resources like water or vegetation. This brings them into contact with humans, sparking conflicts,” Nyoni explained.
Nyoni also revealed that Zimbabwe is considering strategies akin to those employed by Namibia. These include counting the elephants and mobilising communities, particularly women, to help preserve and distribute the meat to regions suffering from protein deficiencies.
In Namibia, the government authorised the culling of 700 wild animals, including elephants, to alleviate food shortages. To date, 150 animals have been culled, with over 125,000 pounds of meat distributed, according to Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism.
The severe drought in southern Africa, worsened by El Niño and climate change, has driven both Zimbabwe and Namibia to these extreme measures. Farawo noted that the culling in Zimbabwe will begin once the necessary documentation is completed, focusing on areas with dense elephant populations.
However, the proposed cull has faced strong opposition.
Farai Maguwu, head of the Zimbabwe-based Centre for Natural Resource Governance, condemned the practice on social media, stating, “Culling of elephants must be stopped.
Elephants have a right to exist,” and added that future generations deserve to see elephants in their natural habitat.
Keith Lindsay, a conservation biologist and natural resources consultant, voiced concerns that using wildlife to address food insecurity could lead to unsustainable demand for bushmeat.
Defending the cull, Farawo described it as part of a broader strategy to mitigate human-elephant conflicts, citing recent fatal encounters.
“The animals are causing significant problems in communities, killing people. Just last week, a woman in the northern part of the country was killed by an elephant. The same happened the week before. So, culling is also a method of control,” he said.
Local media have reported at least 31 fatalities in Zimbabwe this year due to conflicts between humans and wildlife.
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