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| Zimbabwe’s elephant population is the second-largest in the world. Godong/Universal Images Group/Getty Images |
Zimbabwe has authorized the culling of 200 elephants in response to the country’s escalating food insecurity, exacerbated by a severe drought. The move, aimed at alleviating hunger for nearly half of the nation’s population, follows a similar decision in Namibia, where elephants and other wildlife are being slaughtered to provide meat for communities affected by prolonged drought conditions.
Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, confirmed the plan, noting that Zimbabwe is home to over 84,000 elephants—almost double the ecosystem's sustainable capacity of 45,000. This population pressure has led to increasing human-wildlife conflicts as elephants venture outside protected areas for food and water. The most recent incident resulted in the death of a woman in the northern part of the country, one of 31 such fatalities reported this year.
Farawo explained that Zimbabwe’s first large-scale elephant cull since 1988 is a multifaceted approach to reducing human-wildlife conflict while providing much-needed protein to drought-affected communities. "We are doing the paperwork so we can start as soon as possible," Farawo told CNN, emphasizing that the cull will focus on areas with high elephant populations.
Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni also highlighted the need to address overpopulation in wildlife reserves, noting that Zimbabwe’s forests can no longer accommodate the growing number of elephants. "We have more elephants than we need," Nyoni said, adding that the cull would help prevent further strain on the environment and local communities.
The culling initiative has faced sharp criticism from conservationists and animal rights activists. Farai Maguwu, director of the Center for Natural Resource Governance, condemned the plan, stating, “Elephants have a right to exist,” and cautioning against the long-term consequences of using wildlife to resolve food shortages. Conservation biologist Keith Lindsay echoed these concerns, warning that the strategy could lead to unsustainable bushmeat demand.
Nonetheless, the Zimbabwean government maintains that the culling is necessary in the face of worsening drought conditions caused by the El Niño climate pattern, which has drastically reduced rainfall across southern Africa this year. As the paperwork is finalized, the cull is expected to proceed in the coming weeks.
Source: CNN