Zimbabwe Authorizes Culling of Elephants Amid Severe Drought Crisis

Zimbabwe has taken the controversial step of authorizing the mass slaughter of elephants to address acute food shortages affecting its citizens amid one of the worst droughts in decades, CNN reports.

Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, announced that the government is targeting the culling of 200 elephants to alleviate hunger among the population, with nearly half of Zimbabwe’s citizens at risk of acute food insecurity.

This decision follows a similar move in Namibia, where officials also opted to cull elephants and other wildlife in response to prolonged drought conditions that have exacerbated food scarcity. Both countries’ approaches have sparked significant backlash from animal rights advocates and conservationists who argue against the culling of these majestic animals.

According to Farawo, Zimbabwe is home to over 84,000 elephants, far exceeding its ecological capacity of some 45,000. Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni emphasized the need for collaboration with local communities and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority to replicate Namibia’s strategy. The plan includes not only the culling operations but also drying and packaging the meat to ensure it reaches communities in need of protein.

However, the proposed culls have faced strong opposition. Farai Maguwu, leader of the Zimbabwe-based advocacy group Center for Natural Resource Governance, has called for an end to elephant culling, highlighting the moral and ecological implications of such actions.

The human-wildlife conflict has already claimed at least 31 lives in Zimbabwe this year, according to local media reports.