Unprecedented drought

Zimbabwe announces culling of 200 elephants

Around 100,000 elephants live in Zimbabwe.

(Bild: AFP/Zinyange Auntony)

Zimbabwe plans to cull 200 elephants in the face of an unprecedented drought and associated food shortages. At the same time, this is a measure against the rapidly growing elephant population, the responsible authority announced on Friday. 

The Ministry of Environment in Harare announced on Wednesday that the country had "more elephants than it needs". The government had therefore instructed the wildlife park administration (ZimParks) to start culling the animals.

The 200 elephants are to be hunted in areas where there have been clashes with humans, including Hwange, where the country's largest wildlife sanctuary is located, ZimParks director-general Fulton Mangwanya said.

Last targeted killing decades ago
Zimbabwe is estimated to be home to around 100,000 elephants and is the country with the second largest elephant population after Botswana. Hwange alone is home to 65,000 of the large animals, four times more than the area can actually hold, according to ZimParks. The last time elephants were culled in Zimbabwe was in 1988.

Prior to this, Namibia had already announced its intention to kill 700 wild animals such as elephants and hippos due to the worst drought in decades. Around 160 animals have already been killed, the local Ministry of Environment announced at the beginning of last week. According to the government, the cull is intended to relieve pressure on water reserves and provide meat for thousands of people who are starving due to the drought.

Fierce criticism from animal rights activists
The government order was met with fierce criticism from animal rights activists. Zimbabwe and Namibia are among a number of countries in southern Africa that have declared a state of emergency due to the drought.