OR Zimbabwe He will kill 200 elephants when he comes across unprecedented drought caused food shortages. According to the country’s wildlife department, the decision is aimed at stopping the growth of the animal population.
In Zimbabwe, “more elephants by those in need,” the environment minister told parliament on Wednesday, adding that the government had directed the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Service (ZimParks) to begin the eradication process.
ZimParks CEO Fulton Mangwanya said the 200 elephants will be poached in areas where they are in conflict with humans, including Hwang, home to Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife reserve.
“We have shown ourselves to be poor stewards of natural resources and our appetite for illicit wealth knows no bounds.”
“We are talking to ZimParks and some communities to do what Namibia is doing so that we can kill elephants and mobilize women to dry, pack and deliver the meat to some communities that need protein,” the country’s environment minister told the Voice. America’s.
Zimbabwe is home to approximately 100,000 elephants, the second largest population in the world after Botswana.
According to ZimParks, 65,000 animals live in Hwange thanks to conservation efforts. Zimbabwe last hunted elephants in 1988.
Neighboring Namibia said this month it had systematically killed 160 wild animals, including more than 700, including 83 elephants, to combat its worst drought in decades.
State of emergency
Zimbabwe and Namibia are among a number of southern African countries that have declared a drought emergency.
About 42 percent of Zimbabweans live in poverty, according to UN estimates, and officials say about 6 million people will need food aid during the food shortage period from November to March.
Hunting elephants for food has been criticized by some, not least because the animals are a tourist attraction.
“The government needs to have more sustainable — environmentally friendly — ways to deal with drought without affecting tourism,” said Farai Maguwu, director of the non-profit Center for Natural Resources Management.
“They run the risk of driving away tourists on moral grounds. “Elephants are more profitable alive than dead,” he said Guardian.
“We have shown that we are poor stewards of natural resources and our appetite for illicit wealth knows no bounds, so this must stop because it is immoral,” he concluded.