Zimbabwe approves the culling of 200 elephants to provide food for citizens affected by drought

 

Zimbabwe has approved the mass culling of 200 elephants to help feed citizens suffering from the country’s worst drought in decades. With nearly half the population facing severe hunger, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said the country has over 84,000 elephants—almost double its capacity of 45,000. This follows Namibia's similar move to combat food insecurity due to drought.

Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni explained that elephant overpopulation depletes resources, leading to conflicts with humans. Zimbabwe and Namibia are both experiencing severe droughts caused by El Niño, resulting in widespread food shortages.