Namibia is planning to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, in response to a severe drought affecting southern Africa. The meat from the cull will be distributed to people who are struggling to feed themselves due to the lack of food reserves in the region. The decision to cull these animals is based on the belief that their numbers exceed the available resources such as grazing land and water supplies in parks and communal areas. The country has already culled 157 animals, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.
The severe drought in Namibia has led to high levels of food insecurity, with nearly half of the population expected to experience food shortages in the coming months. The government believes that culling these animals is necessary to prevent human-wildlife conflicts from escalating. In addition to the elephants, the cull will include hippos, buffalo, impala, blue wildebeest, zebra, and eland.
The environment ministry stated that the cull is in line with its constitutional mandate to use natural resources for the benefit of Namibian citizens. The region is home to over 200,000 elephants spread across five southern African countries, including Namibia, making it one of the largest elephant populations in the world. The cull is seen as a necessary measure to address the food shortage crisis and prevent conflicts between humans and wildlife.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
