Due to drought and food shortages Zimbabwe plans to kill 200 elephants

Extreme drought and a growing elephant population are worrying the Zimbabwean government. A drastic measure is intended to help: The killing of 200 elephants.

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

The Ministry of Environment in Harare had already 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 nature reserve is located, the director general of ZimParks, Fulton Mangwanya, told the AFP news agency.

Last targeted killings in 1988

Zimbabwe is estimated to be home to 100,000 elephants, making it 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. 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.