Zimbabwe announces plans to cull dozens of elephants, due to food shortages from drought

Zimbabwe’s wildlife authority has announced it will cull around 200 elephants to feed residents who are going hungry, in the wake of severe drought that has sparked food shortages.

Triggered by the El Nino phenomenon, the drought has destroyed crops across southern Africa. In Zimbabwe, the World Food Programme says 7.6 million residents will face food insecurity from January to April next year.

The culling plans have been criticised by some conservationists, who argue that there are better ways to provide food to those in need. The move has also been denounced by some who highlight that elephants are a major pull for tourists.

According to authorities, meanwhile, the culling will also contribute to an effort to decongest the country’s parks. A spokesperson for Zimbabwe’s parks and wildlife authority said the country is home to more than 84,000 elephants, which is thousands more than its capacity.

Zimbabwe’s announcement comes after neighbouring Namibia said this month that it had killed dozens of animals, including 83 elephants, in the face of its worst drought in decades, and plans to kill hundreds more.