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Namibia plans to slaughter over 700 wild animals, including 83 elephants, in order to distribute the meat to populations suffering from hunger after being hit by a severe drought.
The Ministry of the Environment has indicated that the slaughter will take place in parks and community areas where the number of animals exceeds the capacity of the available grazing and water resources.
In addition to elephants, the species affected by the cull include hippos, buffalo, impala, blue wildebeest, zebra and eland.
According to the Ministry, drought has exacerbated conflicts between humans and wildlife, justifying culling measures in areas where tensions are particularly high, notably with elephants.
Southern Africa is experiencing its worst drought in decades, and the United Nations reports that Namibia already used up 84% of its food reserves last month.
It is estimated that almost half of Namibia’s population could face severe food insecurity in the coming months.
However, animal rights activists have voiced their concerns about the cull, which they consider to have been carried out without adequate assessment of its economic or environmental impact.
They suggest that this decision, taken in an election year, could be politically motivated, and have launched a petition to stop it.
