Namibia plans to kill 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, and distribute the meat to people struggling to feed themselves due to severe drought in southern Africa, the environment ministry said.
The culling will take place in parks and public areas where authorities believe the number of animals exceeds available pasture and water supplies, it said in a statement issued on Monday.
South Africa is facing its worst drought in decades, with Namibia running out of 84% of its food supplies last month, according to the United Nations. Almost half of Namibia’s population is expected to face high levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
With such a severe drought, human-wildlife conflicts are expected to increase if authorities do not intervene, the environment ministry said.
“To this end, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be killed (and) the meat will be allocated to the drought relief programme,” it said. The country also plans to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 hippopotamuses, 100 blue wildebeests, 300 zebras and 100 elk.
One hundred and fifty-seven animals have already been hunted by professional hunters and government-contracted companies, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.
“This exercise is necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of the citizens of Namibia,” the environment ministry said.
More than 200,000 elephants are estimated to live in a protected area in five southern African countries – Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola and Namibia – making the region home to one of the largest elephant populations in the world.
Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe last year due to drought.
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