Zimbabwe to Cull 200 Elephants Amid Severe Drought and Growing Elephant Population

Zimbabwe’s wildlife authorities have announced plans to cull 200 elephants as the country faces its worst drought in over four decades, exacerbating food shortages and intensifying human-wildlife conflicts. The decision, confirmed by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo, is intended to both provide food for drought-stricken communities and manage the country’s growing elephant population.

Zimbabwe is home to an estimated 100,000 elephants, the second-largest population in the world after Botswana. However, conservation officials warn that the parks are overpopulated, with 84,000 elephants in areas designed to support only 55,000. The cull will take place in regions with a history of human-elephant conflict, including Hwange, Mbire, Tsholotsho, and Chiredzi. The meat from the culled elephants will be distributed to communities affected by the drought.

Also read: Zimbabwe Declares El Niño Drought National Disaster

The decision to cull elephants has sparked debate, with some conservationists and animal rights activists criticising the move as short-sighted and harmful to Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, which relies heavily on wildlife. Farai Maguwu, director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance, voiced concerns that the cull could damage the country’s image and deter tourists, arguing that the elephants are “more profitable alive than dead.”

On the other hand, some conservationists, such as Chris Brown, CEO of the Namibian Chamber of Environment, have defended the cull, highlighting the detrimental impact of a ballooning elephant population on ecosystems and other species. Human-wildlife conflict has also escalated, with 50 people killed by elephants in Zimbabwe last year alone.

Zimbabwe is not alone in its response to the region’s drought crisis. Namibia, facing its own extreme drought, recently culled 83 elephants as part of a broader plan to reduce pressure on grazing and water resources.

The severe drought, triggered by the El Niño weather phenomenon, has affected 68 million people across southern Africa. In Zimbabwe, the drought has wiped out crops and left around six million people in need of food assistance, according to UN estimates.

While the elephant cull is partly a response to the immediate food crisis, it also ties into Zimbabwe’s larger conservation strategy. The country has been lobbying for the reopening of the ivory and live elephant trade through the UN’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), citing its large elephant population and conservation efforts. Zimbabwe holds approximately $600 million worth of unsellable ivory stockpiles.

Despite the criticisms, Zimbabwean authorities maintain that the culling of 200 elephants is a necessary step to decongest the parks and provide much-needed relief to communities grappling with the drought.