Namibia to cull 723 elephants, zebras and buffalo to feed drought-stricken population

The Namibian government announced on August 26 a plan to cull 723 wild animals, including 300 zebras, 83 elephants and 30 hippos, whose meat will be used to feed the population affected by the severe drought that this African country has been suffering for a year. The measure is also intended to reduce the risk of potentially dangerous encounters between humans and animals, who approach inhabited areas in search of pasture and water, resources that are scarce due to the lack of rainfall. “With the severe drought situation in the country, an increase in conflicts is expected if there is no intervention,” the Ministry of Environment reported in a statement.

The 83 elephants to be killed are spread across 29 communal areas across the country, while the remaining animals are in five national parks. All of these areas have “a sustainable number of animals,” according to the Environment Ministry. In addition to the 300 zebras, 83 elephants and 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest and 100 antelope will also be killed. The meat from all of these animals will be used for the drought relief programme launched by the Namibian government, which will contribute “to the nutrition and poverty reduction of the population,” the statement said.

The government has commissioned professional hunters hired by the Ministry to slaughter the animals. As of Monday, August 26, 157 animals of different species had already been killed, which had allowed the distribution of 56,875 kilograms of game meat. The Namibian government recalls that this is not the first time it has done something similar and that for years it has provided this food for celebrations of various kinds. At the same time, it confirms the total prohibition of uncontrolled hunting. “Poaching, among other forms of wildlife crime, will compromise the benefits that are intended to be obtained from our conservation,” explains the Ministry of the Environment.

“This action is necessary and is consistent with the constitutional mandate to use our natural resources for the benefit of citizens. It is also an excellent example that game conservation is truly beneficial. We are happy to be able to assist the country at this very difficult time and when it is absolutely necessary. Not only do Namibians benefit from the meat provided for drought relief, but the ministry has for years supplied meat for national, regional and traditional events in accordance with our policies and laws. The benefits of game meat also extend to communities in rural areas, especially those in conservation areas,” the statement said.

Last May, the Namibian government declared a state of emergency due to the worst drought in the last century, caused mainly by the impact of the El Niño phenomenon. Although according to the scientific association World Weather Attribution (WWA), the direct relationship between this episode and climate change has not been proven, a study conducted in 2020 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States already revealed that global warming due to greenhouse gases was going to intensify extreme El Niño events, such as droughts and torrential rains.

In any case, this drought has pushed almost half of the inhabitants of this African country, some 1.4 million people, into a situation of food insecurity in phase three or crisis, according to the integrated phase classification (IPC) used by international organisations. For this reason, the Executive approved an assistance plan aimed at 331,000 households for a value of 40 million euros, to which the Ministry of the Environment intends to contribute thousands of kilos of game meat.

The whole of Southern Africa is affected by drought. In June, the World Food Programme estimated that some 30 million people needed urgent assistance. In August, the heads of state of the Southern African Development Community met in Harare and raised the figure to 68 million people affected, 17% of the region’s population. Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi have also declared a state of national disaster.

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