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Doha – Namibia has announced plans to kill more than 700 wild animals, including elephants, hippos and zebras, in an effort to feed its population struggling with hunger due to a devastating drought, the worst the region has seen in 100 years.
The southern African country’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said in a press release that the cull, which will take place in national parks and communal areas with sustainable wildlife numbers, is “necessary” and “in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens.”
Namibia declared a state of emergency in May as the impacts of the drought worsened.
Nearly half of the country’s 2.5 million people are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity between July and September, according to the United Nations.
The UN also reported that 84% of Namibia’s food reserves have already been exhausted.
The animals set to be killed include 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras and 100 elands (a type of antelope).
Professional hunters will carry out the cull and the meat will be distributed to those impacted by the drought, especially in rural areas.
Over 157 animals have already been killed, yielding about 63 tons of meat so far.
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In addition to providing food, authorities say the cull aims to reduce pressure on scarce water and grazing resources.
It also seeks to minimize the potential for increased human-wildlife conflicts as animals move closer to human settlements in search of food and water during the drought.
Elephants in particular are being targeted in areas prone to such conflicts.
While eating game meat is common in the region, and experts say sustainable harvesting of wildlife can be an important food source when properly managed, the scale of Namibia’s planned cull highlights the severity of the unfolding crisis.
The current drought, exacerbated by climate change and the El Nino weather pattern, has led to widespread crop failures and livestock deaths across southern Africa, leaving millions facing hunger.
As one of the countries with the largest elephant populations in the world, Namibia has previously drawn criticism for its conservation policies, including allowing trophy hunting.
But officials insist this cull is a necessary emergency measure in the face of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
