Is Namibia actually planning to kill 700 animals to distribute meat in drought-stricken areas?
Namibia is planning to cull more than 700 animals, including elephants, hippos and zebras, and distribute the meat to people struggling to address food insecurity as the country faces one of its most serious droughts in 100 years, reported CNN.
The animals set to be killed include 83 elephants, 300 zebras, 30 hippos, 50 impala and 60 buffalo, the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism announced. In a press release, the ministry highlighted that the animals are set to be culled by professional hunters.
Taking pressure off natural resources
The objective of the programme is to help alleviate the impacts of drought in the country. The hundreds of animals planned to be killed are going to come from national parks and communal areas having “sustainable game numbers”, the ministry further highlighted.
The culling programme seeks to take pressure off natural resources by reducing the number of animals in areas that see their figures exceed available resources. It is also aimed to reduce the potential for conflicts among elephants and humans.
Namibia declared a state of emergency in May 2024 as the impacts of drought started getting more severe. Nearly 1.4 million people or around half of the country’s population are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity.
Namibia drought driven by El Nino & climate crisis
The southern region of the continent is a stronghold for elephants, home to over 200,000. Besides humans, the ongoing drought has also negatively affected these animals. Hundreds of them are believed to have died in the region last year as their resources dried up.
More than 150 animals in Namibia have already been culled, providing more than 125,000 pounds of meat, according to the ministry. The country is one of several others across the continent stricken by drought driven by the recently concluded El Nino and climate change.
