Harare –18 September 2024 – The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has learned with shock and deep concern a decision made by the government to slaughter 200 elephants ostensibly to feed hungry citizens and reduce the elephant population, said to be way over the country’s carrying capacity. We argue that the decision is unsustainable and does very little to address the drought effects or the conservation cause.
We fear this is a major policy reversal that defeats excellent conservation work championed by the government and private players over the past four decades. The move has the potential to open floodgates for poaching, especially bearing in mind that the poisoning of elephants and smuggling of ivory has been a continuous challenge over the years. CNRG is aware of a thriving illicit ivory market in Asia operated by a web of transnational organized crime actors.
Further, when announcing the decision to cull the elephants – the government conflated several issues. These are conservation, selling ivory for profit, nutrition for drought-stricken villagers, and reducing human-wildlife conflict. The real motive remains unclear.
Although we acknowledge the devastating effects of one of the worst droughts in decades, we do not believe the meat of 200 elephants will fill that food deficit. According to the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZIMLAC) about 6 million people in rural areas and 1.7 million in urban areas – more than half the country’s population – will need food assistance between now and the next harvest. A robust, well-thought-out and sustainable strategy to feed the hungry population is required.
We further note that Zimbabwe’s staple food remains maize, supplemented by other small grains such as corn, sorghum, finger millet, wheat, and rice. These are what makes the difference between starvation and food security, not elephant meat.
We also find the threat by the Minister of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife to pull out of CITES on account that it restrains them from selling ivory to be disconcerting. We cannot overemphasize the value of live elephants to the tourism sector and the Zimbabwean economy in general. If managed properly, Zimbabwe’s tourism sector can be a $20 billion economy, creating tens of thousands of jobs.
We believe Elephants to be ecosystem engineers – the heart and soul of tourism – often attracting other animal species that feed off the trees they bring down, especially during the peak of the dry season. Other species also seek refuge from predators among or near elephants. Elephants are more profitable alive than dead.
We view the work of CITES as complementing Zimbabwe’s world-renowned wildlife conservation laws and policies.
CNRG calls on the Government to do the following:
- Appeal for financial assistance to translocate elephants from overpopulated regions to underpopulated regions
- Cancel the plan to cull elephants and engage with various stakeholders in finding sustainable solutions both to the drought challenge, conservation concerns and the human-wildlife conflict
- Identify domestic resources to acquire staple food to feed those most vulnerable to drought.
- Intensify international appeals for humanitarian aid to feed the drought-stricken population.
- Accelerate the amendments to the Wildlife Act, taking into consideration the need to preserve Zimbabwe’s wildlife heritage whilst de-escalating the human-wildlife conflict
Centre for Natural Resource Governance is a leading research and advocacy organization championing climate justice and wildlife conservation, land rights, human rights, environmental integrity and anti-corruption in the natural resources sector.
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This proposed action is so shocking and disturbing .
Seems like the actions of an uneducated and unsupportive bully. Thus cruelty Makes my heart break.
As heart broken as it is , you can not get away from culling. For quite some years there was no culling, the elephants multiply by to many.
The eco system got so much strain on it if the numbers of elephants are to high.
Les solutions proposées sont assez pertinentes.
A mon avis les échanges doivent avoir lieu sur ces pistes de solutions afin de les mettre en oeuvre. L’abattage n’est pas une solution. Ol faut noter que des conflits sont notés dans beaucoup de pays avec datres types danimaux. Exemple les hippopotames au Sénégal.
So pleased that CNRG r fighting the case for the elephants. I am sure they will carry more weight than the everyday oerson. I do hope this Government comes to its senses quickly. I gave spoken to quite a few Africans who all reiterate that they do not like elephant meat and do not want to eat it. There option is mealie meal, rice, corn, etc. Please leave the e
elephants Alone to get on with their job of attracting the tourists and feed the starving with something they like and will eat. Even as far as my family in the USA r aghast at the proposed elephant killing. PLEASE SAVE THEM.
What you’re doing is not right by slaughtering 200 elephants because your people are starving the elephants didn’t make them starve. The government did so in that hand the government should do something to feed their people not by killing innocent animals so get with the program because this is just a start this is not gonna help you solve your problem. Go to other countries go to the UN go to the US go to Canada. They’ll give you all the food you need. You won’t have to kill these animals. I don’t understand where you’re coming from I live in Canada and I can tell you our country gives to anyone that needs it in the world so maybe you should start there