The second largest home for elephant population follows Namibia’s cull of 83 elephants last month.

Zimbabwe is set to cull 200 adult elephants as it grapples with severe drought and food shortages. Environment minister Sithembiso Nyoni stated that Zimbabwe has an excess population of elephants and instructed the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) to begin the process. The cull will take place in areas where human-elephant conflicts have been reported, including Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife reserve.

The government hopes to address these issues by distributing the elephant meat to communities in need. Nyoni mentioned efforts to involve local women in drying and packaging the meat for distribution.

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The decision to cull the elephants comes as Zimbabwe, alongside other southern African countries like Namibia, faces severe drought conditions that have led to food shortages.

Namibia last month culled 160 animals, including 83 elephants, as part of a plan to mitigate the effects of its worst drought in decades.

Zimbabwe is home to an estimated 100,000 elephants, the second-largest population in the world after Botswana. Hwange National Park alone holds 65,000 elephants, which is over four times its capacity. The country has not conducted an elephant cull since 1988.

The cull plans sparked both criticism and support from conservationist groups but some tourism advocates warned that foreign visitors may turn away from Zimbabwe for ethical considerations.

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