Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has authorised the culling of 50 elephants in Save Valley Conservancy to control overpopulation and reduce pressure on the region’s ecosystem.
ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said the permits had been issued to Save Valley Conservancy for an “elephant management exercise” following a recent aerial survey which revealed that the area now hosts 2,550 elephants far above its ecological carrying capacity of 800.
“The management quota is meant to address the growing elephant population in the region and will initially target 50 elephants,” Farawo said.
The operation comes after years of translocation efforts by the Conservancy, which has moved 200 elephants to Hurungwe and Sapi over the past five years in a bid to manage numbers and protect wildlife habitats.
Farawo confirmed that elephant meat from the culling would be distributed to local communities, while the ivory would remain the property of the state.
“Ivory will be handed over to ZimParks for safekeeping,” he said.
He added that the Authority remains committed to sustainable and responsible wildlife conservation practices: “We remain committed to responsible sustainable management of wildlife resources for the benefit of present and future generations.”
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