The Zimbabwean government is considering culling elephants to manage overpopulation and provide meat to communities facing food insecurity, according to Environment, Climate, and Wildlife Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni.
This revelation came during a Parliamentary session on Tuesday when MP Joseph Bonda questioned the government’s strategy for controlling the growing elephant population.
“With the elephant population now at 100 000—double the recommended ecological balance—and causing starvation and deaths among the animals themselves, does the government have plans to reduce the numbers by culling and distributing the meat to schools, prisons, and drought-stricken communities?” MP Bonda asked.
He further emphasized that Zimbabwe is not restricted by CITES from consuming its wildlife resources.
In response, Dr Nyoni confirmed that discussions are underway with ZimParks and local communities to explore a program similar to one in Namibia, where elephant meat is distributed to those in need.
“Zimbabwe has more elephants than our forests can sustain. We are in talks with ZimParks and communities to potentially dry and package the meat, ensuring it reaches those who need the protein,” Dr Nyoni said.
She added that the Ministry is working within legal limits to ensure that any culling efforts would contribute to the Presidential feeding schemes to provide much-needed nutrition. “Just yesterday, I wrote to ZimParks to expedite this process. It’s already in progress,” she noted.
Kariba MP Shine Gwangwaba raised concerns about the growing human-wildlife conflict, particularly involving elephants leaving parks in search of food and water.
Dr Nyoni acknowledged the severity of the issue. “When there’s overpopulation, wildlife leaves the parks to search for resources like water and greenery, leading to conflicts with humans. Elephants can become violent, and in some cases, people are killed,” she explained.
To mitigate this, Dr. Nyoni emphasized the need for physical separation between humans and wildlife, proposing fencing and ensuring water availability in both parks and nearby communities. “We need to erect appropriate fences and ensure that water is accessible in the parks and communities, reducing the need for both humans and animals to encroach on each other’s territories,” she said.
Shamva South MP Joseph Mapiki suggested Zimbabwe consider withdrawing from CITES, the international convention regulating wildlife trade, to make independent decisions regarding its wildlife resources.
Dr Nyoni expressed frustration with CITES, particularly its restrictions on selling elephant ivory. “If Zimbabwe could, we’d sell our ivory immediately, but CITES is an international convention, and we have to negotiate. We’re working on strengthening our lobbying efforts to gain support from other countries,” she said.
She also criticised countries that oppose Zimbabwe’s stance on wildlife management. “It’s painful that those preventing us from selling ivory are countries that have already wiped out their own wildlife. They don’t understand the human-wildlife conflict we face, yet they influence CITES decisions,” she added.
While the idea of leaving CITES is being considered, Dr Nyoni warned that such a move could have serious consequences. “Zimbabwe wants to take charge of its own wildlife, but we are part of the global community and must weigh the costs of going it alone,” she concluded.
