Newspulse

Namibia, facing a crippling drought, plans to cull over 700 wild animals, including 83 elephants, as part of an effort to address the hunger crisis affecting nearly 1.4 million people, about half of the country’s population.

The decision, announced by Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, involves the killing of these animals to provide food for citizens, a move the government deems “necessary” and in line with its constitutional mandate to use natural resources for the benefit of Namibians.

Southern Africa has been severely impacted by drought, with more than 30 million people across the region affected, according to the U.N. World Food Program. Namibia’s drought has devastated staple crops and livestock, leaving wild animals as the next source of food. Besides elephants, the plan includes culling 300 zebras, 30 hippos, 50 impalas, 60 buffaloes, 100 blue wildebeest, and 100 elands.

The drought has intensified due to the return of El Niño, a climate pattern associated with warmer, drier weather, leading to record-breaking conditions and drastically reduced rainfall. This has led to severe shortages of food for both people and animals, with competition over resources increasing the risk of dangerous encounters between humans and wildlife.

While the culling aims to provide meat, it also seeks to reduce these potentially hazardous interactions. The decision has sparked debate, with some supporting the “sustainable harvesting” of wild animals, while others express concern over the long-term impact on Namibia’s wildlife.