Namibia to Combat Drought-Induced Food Shortages by Culling Elephants and Other Animals

Namibia is suffering through its worst drought in more than a century. In May, the government declared a State of Emergency, and reports suggest that one in every five Namibians is now food insecure as a result. The answer: elephant meat.

The country’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism announced this week that it would cull over 700 wild animals, including 83 elephants, to help feed the hungry human population. Along with the elephants, the cull will include hippos, buffalo, impala, eland, zebras, and wildebeest.

“This exercise in necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens,” the Ministry said in a press release. “We are happy that we can assist the country in this very difficult time and when its absolutely needed.”

The U.S. has joined other countries in recent months in offering humanitarian assistance to the drought-stricken country, including about $5 million in aid announced in July. The Ministry said that the cull will have other benefits, including to “help mitigate the negative impact of drought on wildlife conservation in both our National Parks and communal areas.” Namibia is home to north of 20,000 elephants in total.

The drought was super-charged by climate change and the El Niño weather pattern, so there is hope as El Niño faded this year and La Niña looms that relief for both human and animal may be on the horizon.