Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority says the reserve where the elephants live is overpopulated
04 June 2025 - 17:20
byNelson Banya and Alessandro Parodi
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The Save Valley Conservancy in southern Zimbabwe is home to roughly 2,550 elephants. Picture: 123RF/fokkebok
Harare — Zimbabwe has issued permits to cull at least 50 elephants on a reserve where there are three times more elephants than the habitat can sustain, wildlife authorities said.
The Save Valley Conservancy in southern Zimbabwe is home to about 2,550 elephants, but it has a “carrying capacity” of 800 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
The conservancy has moved 200 elephants to other reserves over the past five years to try to manage its elephant population.
Meat from the cull will be distributed to local people to eat, while the ivory will be handed over to the park authority.
Zimbabwe is home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide, and climate change has worsened human-wildlife conflict as elephants encroach on areas where people live in search of food and water.
The country authorised another cull last year of about 200 elephants, the first since 1988. At the time authorities said they would distribute meat from the cull to communities affected by a severe regional drought, shortly after Namibia said it would do the same.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Zimbabwe issues permits for elephant cull
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority says the reserve where the elephants live is overpopulated
Harare — Zimbabwe has issued permits to cull at least 50 elephants on a reserve where there are three times more elephants than the habitat can sustain, wildlife authorities said.
The Save Valley Conservancy in southern Zimbabwe is home to about 2,550 elephants, but it has a “carrying capacity” of 800 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
The conservancy has moved 200 elephants to other reserves over the past five years to try to manage its elephant population.
Meat from the cull will be distributed to local people to eat, while the ivory will be handed over to the park authority.
Zimbabwe is home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide, and climate change has worsened human-wildlife conflict as elephants encroach on areas where people live in search of food and water.
The country authorised another cull last year of about 200 elephants, the first since 1988. At the time authorities said they would distribute meat from the cull to communities affected by a severe regional drought, shortly after Namibia said it would do the same.
Reuters
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