World Animal Protection Condemns Zimbabwe’s Government Decision to Cull Elephants

This comes a few weeks after Namibia announced it had begun culling wildlife to feed people facing a severe drought.

World Animal Protection views these actions as deeply troubling and counterproductive to conservation efforts that have flourished in Zimbabwe over the past four decades.

Tennyson Williams, Director for Africa at World Animal Protection said:

While we recognise the severity of the drought, killing elephants will not adequately solve the pressing food crisis.

Furthermore, culling elephants does not address the root causes of the current drought. This decision risks reigniting poaching and the illegal ivory trade, undermining the remarkable progress made in wildlife conservation.

World Animal Protection believes true sustainability lies in finding ways to support both the people and the planet without sacrificing one for the other.

Elephants are invaluable as ecosystem engineers, playing a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and enhancing tourism. Their preservation is vital for the health of our environment and economy.

Considering these concerns, we call upon the government of Zimbabwe to take immediate, constructive actions by:

1. In the short term- halt the plan to cull elephants and collaborate with stakeholders to secure humanitarian aid for drought-affected communities.
2. In the long term- mobilize resources to put in place structures to ensure continuous food production such as irrigation fed agriculture rather than over relying on rains to ensure sustained food security. 
3. Seek financial support to relocate elephants from overpopulated areas to suitable locations including other African countries that are willing to accommodate their wildlife.

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Note to editors:

For more information and to arrange interviews with World Animal Protection spokespersons, contact Evans via  evanskipkorir@worldanimalprotection.org

About World Animal Protection

World Animal Protection is the global voice for animal welfare, with more than 70 years' experience campaigning for a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering.

We collaborate with local communities, the private sector, civil society and governments to change animals' lives for the better.

Our goal is to change the way the world works to end animal cruelty and suffering for both wild and farmed animals. Through our global food system strategy, we will end factory farming and create a humane and sustainable food system, that puts animals first. By transforming the broken systems that fuel exploitation and commodification, we will give wild animals the right to a wild life. Our work in protecting animals plays a vital role in solving the climate emergency, the public health crisis and the devastation of natural habitats.