After Namibia, why Zimbabwe is preparing to kill 200 majestic elephants

Zimbabwe, home to around 100,000 elephants—the second-largest population after Botswana—is facing an elephant overpopulation crisis amid a severe drought. It maintains ecosystem balance and ensures remaining wildlife thrives.” Zimbabwe has “more elephants than it needs”, the environment minister Sithembiso Nyoni said in parliament on Wednesday as the country shall soon proceed with its first elephant cull in 40 years. Here’s a closer look at the situation 200 elephants are ‘just drop in the ocean’ Zimbabwe, home to around 100,000 elephants—the second-largest population after Botswana—is facing an elephant overpopulation crisis. Reiterating the same, Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni told the parliamentarians last week that “Zimbabwe has more elephants than we need and more elephants than our forests can accommodate.” She added that the overpopulation of elephants in the country “causes a lack of resources” for their sustenance, which is fuelling human-wildlife conflict. Elephants have a right to exist… future generations have a right to see elephants in their natural habitat.” According to the World Wildlife Fund, Africa’s elephant population has dwindled to about 415,000 from millions in the early 20th century, making this cull a contentious issue.