The Department of Environment, Forestry and Tourism in Namibia (DEFTM), has started culling about 723 wild animals.
Romeo Muyanda, Spokesperson of the Department, said the decision is motivated by a drought in that country, and its negative impact on wildlife.
He also said this decision, approved by Namibia’s cabinet, is in line with the Constitution.
In a statement, the DEFTM, said game meat will be contributed towards Government’s drought relief Programme.
Muyanda said animals to be slaughtered include 30 Hippos, 60 Buffaloes, 50 Impala, 100 Blue Wildebeest, 300 Zebra, 83 Elephants and 100 Elands.
Some conservation organizations are enraged by the decision, despite Namibia’s recent meteorological reports.
In May, the Government of Namibia, declared a State of Emergency, declaring 2024, as the worst drought ever to have hit that country, in 100 years.
To aggravate the situation, 1 in every 5 people in Namibia is considered food insecure.
About 331, 000 households (amounting to about 1, 2 million people), adding up to an estimated 40% of the population, are registered for Government’s funded drought relief Programme.
Farmers in Namibia are expecting a projected El Niño, to negatively affect crop and livestock production, between October 2024 and March 2025.
This is expected to result in price shocks, a further decline in the economy and unemployment.
But the Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) has condemned the killings and questions the motives of the plan.
In a statement, EIA said “Namibia’s Government, which has recently faced public scrutiny following the jailing of ministers for environmental-related charges in 2021, claims the move is necessary to feed people affected by the drought.
However, statistics suggest the percentage of the population affected by drought is among the lowest in the region, no independent environmental or food insecurity assessments have been conducted and there are concerns that the cull is intended to influence key voting areas ahead of the election due in November.”
EIA is also of the view that if the culling continues, there are widespread concerns it could set a dangerous precedent that would inspire similar actions across the continent.
Mary Rice, EIA Executive Director said: “The mass slaughter of endangered and protected species in Namibia is an abdication by the Government of its responsibility as a custodian both of its own wild species as well as those of neighbouring countries which migrate through its territories.
The claim that it will feed hungry citizens impacted by the current drought flies in the face of reason, given the current domestic livestock population.”
Rice said in addition, the cull will result in a further accumulation of ivory into Government stockpiles, which aligns with the Government’s ongoing efforts to reintroduce an international ivory trade.
“EIA remains of the view that any legalised trade only serves to confuse the public as to the legitimacy of ivory in the market and analysis of past sales, alongside irrefutable evidence, clearly show that legal markets stimulate demand which in turn, trigger elephant poaching and the laundering of illegal ivory onto the market, which remains a key threat to the species to this day.”
Other organizations were just as devastated.
Free All Captive Elephants, called the proposal “awful” and said the worst drought in decades, occurred in South Africa.
The Elephant Advocacy Project, called the proposal, a “horrible plan for meat.
In Namibia, there is a very questionable track record of behavior by the trophy hunting industry, which is usually shielded from prosecution by the MEFT. Two examples include legalities and due process surrounding the killing of a desert lion and elephant.”
Picture: Desert Elephant Conservation.
Elephants create small waterholes during a drought, availing water to other smaller animals as well.