Latest news with #wildlifeconservation
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Zimbabwe to Allow Killing of 50 Elephants to Curb Overpopulation
Zimbabwe will allow the killing of 50 elephants at a key conservancy area as part of efforts to manage growing populations of the mammals, which have led to increased human-wildlife conflict and put pressure on the environment. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said the Save Valley Conservancy has been issued with permits for an 'elephant management exercise,' which will initially target this first elephant batch, according to Tinashe Farawo, the spokesperson at the authority.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Zimbabwe to cull elephants, distribute meat to people
Zimbabwe is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world. (AFP pic) HARARE : Zimbabwe will cull dozens of elephants and distribute the meat for consumption to ease the ballooning population of the animals, its wildlife authority said today. The southern Africa country is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana. The cull at a vast private game reserve in the southeast would initially target 50 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) said in a statement. It did not say how many of the animals would be killed in total or over what period. An aerial survey in 2024 showed the reserve, the Save Valley Conservancy, had 2,550 elephants, more than triple its carrying capacity of 800, ZimParks said. At least 200 have been translocated to other parks over the past five years. 'Elephant meat from the management exercise will be distributed to local communities while ivory will be state property that will be handed over to the ZimParks for safekeeping,' it said. Zimbabwe is unable to sell its stockpile of tusks due to a global ban on ivory trading. Tuesday's announcement came a day after four people were arrested in the capital Harare with more than 230kg of ivory for which they were allegedly seeking a buyer. In 2024, Zimbabwe culled 200 elephants as it faced an unprecedented drought that led to food shortages. It was the first major cull since 1988. The move to hunt the elephants for food has drawn sharp criticism, particularly as the animals are a major tourism draw.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Zimbabwe to cull elephants and distribute meat to people
Zimbabwe will cull dozens of elephants and distribute the meat for consumption to ease the ballooning population of the animals, its wildlife authority said on Tuesday. Advertisement The southern African country is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana. The cull at a vast private game reserve in the southeast would initially target 50 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) said in a statement. It did not say how many of the animals would be killed in total or over what period. An aerial survey in 2024 showed the reserve, the Save Valley Conservancy, had 2,550 elephants, more than triple its carrying capacity of 800, ZimParks said. Advertisement At least 200 have been translocated to other parks over the past five years.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Badger cull snubs science chief advice as opponents mount legal challenge
Natural England has authorised a new round of badger culling in nine areas starting immediately, with extensions to 10 areas from September, despite internal scientific advice against it. Natural England's science director, Dr Peter Brotherton, advised against further culling, stating there was "no justification" and recommending badger vaccination instead. The extensions to last year's supplementary licenses come as the government faces a legal challenge from the Badger Trust and Wild Justice, who have won a judicial review of the culling policy. Critics, including the Badger Trust, argue that the cull is ineffective, decimates badger populations, and fails to address the primary source of bovine tuberculosis transmission, which they say is cattle to cattle. The culls could result in the shooting of 5,000 or more badgers, with approximately 240,000 badgers killed in the past 12 years, while critics advocate for badger vaccination and improved cattle testing as alternatives.
News24
5 hours ago
- Business
- News24
Zimbabwe to cull elephants and distribute meat to people
Zimbabwe will cull dozens of elephants and distribute the meat for consumption to ease the ballooning population of the animals, its wildlife authority said on Tuesday. The southern Africa country is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana. The cull at a vast private game reserve in the southeast would initially target 50 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) said in a statement. It did not say how many of the animals would be killed in total or over what period. An aerial survey in 2024 showed the reserve, the Save Valley Conservancy, had 2 550 elephants, more than triple its carrying capacity of 800, ZimParks said. At least 200 have been translocated to other parks over the past five years. 'Elephant meat from the management exercise will be distributed to local communities while ivory will be state property that will be handed over to the ZimParks for safekeeping,' it said. Zimbabwe is unable to sell its stockpile of tusks due to a global ban on ivory trading. Tuesday's announcement came a day after four people were arrested in the capital, Harare, with more than 230 kilogrammes of ivory for which they were allegedly seeking a buyer. In 2024, Zimbabwe culled 200 elephants as it faced an unprecedented drought that led to food shortages. It was the first major cull since 1988. The move to hunt the elephants for food has drawn sharp criticism, particularly as the animals are a major tourism draw.
