Drought: Over 260 animals culled to feed hungry masses
A total of 262 of the 723 wild animals identified to contribute game meat for drought-relief efforts have already been culled, delivering more than 56 000 kilograms of meat.
The more than 700 to be culled comprise of 300 zebras, 100 eland, 100 blue wildebeest, 83 elephants, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas and 30 hippos.
This was confirmed by environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, who said the ministry - with Cabinet approval - is contributing game meat to support the government’s drought-relief programme.
The animals are being sourced from the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Mangetti National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park and Nkasa Rupara National Park.
He said the national conference on human-wildlife conflict management in 2023 resolved - among other things - that elephant numbers need to be reduced to assist in reducing cases of human-wildlife conflict. “With the severe drought situation in the country, conflicts are expected to increase if no interventions are made,” Muyunda said.
Elephants
To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled and meat will be allocated to the drought-relief programme under the Office of the Prime Minister.
Elephants to be culled include 12 from the Kamanjab and Fransfontein areas in the Kunene Region, four from Kalkveld, eight from the Grootfontein area in Otjozondjupa and five from Omatjete in Erongo.
Furthermore, 10 elephants will be culled from Ruacana, Tsandi and Okahao in Omusati, three from areas in Oshana and two from Oshikoto.
A total of seven elephants will be culled in Kavango West and two in Kavango East.
Muyunda said 30 elephants will be culled in Zambezi, while an additional 10 will be culled from the north complex of Mudumu and another 10 will be sourced from the south complex of Mudumu.
He explained that the culling is being conducted by professional hunters and safari outfitters contracted by the ministry and conservancies.
Benefits
To date, 157 animals of various species have been hunted in the Mangetti National Park, while 105 were hunted in other areas, including Mahango and Kwando, delivering 56 875 kilograms of meat. “This offtake will assist in reducing the negative impact of drought on the conservation of wild animals in both our national parks and communal areas. There is no doubt that drought is affecting most conservation sectors,” Muyunda noted.
He said the culling of wildlife will also assist in managing the current grazing pressure and water availability by reducing wildlife numbers in some parks and communal areas where the ministry feels numbers exceed available grazing and water.
The provision of meat improves people's nutrition and contributes to poverty reduction, he said. “This is in addition to other ongoing economic benefits such as employment creation and income generation enhanced by the conservation of wildlife species and associated sectors such as tourism."
The more than 700 to be culled comprise of 300 zebras, 100 eland, 100 blue wildebeest, 83 elephants, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas and 30 hippos.
This was confirmed by environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, who said the ministry - with Cabinet approval - is contributing game meat to support the government’s drought-relief programme.
The animals are being sourced from the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Mangetti National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park and Nkasa Rupara National Park.
He said the national conference on human-wildlife conflict management in 2023 resolved - among other things - that elephant numbers need to be reduced to assist in reducing cases of human-wildlife conflict. “With the severe drought situation in the country, conflicts are expected to increase if no interventions are made,” Muyunda said.
Elephants
To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled and meat will be allocated to the drought-relief programme under the Office of the Prime Minister.
Elephants to be culled include 12 from the Kamanjab and Fransfontein areas in the Kunene Region, four from Kalkveld, eight from the Grootfontein area in Otjozondjupa and five from Omatjete in Erongo.
Furthermore, 10 elephants will be culled from Ruacana, Tsandi and Okahao in Omusati, three from areas in Oshana and two from Oshikoto.
A total of seven elephants will be culled in Kavango West and two in Kavango East.
Muyunda said 30 elephants will be culled in Zambezi, while an additional 10 will be culled from the north complex of Mudumu and another 10 will be sourced from the south complex of Mudumu.
He explained that the culling is being conducted by professional hunters and safari outfitters contracted by the ministry and conservancies.
Benefits
To date, 157 animals of various species have been hunted in the Mangetti National Park, while 105 were hunted in other areas, including Mahango and Kwando, delivering 56 875 kilograms of meat. “This offtake will assist in reducing the negative impact of drought on the conservation of wild animals in both our national parks and communal areas. There is no doubt that drought is affecting most conservation sectors,” Muyunda noted.
He said the culling of wildlife will also assist in managing the current grazing pressure and water availability by reducing wildlife numbers in some parks and communal areas where the ministry feels numbers exceed available grazing and water.
The provision of meat improves people's nutrition and contributes to poverty reduction, he said. “This is in addition to other ongoing economic benefits such as employment creation and income generation enhanced by the conservation of wildlife species and associated sectors such as tourism."
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