The Wildlife Authority announced on Tuesday that Zimbabwe would cull dozens of elephants and distribute their meat for consumption to reduce the elephant population.
The country of South Africa is home to the second-largest elephant population in the world after Botswana.
Kalam initially targeted 50 elephants in a vast private game reserve in the southeast, according to a statement from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks).
It did not specify that the total number of animals would be killed in total or over a specific period.
An aerial survey in 2024 revealed that the Reserve, Save Valley Conservancy, had 2,550 elephants, exceeding its capacity of 800, according to Zimparks.
At least 200 have been translated into other parks over the last five years.
“Elephant meat will be distributed to local communities by management practice, while ivory will be the state’s property that will be handed over to the Zimparks to keep safe,” said this.
Zimbabwe is unable to sell its stockpile of tusk due to a global ban on ivory trading.
Tuesday, a day was announced later when four people were arrested in the capital, Harare, with more than 230 kg (500 pounds) of ivory, for which they were allegedly looking for a buyer.
In 2024, Zimbabwe reported covering 200 elephants as it faced an unprecedented drought, resulting in a food shortage. It was the first prominent one after 1988.
Steps to hunt elephants for food have been strongly criticised, mainly since elephants constitute a significant draw for tourism.
