WINDHOEK, 28 AUG (NAMPA) – The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has announced that it will contribute 723 animals to the government’s drought relief programme.
This decision follows Cabinet approval of the Namibia Livelihood Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis Report.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda told Nampa on Monday that the animals will be sourced from national parks and communal areas with sustainable game populations.
The contribution includes 30 hippos, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 eland.
“The animals are being culled in the Namib Naukluft Park, Mangetti National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park, and Nkasa Rupara National Park,” he said.
Muyunda stated that the culling of 83 elephants also forms part of a broader strategy to manage human-wildlife conflict, a key issue discussed at the National Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict Management in 2023.
“The conference resolved that reducing elephant numbers could help mitigate conflict, especially given the severe drought situation in the country. The ministry noted that if no intervention is made, human-wildlife conflicts could increase,” he said.
The elephants to be culled are from areas identified as high-conflict zones, including Kamanjab, Fransfontein, Kalkveld, Grootfontein, Omatjete, Ruacana, Tsandi and Okahao.
The culling will be conducted by professional hunters and safari outfitters contracted by the ministry and local conservancies. To date, 157 animals of various species have been hunted in the Mangetti National Park, as well as 20 in Mahango, 70 in Kwando, six in Buffalo, and nine in Mudumu, yielding 56 875 kilogrammes of meat.
“The meat provided through this programme will contribute to the nutrition of affected communities and support poverty reduction efforts. The ministry has partnered with the Office of the Prime Minister and Meatco to ensure that the game meat reaches those in need through the drought relief programme,” Muyunda said.
(NAMPA)
CW/AS/PS