Zimbabwe, which is home to the world’s second-largest elephant population after Botswana, is considering their culling to reduce the population, Bloomberg reported.
The government has said that the large number has lead to the destruction of the habitat needed by other species. Reports suggest that adult elephants can eat 300 kilogrammes of vegetation in a day.
Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said that the government is discussing ways to control their population and formulating a policy. “Options are on the table, including culling,” he said in an interview with Zimpapers Television Network.
More than 50,000 elephants were killed when the country carried out culling between 1965 and 1988, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
During their culling, their entire family groups and herds are killed to prevent post-traumatic stress for the remaining elephants.
