Elisabeth Valerio, president of UZA, made the following statement, “I strongly oppose the government’s proposal to cull elephants in Zimbabwe.”
It is true that 84,000 elephants live in Zimbabwe, making it the country with the second-largest elephant population in the world after Botswana, but rather from being an issue, this should be seen as a source of pride and responsibility.
The assertion made by Environmental Minister Sithembiso Nyoni that “Zimbabwe has more elephants than we need” ignores the significance of these magnificent animals for our environment, economy, and position as a global leader in wildlife advocacy.
Ration hunts are already permitted by the Zim Park Authority in order to supply officials with meat, nevertheless, it would be foolish to extend this practice to encompass large-scale culling. The destruction of protected wilderness areas and the atrocities of poaching have been faced head-on by us, but this culling proposal goes backwards. We cannot afford to repeat such tragedies, as it brings to mind the tragic 2013 operation in which over 300 elephants were poisoned with cyanide in exchange for ivory.
Elephant culling is ineffective at reducing the population or resolving conflicts between people and wildlife. In fact, it may make the remaining elephants more irate and frustrated, which would increase the very confrontations we are trying to avoid.
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The claim that this will help feed the nation by producing bush meat is completely unfounded. The projected value of the 600,000kg of bush meat is US$1.8 million, a little amount compared to the potential costs incurred by the government during the culling process.
It is regrettable that the government spends more money on these extravagant and inefficient activities than on worthwhile initiatives that help the people, while regular residents struggle.
We need to look into sustainable solutions instead of destroying our species. We can boost local communities and generate jobs by investing in entrepreneurs and granting non-governmental organizations the freedom to operate.If handled well, discussions and ecotourism will generate far more income than culling ever could while protecting our ecosystem for coming years.
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I urge the government to reevaluate this destructive course and strive toward long-term, humane solutions that benefit both people and wildlife. Zimbabwe has the chance to set an example in the preservation of our natural heritage, and we ought to take it seriously and proudly.
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