NAMIBIA TO KILL 700 ANIMALS TO FEED PEOPLE

The Namibian government has ordered the killing of more than 700 animals including elephants, zebras and hippos. The culling aims to distribute the food among the people.

The country is facing its worst drought in 100 years. According to stats released by the government, an estimated 1.4 million people – around half of the population – are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity.

The government has said the list includes 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest and 300 zebras.

According to a press release issued by the country’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, the animals will come from national parks and communal areas with “sustainable game numbers” and will be killed by professional hunters.

The ministry also said they believe the culling program will take pressure off water resources by reducing wildlife in areas where their numbers “exceed available grazing and water”.

This isn’t the first round in the culling program. The ministry said more than 150 animals have already been killed which provided more than 125,000 pounds of meat.

“We are happy that we can assist the country in this very difficult time and when it's absolutely needed.”

Image credit: The Frontier Post