News / National
Zimbabwe govt challenged over elephants culling programme
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The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has issued a strong condemnation of the Zimbabwean government's plan to cull 50 elephants in the Save Valley Conservancy, labelling the move as cruel, outdated, and detrimental to both conservation and tourism.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) recently announced that it had authorised the killing of the elephants as part of a so-called population control exercise. However, CNRG says the decision represents a serious policy regression and threatens to undo years of conservation work.
Speaking on behalf of CNRG, communications and advocacy officer Donald Nyarota criticised the decision, saying it disregards more humane and science-based alternatives available to address ecological pressures.
"Culling is a short-term fix that ignores the complex social structures of elephant herds. It traumatises surviving animals and fails to address the root causes of habitat stress and human-elephant conflict," said Nyarota.
He added that the proposed culling undermines conservation efforts, alienates communities, and jeopardises a tourism sector that contributes US$433 million to Zimbabwe's GDP, making it the country's third-largest economic sector.
Nyarota said the culling exercise, framed as "management," is neither ethical nor scientifically justified. He cited Zimbabwe's troubled history with elephant culls between the 1960s and 1990s, which were eventually abandoned following widespread condemnation over animal cruelty and psychological trauma inflicted on these highly intelligent, social creatures.
"This marks a disturbing return to a brutal past we had long rejected. It's a major policy reversal masquerading as conservation," he said.
ZimParks has cited ecological carrying capacity concerns, noting that Save Valley can support only 800 elephants, yet the population has reportedly ballooned to over 2,500. But CNRG disputes the science behind these calculations, calling the capacity estimates "narrow and outdated," and arguing they fail to consider broader ecological and climatic factors.
"Wildlife does not recognise artificial boundaries. Isolating Save Valley from the broader landscape reduces conservation to spreadsheet arithmetic," said Nyarota.
According to CNRG, there are viable, proven alternatives to elephant culling - including translocation, contraceptive programs, community engagement, landscape restoration, and the development of ecological corridors. Nyarota noted that Save Valley had previously translocated 200 elephants over five years, a commendable effort, but said more investment is needed to expand such non-lethal interventions.
"What is urgently required is a national strategy on elephant range expansion and increased investment in cross-border conservation partnerships," he said.
CNRG has also raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the culling decision. Nyarota questioned the motivations behind the planned distribution of elephant meat to communities, warning it could be a front for generating ivory stockpiles under the guise of management.
"Turning elephants into meat and trophies betrays our heritage and moral responsibility to future generations," he said.
"We fear this is less about conservation and more about commodification."
He criticised Zimbabwe's ongoing push to reopen the international ivory trade, arguing it undermines any claim to ethical conservation.
CNRG is calling for an immediate halt to the planned cull and a transparent, multi-stakeholder dialogue to develop a humane and sustainable elephant management policy. The organisation has urged the government to prioritise community-based conservation strategies that are informed by scientific research and local knowledge.
"Zimbabwe's elephants are not surplus biomass to be disposed of for convenience," Nyarota stressed.
"They are sentient beings, ecological engineers, and national treasures."
The group says the path forward must be rooted in justice for both people and wildlife, warning that the continuation of militarised and top-down conservation models will only deepen conflict and erode trust.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) recently announced that it had authorised the killing of the elephants as part of a so-called population control exercise. However, CNRG says the decision represents a serious policy regression and threatens to undo years of conservation work.
Speaking on behalf of CNRG, communications and advocacy officer Donald Nyarota criticised the decision, saying it disregards more humane and science-based alternatives available to address ecological pressures.
"Culling is a short-term fix that ignores the complex social structures of elephant herds. It traumatises surviving animals and fails to address the root causes of habitat stress and human-elephant conflict," said Nyarota.
He added that the proposed culling undermines conservation efforts, alienates communities, and jeopardises a tourism sector that contributes US$433 million to Zimbabwe's GDP, making it the country's third-largest economic sector.
Nyarota said the culling exercise, framed as "management," is neither ethical nor scientifically justified. He cited Zimbabwe's troubled history with elephant culls between the 1960s and 1990s, which were eventually abandoned following widespread condemnation over animal cruelty and psychological trauma inflicted on these highly intelligent, social creatures.
"This marks a disturbing return to a brutal past we had long rejected. It's a major policy reversal masquerading as conservation," he said.
ZimParks has cited ecological carrying capacity concerns, noting that Save Valley can support only 800 elephants, yet the population has reportedly ballooned to over 2,500. But CNRG disputes the science behind these calculations, calling the capacity estimates "narrow and outdated," and arguing they fail to consider broader ecological and climatic factors.
"Wildlife does not recognise artificial boundaries. Isolating Save Valley from the broader landscape reduces conservation to spreadsheet arithmetic," said Nyarota.
According to CNRG, there are viable, proven alternatives to elephant culling - including translocation, contraceptive programs, community engagement, landscape restoration, and the development of ecological corridors. Nyarota noted that Save Valley had previously translocated 200 elephants over five years, a commendable effort, but said more investment is needed to expand such non-lethal interventions.
"What is urgently required is a national strategy on elephant range expansion and increased investment in cross-border conservation partnerships," he said.
CNRG has also raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the culling decision. Nyarota questioned the motivations behind the planned distribution of elephant meat to communities, warning it could be a front for generating ivory stockpiles under the guise of management.
"Turning elephants into meat and trophies betrays our heritage and moral responsibility to future generations," he said.
"We fear this is less about conservation and more about commodification."
He criticised Zimbabwe's ongoing push to reopen the international ivory trade, arguing it undermines any claim to ethical conservation.
CNRG is calling for an immediate halt to the planned cull and a transparent, multi-stakeholder dialogue to develop a humane and sustainable elephant management policy. The organisation has urged the government to prioritise community-based conservation strategies that are informed by scientific research and local knowledge.
"Zimbabwe's elephants are not surplus biomass to be disposed of for convenience," Nyarota stressed.
"They are sentient beings, ecological engineers, and national treasures."
The group says the path forward must be rooted in justice for both people and wildlife, warning that the continuation of militarised and top-down conservation models will only deepen conflict and erode trust.
Source - NewsDay
