Traditional leader Chief Chundu of Mashonaland West province has voiced his support for a proposal to cull 200 elephants to provide food for communities grappling with severe hunger following Zimbabwe’s worst drought in 40 years.
Chief Chundu expressed his views during a conservation meeting organized by USAID in Harare, where stakeholders debated wildlife management and conservation strategies amidst the ongoing crisis.
Zimbabwe, which boasts a population of over 84,000 elephants, has one of the largest elephant populations globally. This significant population is spread across a vast conservation area that includes neighboring countries like Zambia, Botswana, Angola, and Namibia. Hwange National Park alone hosts about 44,000 elephants, known for forming “super herds” of up to 350 individuals. These elephants live alongside communities who often face human-wildlife conflicts exacerbated by food shortages.
In 2024, Zimbabwe implemented its first elephant cull since 1988, targeting to reduce the elephant population by 200 animals to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and provide food to drought-affected regions.
