Namibia’s Drought-Driven Animal Cull Sparks Controversy

A wild animal cull has begun in Namibia, initiated by the government in response to the country’s worst drought in decades and rising human-wildlife conflicts.

The cull, which began August 14, targets 723 animals: 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras, 83 elephants and 100 eland antelopes.

A drastic move

Namibia’s government is taking drastic measures to mitigate the consequences of the drought. Scores of wild animals are at risk of dying of thirst due to acute water shortages in many regions of Namibia, according to a Ministry of the Environment spokesperson.

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By shooting some of the animals, the spokesperson said, the animals are spared dying from thirst, which also increases the survival chances of the other animals.

The animals intended for culling will be stored at various meat processing factories in the country and will be distributed through the drought relief program.

It will be headed by the office of the prime minister in a joint effort to address drought and hunger in the country.

Severe drought and human needs

The 2023/24 rainfall season was exceptionally poor, triggering Namibia’s worst drought in 100 years.

Most crops in the north-eastern parts of the country have failed entirely, creating severe food insecurity in those regions.

The more livestock-reliant communities in the drier western parts of the country are slightly more resilient to drought than crop farmers

Environmentalists sound the alarm

However, this decision has been condemned and opposed by humanitarian and climate agencies stating that the killings causes repercussion to the environment questioning the motive of the government on this move.

Opponents threatens legal action if Namibia authorities do not stop the cull on the grounds that it is detrimental to Namibia’s natural resources, not sustainable, and not justifiable and unscientific.

The government has also faced criticism for its approach to addressing food shortages, with experts pointing out that culling livestock—not elephants—would be a more practical and sustainable solution.