According to AP, Zimbabwe decided to kill 200 elephants on September 16 and their meat will be distributed to poor people. Meanwhile, Namibia allowed the killing of about 700 wild animals, including 85 elephants.
Tinashe Fawaro, a spokesman for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, said the authorities would join local people in hunting and slaughtering elephants.
According to Mr Fawaro, the hunting and slaughtering will be in areas with overpopulation of elephants, including Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe.
The harsh, arid climate of this region makes food and water scarce. Therefore, there is always competition between humans and wild animals.
There are currently about 45,000 elephants in Hwange, but the park only has enough space for 15,000. Zimbabwe’s total elephant population is 100,000, double the number that the country’s national parks can support, Fawaro added.
The El Nino weather phenomenon has made matters worse, with 100 elephants already dead from drought last December. More deaths from hunger and thirst are expected in the coming weeks as Zimbabwe enters its most extreme weather period yet.
Last month, the Namibian government culled 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 100 antelopes, 300 zebras and many other species.
Meanwhile, Namibia and Zimbabwe's neighboring country Botswana has a herd of up to 130,000 elephants but has not mentioned culling due to overpopulation.
