Namibia Plans to Butcher Wild Animals for Meat | 03 Sep 2024

Source: ET 

The Namibia government is planning to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, to feed the country amid a severe drought and hunger crisis. The move aims to provide food and reduce human-wildlife conflicts due to scarce resources. 

• The plan is necessary and aligns with the constitutional mandate to utilize natural resources for the benefit of Namibian citizens. 
  • The nation is also working to mitigate increasing human-wildlife interactions, which are expected to intensify during the drought as both seek access to water and vegetation.  
• Namibia:  
  • Namibia is a Southern African nation with its western boundary formed by the Atlantic Ocean. It shares its northern borders with Angola and Zambia, while Botswana lies to its east and South Africa borders both its eastern and southern regions 
  • Namibia, acknowledged as the driest nation in sub-Saharan Africa. It ranks among the least densely populated countries globally.  
  • In 1884, the German Empire established colonial rule over much of the region, naming it German South West Africa. 
  • The Namib, the Kalahari, the  Succulent Karoo, and the Nama Karoo deserts are located in Namibia. 
  • Zambezi, Okavango and Kunene are important rivers in Namibia.

Read More: Human-wildlife conflicts