Simbabwe approves shooting of 50 elephants - nature conservation in danger!

Simbabwe approves shooting of 50 elephants - nature conservation in danger!

in the Save Valley, a private nature reserve in Zimbabwe, the elephant population on alarming 2,550 animals has grown. The National Park Authority has now made the controversial decision to kill 50 elephants in order to counteract the overpopulation. This measure was announced in a report by the online newspaper "Herald Online". According to a spokesman for the national parking authority, the "ecological load capacity" was reached with 800 animals, which means that the current number overwhelms the environment.

In order to address the challenging situation, 200 elephants have been relocated to other national parks in the past five years. Nevertheless, the decision to kill animals remains a critical topic. The ivory of the elephants kept remains the property of the state, while the meat is to be distributed to the local population, which illustrates the indication of the social aspect of this decision.

poaching and illegal ivory trade

Despite the measures to regulate the elephant population, the threat of poaching in Africa is still acute. Elephants are particularly hunted for their tusks, which are traded high on the black market. The illegal poaching is often promised by organized gangs of criminals. It is estimated that African ivory smugglers earn around 150 million euros a year. In recent years, the situation has intensified, especially by increasing demand in Asian countries.

• ivory is traded in Chinese markets with prices of up to 3,900 euros per kilo.
• A gram of rhino powder achieves around 60 euros on the black market.
• A horn of a rhino can bring up to 240,000 euros.

The Washington Species Protection Convention (CITES), which has regulated the trade with ivory since the 1970s, is under pressure. At the 18th species protection conference in Geneva, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe asked for paths to loosen the protection of elephants and legalize the ivory trade. The countries argue that they want to use income from the sale of ivory and rhinoceros to finance social projects.

conflicts and challenges

The situation is also fueled by conflicts between humans and elephants, which result from land and water use. Critics, especially animal rights activists, warn that such a shooting could endanger the elephant population. Observations show that elephants flee out of fear of hunters what the population could further destabilize.

In total, two thirds of the African elephants live in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia, and their stocks are declining. However, despite international protests, the governments of these countries strive to legalize and abolish the ivory trade, which represents a continued point of dispute in the globalization of animal species and their protection. Animal rights activists are skeptical whether the proceeds actually benefit social projects, especially in Zimbabwe, where economic problems and corruption are widespread.

The discussion about the elephant trade continues. The fate of the elephants in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia remains uncertain, while the topic of poaching and illegal trade routes remains unabated.

For additional information, read the reports on sächsische.de , Adventure Regenwald and Deutschlandfunk Nova .