Harare, Zimbabwe – The elephant population in Africa has dropped dramatically – but not in Zimbabwe.
Officials in southern Africa estimate that the number of its largest species has so far exceeded 100,000 – up from 84,000 in 2014, when the last census took place – about 45,000.
The additions have called on the government in recent weeks to stop the killing of elephants – the country’s last act in 1988 – as a way to control human encroachment on wildlife, as well as the country’s flora.
“There is a lot of talk about elephants in the country,” Tinashe Farawo, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimPark), told Al Jazeera.
Officials say an increasing number of elephants pose a threat to other animals by causing habitat loss, as well as an increase in the number of fatal incidents between humans and wildlife, with more people dying in recent years.
“We have vultures that breed in trees. Wolves do not breed in Hwange (National Park); they have moved to other areas because elephants have a habit of felling trees, ”said Farawo.
He said the plan was still “formal” and that a final decision had not been made, but added that the ban was permitted by Zimbabwean law.
But the Center for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), which oversees Zimbabwe’s environment and human rights record criminal record, opposed the plan.
“Pulling makes these elephants possible,” Simiso Mlevu’s spokesman told Al Jazeera.
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “Soon we will be forced to go abroad to see elephants.”
Earlier this year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) named African forest elephants as “extremely endangered” and African savanna elephants as “endangered”, citing the high levels of poaching and habitat destruction. of a decrease in numbers.
According to a recent study by Swiss groups, African forest elephants have declined by more than 86 percent in 31 years. Meanwhile, African savanna elephants have dropped by 60% in the last 50 years.
Zimbabwe has the second largest elephant contractor after Botswana, with one-third of the remaining 415,000 African elephants.
Other options
In addition to the removal, another way that Zimbabwean authorities can consider is to remove the elephant from the densely populated areas. But they are all failing due to lack of funds, said Pharaoh.
“It’s difficult and we don’t have any money yet,” he added. “In 2018, we moved 100 elephants and in strength we spent $ 400,000.”
Farawo said ZimParks, a government agency, requires at least $ 25m a year to operate. But the agency has not received any funding from the Zimbabwean government-funded government since 2001.
Farawo said his organization needed funding to protect elephants but its funding was cut off in 2020 because the coronavirus epidemic severely disrupted tourism activities in the country.
Towards the end of April, Zimbabwe said it was planning to sell hunting licenses to kill 500 elephants for cash. Trophy hunters are required to pay between $ 10,000 and $ 70,000 depending on the size of the elephant.
The 500 elephant poaching section, which is different from its plans, is approved by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), according to Pharaoh, who said “elephants must pay”.
“Elephants also need to take care of themselves, so we need to be allowed to do business to make this possible,” Farawo said.
“[This] it means money should be made, money coming from elephants. At the moment when tourism is dead, people do not come to see the elephants. ”
But Mlevu, of CNRG, said the ban was about tourism – a suggestion made by John Robertson, a Zimbabwean economist.
“It’s destroying wildlife,” Robertson told Al Jazeera. “Loss of wildlife reduces access to tourism, which the country relies heavily on.”
Audrey Delsink, wildlife director at the Humane Society International / Africa, said killing elephants “has a significant impact on survivors”. He also explained why South African authorities are using contraceptives as a way to reduce population.
Recognizing that 76% of Africa’s elephants are cross-border, Delsink told Al Jazeera: “Improper monitoring activities can have serious and devastating consequences for communities, regions or individuals.
“As a result, Zimbabwe’s elections could have a negative impact on short-term elephants.
