Zorena Jantze
AS an intervention to increasing cases of human-wildlife conflicts involving elephants, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has auctioned and supplied 37 elephants to successful bidders.
On Friday 5 March, 22 elephants captured from the Kamanjab commercial gaming area in the Kunene region were successfully exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The elephants were supplied to successful bidder G.H. Odendaal in a private transaction.
Romeo Muyunda, MEFT spokesperson, said the elephants arrived safely in the UAE early Saturday morning and are reported to be doing well except for one cow which is seemingly weak.
Muyunda stated that all the auctioned elephants were sold to Namibian bidders and that once successful bidders have ownership of the elephants, they are within their rights to utilize them in any way, provided it is done within the confinement of local and international laws.
Muyunda added that no international or local laws were violated, including CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) permits which were obtained or issued in line with article 11 of the convention.
“Namibia respects the rule of law without the need for any compromise. The ministry has received condemnation and criticism for our decisions to auction some elephants from areas that are prone to human-elephant conflicts. We understand the role of animal rights groups but the decisions the ministry make are part of the bigger picture of growing conservation in the country. It is also within our mandate provided in article 95 (I) of the Namibian Constitution,” Muyunda said.
From 2019 to 2021, 960 cases of crop damages were reported of which 923 were caused by elephants, according to statistics shared by the environment ministry.
The ministry has paid N$13.9 million since to offset losses by those affected.
