Maria David
THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) will contribute 723 animals, including 30 hippos, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 elands, to support the government’s drought relief program.
Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that, with Cabinet approval, the Ministry is contributing game meat to support the government’s drought relief program.
According to Muyunda, the Cabinet approved the “Namibia Livelihood Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (VAA) Report,” which requires the Ministry to provide meat for the drought relief program.
He said that the animals are sourced from national parks and communal areas with sustainable game numbers.
“The animals are being sourced from Namib Naukluft Park, Mangetti National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park, and Nkasa Rupara National Park,” he said.
Additionally, Muyunda said that the National Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict Management in 2023 resolved, among other things, that elephant numbers need to be reduced to help mitigate the increasing human-wildlife conflicts.
He explained that, with the severe drought affecting the country, these conflicts are expected to rise without interventions.
As part of this effort, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled, and the meat will be allocated to the drought relief program under the Office of the Prime Minister.
Elephants scheduled for culling include 12 from the Kamanjab and Fransfontein areas in the Kunene region; four from Kalkveld and eight from the Grootfontein area in the Otjozondjupa region; five from Omatjete in the Erongo region; ten from Ruacana, Tsandi, and Okahao in the Omusati region; three from EkuloLyanazi, Okasheshete, Uukanga, Ondomb, Tomykunzi, and Onoolongo in the Oshana region; two from Onanke and Cham Cham in the Oshikoto region; and seven from the Kavango West region, in the areas of Tondoro, Musese, Maha, Nzize, Agro-tour farms, and Mangetti Cattle Ranch. Additionally, two will be culled from the Kavango East region.
Further, a combined total of 30 elephants will be culled in the Zambezi region, including 10 from Salambala, Lusese, Nakabolelwa, and Kabbe areas. An additional 10 elephants will be culled from the North Complex of Mudumu, while another 10 will be sourced from the South Complex of Mudumu.
“The culling is being conducted by professional hunters and safari outfitters contracted by the Ministry and conservancies in specific areas,” Muyunda said.
He added that, to date, 157 animals comprising different species have been hunted in Mangetti National Park, 20 in Mahango, 70 in Kwando, 6 in Buffalo, and 9 in Mudumo, delivering 56,875 kilograms of meat.
Muyunda said that this offtake will assist in reducing the negative impact of drought on the conservation of wildlife in both national parks and communal areas.
“There is no doubt that drought is affecting most sectors, conservation included. This will help manage the current grazing pressure and water availability by reducing wildlife numbers in some parks and communal areas where we feel numbers exceed available grazing and water,” he added.
Moreover, he said that an arrangement has been made with the Office of the Prime Minister and Meatco for the Ministry to provide game meat for the drought relief program.
He stressed that this offtake will help mitigate the negative impact of drought on wildlife conservation in both national parks and communal areas.
He emphasized that reducing wildlife numbers in areas where populations exceed the available grazing and water resources will better manage the current grazing pressure and water availability.
Muyunda concluded that this exercise is necessary and aligns with the Ministry’s constitutional mandate to use natural resources for the benefit of Namibian citizens. It demonstrates that wildlife conservation has tangible benefits, especially for rural communities, by improving nutrition, reducing poverty, and creating jobs and income opportunities, particularly in tourism and related sectors.
On this basis, Namibians have reason to support ongoing conservation efforts for wildlife species.
