Too Many Elephants? Zimbabwe Plans to Thin the Herd and Share the Meat
Zimbabwe will kill around 50 elephants in a wildlife reserve to manage overpopulation, with the meat distributed to local communities and the ivory retained by the state.
Why Is This Happening?
Zimbabwe’s Save Valley Conservancy has more than three times the number of elephants its land can support. Officials say the area is struggling to sustain the wildlife due to limited resources and habitat pressure.
Current elephant count: 2,550
Ideal carrying capacity: 800
Planned elephants to be killed: ~50 (initial phase)
Who’s Involved?
The operation is being carried out by Save Valley Conservancy, a private game reserve, with permits issued by ZimParks, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
ZimParks refers to this as a "management exercise" rather than a mass cull.
What Will Happen to the Elephants?
Meat: Will be distributed to local communities
Ivory: Retained by the state, not for sale (global ivory trade is banned)
Carcasses: Managed in what officials describe as a "respectful, not wasteful" manner
Alternatives Already Tried
Over the past five years, the reserve has moved 200 elephants to other areas. However, there are now few suitable habitats nearby that don’t already have elephant populations.
What Comes Next?
The current phase focuses on understanding the logistical, ecological, and financial impact of the plan. Officials indicate this might not be a one-time event.
Context: Elephant Numbers in Africa
Zimbabwe holds the second-largest elephant population in the world—second only to Botswana. Managing these numbers is a long-standing challenge in balancing conservation, habitat health, and human-wildlife conflict.