Namibia, a country in southern Africa, said it is planning to kill over 700 wild animals including elephants and hippos to distribute the meat to its citizens struggling to secure food as the country deals with an ongoing drought.
The country’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism announced Monday that professional hunters would cull 300 zebras, 100 blue wildebeest, 100 elands, 83 elephants, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas and 30 hippos.
The culling will support the ministry’s drought relief program, but it also said it will assist in managing the current grazing pressure and water availability for wildlife.
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“This exercise is necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens,” the ministry said in a press release.
The culling also aims to reduce fatal conflicts between elephants and humans as the animals search for sources of food and water, bringing them into more populated areas. The ministry noted a 48-year-old citizen was killed on Aug. 25 by elephants in Uukwaluudhi Conservancy.
The animals will be hunted and killed in several of the country’s national parks. Over 150 animals have already been killed in Mangetti National Park, the ministry said.
The extreme drought conditions in southern Africa have left millions hungry across several countries.
Namibia declared a state of emergency in May, claiming it was the worst drought it has seen in a century.