In brief
Human rights activists and conservation groups have condemned Botswana's decision to authorise the killing of 23 elephants for the country's 60th independence day celebrations. They warn that the slaughter could undermine elephant populations and encourage illegal poaching by normalising the killing of wild animals. The government asserts that the meat will be distributed across districts as part of festive feasting, though reports of unregulated distribution and foot‑and‑mouth disease concerns have caused health and equity worries. The controversy highlights the ongoing debate over Botswana's hunting policy, which balances wildlife conservation with local community development and human‑elephant conflict.
Botswana government has authorised the killing of 23 elephants to supply meat for its 60th Independence Day celebrations, a move that has ignited protests from animal‑rights activists and local communities.
The licence, issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, permits the hunting of elephants and other wild animals for “complimentary purposes,” according to local media.
Conservationists warn that using elephant meat for feasting could give the impression that killing elephants is socially acceptable, potentially encouraging illegal poaching.
The government says the harvested meat will be distributed to communities across eight districts, but reports of chaotic distribution and concerns over a foot‑and‑mouth disease outbreak have raised public health and fairness questions.
The decision follows a contested history of hunting policy in Botswana – from a 2014 trophy‑hunting ban to recent lifts of restrictions – and underscores the delicate balance between wildlife management, local development and conservation.
While the Ministry claims that proceeds support conservation projects, critics argue that continued hunting may destabilise the country’s largest elephant population, which stands at over 130,000 individuals.
