Botswana Faces Backlash Over Elephant Killings for Independence Celebrations
Botswana is facing criticism from animal-rights and conservation groups after authorities authorised the hunting of 23 elephants to provide meat for celebrations marking the country’s 60th anniversary of independence from Britain.
A licence issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism authorised the hunting of the elephants and other wild animals for “complimentary purposes,” with the meat distributed across eight districts for traditional feasting. Images from local media showed residents gathering around elephant carcasses and collecting meat.
The Elephant Protection Society warned that killing elephants for a national celebration could undermine conservation efforts and potentially encourage poaching. Its chairman, Oaitse Nawa, told the BBC that repeated shooting has disrupted elephant social structures.
The controversy comes as Botswana remains home to more than 130,000 elephants, the world’s largest elephant population. Government authorities have defended regulated hunting as a tool for managing human-wildlife conflict and providing benefits to communities living alongside elephants.
Some residents have also raised public-health and distribution concerns, particularly because Botswana is dealing with a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. A local lawmaker in Chobe called for the meat to be processed and packaged rather than distributed directly around carcasses, citing hygiene and accessibility concerns.
The debate has renewed questions over how Botswana balances wildlife conservation, traditional practices, tourism and the interests of communities living with large elephant populations.
