• Zimbabwe to cull 50 elephants to control population and distribute the meat to locals.
• The Save Valley Conservancy has over 2,550 elephants, exceeding its capacity of 800.
• The culling has faced criticism due to the significance of elephants for tourism.

Zimbabwe has announced plans to cull 50 elephants initially as part of a population control measure, with the carcasses' meat slated for distribution to local communities. This action comes from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), which issued permits to the Save Valley Conservancy—a large private game reserve in the southeast—following an aerial survey in 2024 that indicated a surplus of elephants. The region currently hosts approximately 2,550 elephants, significantly above its ecological carrying capacity of 800 elephants, prompting the need for intervention, according to SCMP and India Times.

Moreover, ZimParks plans to manage the situation further by translocating at least 200 elephants over the past five years. The elephants from the culling will contribute to food resources for the communities that rely on them, as prior culls have aimed to cope with food shortages caused by drought. However, the government faces scrutiny for this approach, as elephants are vital to tourism and the local economy, as highlighted by both ABC News and India Times.

The plan has stirred controversy as critics argue that culling elephants may not be the best solution for balancing the ecosystem and reducing human-wildlife conflicts. ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo emphasized that this management strategy is distinct from outright culling, noting it focuses on specific population control rather than widespread extermination of herds, reflecting an ongoing tension between conservation and community needs, according to ABC News and SCMP.