African Country Allows Hunting of 23 Elephants for Meat

The Botswana government agreed to issue licenses to hunt 23 elephants during the country's Independence Day celebrations this week, prompting criticism from environmental advocates and one of its former presidents.

Elephant hunting licenses were issued in various regions across the country, with each area receiving a share of the total number permitted to be hunted.

Authorities stated on Friday, defending the move, that elephant meat would provide food for needy rural communities.

While African savanna elephants are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Botswana, located in southern Africa, is home to large elephant populations estimated at around 130,000, a number exceeding that of any other country.

Annual elephant hunting quotas set by the government have previously sparked criticism, but the government defends them as necessary for managing elephant numbers and attempting to reduce human-elephant conflict.

The Botswana Elephant Protection Society said the decision to hunt elephants was reckless and could drive herds to become more aggressive toward residents living near them.

The society added that "when an elephant is shot, the remaining elephants go into a defensive state."