Namibia's Shock Move: Culling Wildlife Amid Historic Drought - A Desperate Nation's Dilemma

Namibia, a small country in southwestern Africa, has decided to cull hundreds of wild animals. But why has this country, which is known for its breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and rich cultural heritage, taken this drastic decision?

Before we tell you more about the reasons, here's what Namibia is planning to do:

Namibia Plan's :

The nation has put a staggering 723 animals on the chopping block. This includes 30 hippopotamuses, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas and 100 blue wildebeest.

Additionally, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 elands, a type of antelope are also on the list of animals to be culled.

In fact, Namibia has already killed over 150 wild animals, producing about 63 tonnes of meat.

But why has Namibia taken this drastic measure?

The trigger behind this decision is the worst drought the nation has seen in a century. The drought is so severe that it has crippled the nation’s economy and has resulted in an unprecedented food crisis, driving millions of people towards hunger.

The drought has wiped out approximately 84% of Namibia's food reserves, leaving nearly half of the country's 2.5 million people at risk of severe food shortages from July to September.

Now, in a desperate move to tackle this crisis, the Namibian government has turned to its wildlife to help feed its starving population.

But why is Namibia facing such a severe drought? Rising temperatures in the region have led to critically low levels of rainfall. In February, during what should have been the peak of the rainy season, the region received less than 20% of the expected rainfall.

While droughts are not uncommon in this area, experts point to the El Niño weather phenomenon and human-caused climate change as the driving forces behind this particularly harsh dry spell. As a result, Namibia, along with Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia, has declared a drought emergency.

Like its neighbours, Namibia is also dependent on agriculture and livestock which need rain to flourish. However, it has recorded several droughts in recent years, affecting food production. Authorities declared drought emergencies three times between 2013 and 2019.

However, this year's drought has been so devastating that Namibia has been left with no other option than to kill wild animals for meat. In a statement, the country's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said, and I quote, "This exercise is necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens" – end of quote.

As per the United Nations, other countries in the region, like Angola and Mozambique, might follow soon or signal a gap between the food they have and the food they need.

Children and women are worst hit by the impact of the ongoing drought. The United Nations has also reported a troubling rise in severe acute malnutrition among children under five.

Also, as food and water become scarcer, women and girls are forced to walk longer distances to collect these essentials, which in turn increases their risk of gender-based violence.

Raising an alarm about this dire situation, the United Nations has described it as a "humanitarian crisis we've never spoken much of".

This crisis in Namibia highlights the urgent need for global action on climate change and food security.

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