AssetID: 54073661
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Namibia to Cull 700+ Wild Animals, Including Elephants, Due to Severe Drought
Caption: Namibia to Cull 700+ Wild Animals, Including Elephants, Due to Severe Drought. Namibia plans to cull over 700 wild animals, including elephants, zebras, and hippos, to combat severe food insecurity caused by the country's worst drought in 100 years, CNN news reports. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism announced that 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, and 300 zebras will be killed. These animals will be culled from national parks and communal areas with sustainable game numbers by professional hunters. The program aims to alleviate the drought's impact by distributing the meat to those facing acute food insecurity, especially in rural areas. The culling will reduce pressure on limited water resources by decreasing wildlife numbers in areas where grazing and water are scarce. The program also seeks to minimize human-elephant conflicts, which are heightened during droughts as animals search for food and water near human settlements. Namibia declared a state of emergency in May, with around 1.4 million people expected to face high levels of food insecurity. Southern Africa, home to more than 200,000 elephants, has been severely impacted by drought, with hundreds of elephants believed to have died due to drying water sources. Over 150 animals have already been culled, providing more than 125,000 pounds of meat to those in need. Namibia, along with other southern African countries, is struggling with devastating drought conditions driven by El Niño and exacerbated by climate change, leading to widespread hunger. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Namibia,Cull,Animals,Including,Elephants,Severe,Drought,Zebras,Hippos,Food,Insecurity,Impalas,Buffalos,Natural World,Meat,Wildlife,Starving,Hunt,Professional,Hunters
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