Zim elephants shot for food
18/12/2007 08:46 - (SA)

Harare - There is such an acute food shortage in Zimbabwe that people are resorting to shooting elephants to stave off the hunger.

Johnny Rodrigues, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said game poaching had increased in the past three months.

A recent report noted that 900 elephant carcasses had been seen from the air over Chisarira Park in the northwestern region of Zimbabwe.

The official who compiled the report said there were more carcasses than live animals in the park.

A tourist has reported seeing three elephant carcasses in Hwange National Park.

The carcasses had been stripped to the bone.

Elephant stoned

The official report noted: "The continuing food shortages in Zimbabwe are forcing residents to act like barbarians."

One Kariba elephant, which was being stoned by about 30 people, fled in panic and fell into a ditch, where the stoning continued.

While some people ran to help the elephant, the original attackers just stood there waiting for the animal to die so they could get at the meat.

Zimbabwe's severe food shortages have been felt worst in the rural areas.

Meat is a luxury in most households.

This isn't good any good news.
Rather sell them cheaply get money from them and give the meat away that would make us all as hunters happy.

That's right. A better system is allowing more quota or (horrors ) a cull that will provide meat to locals and revenue for conservation and research. Let the game pay for itself or you will lose it.

As to 900 carcasses being found in the Park...I doubt it.

During my recent safari in Chirisa National Parks received word from the "officials" who were going to have a political rally in Gokwe. They wanted 5 elephants! And they wanted them within 24 hours!!

Yes, I also doubt the 900 carcasses in Chizarira. Sure, there is poaching going on, but 900?? Methinks that figure is seriously exaggerated. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force does have a tendency to sensationalize at times...

Dave

And as for those fellas who were stoning the Kariba elephant to death, come on, pull the other one. You'd have to be flippin insane to try that, not merely hungry. If I was hungry and lived at Kariba, I would rather try my luck doing a bit of fishing.

Dave

I guess they like those elephant ribs that you can eat all week long.As long as they are getting eaten but not wiped out but that wont happen.They wont quit killing them till there are none.

Throwing stones or rocks at elephant must be quite a hazardous past-time! Why did the elephant kill you? Jee, I can't think why maybe it was irritated with me?!

Sticks and stones will break your bones if elephants get involved.

900 elephant, interesting. If those figures are any were near correct then this can only be the army. How do normal folk walk into a park and cull 900 elephant without anybody catching them. And if this is the case then the people who are actually starving are not getting the meat. Buerocracy at its best.