Key facts
- Botswana authorized the killing of 23 elephants for its 60th independence anniversary celebrations.
- Animal rights activists have criticized the decision, warning it could undermine conservation and encourage poaching.
- The meat is intended to be served as part of traditional feasting for the celebrations.
- Concerns have been raised about eating game meat due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
- Botswana has a population of over 130,000 elephants.
Botswana is facing condemnation from animal rights activists and some local communities for authorizing the killing of 23 elephants to provide meat for its 60th independence anniversary celebrations. The country, which is home to the world's largest elephant population, is holding nationwide festivities on Wednesday.
A license issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism permits the hunting of these elephants and other wild animals for "complimentary purposes" during the celebrations. The Botswana-based Elephant Protection Society has voiced strong opposition, with its chairman, Oaitse Nawa, telling the BBC that such actions could undermine conservation efforts and potentially encourage poaching by normalizing the killing of elephants.
Nawa also highlighted the negative impact of gunshots on elephant social structures. Concerns about consuming game meat have also surfaced among social media users due to an ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Tshenatshe Monwela, an elder from Maun, suggested that buffalo meat would have been a more appropriate allocation, emphasizing the cultural and ecological significance of elephants.
Despite the criticism, the government has defended regulated hunting as a method for managing the elephant population, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and generating income. Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi previously stated that elephant quotas raised 15.6 million pula ($1.1 million) in 2025 for local development projects. However, conservation organizations question the sustainability of current hunting levels.
Images have emerged from various parts of Botswana showing residents collecting meat from elephant carcasses. A local Member of Parliament, Simasiku Mapulanga, raised concerns about the distribution process, suggesting it could lead to congestion and disadvantage vulnerable groups, advocating for better-organized distribution methods for hygiene and fairness.