REPORT SUGGESTS LIFTING BAN ON ELEPHANT CULL

Botswana is considering the reintroduction of big game hunting and reducing its elephant population by turning them into pet food. The recommendations were made in a recent report to Mokgweetsi Masisi, the president.
Botswana has around 130,000 elephants, the largest population in the world, and has long been hailed as a safe refuge for the species amid an Africa-wide poaching crisis. But some Botswanan MPs argue the population is out of control and puts lives and livelihoods of small scale farmers at risk.
The report says hunting would boost tourism while “managing’ the elephant population. It also called for “regular but limited” culling. It suggested meat from culled elephants could be used in canned pet food.