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FEATURE April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 10

Why limits on elephant culling

are bad for conservation

IAN SCOONES

lephants are some of
the most majestic an-
imals in African savan-
nahs, but they can also
E be the most destruc-
tive. This is witnessed dramati-
cally if you travel to Gonarezhou
National Park (appropriately, the
‘place of the elephants’) in the far
southeast of Zimbabwe, as we
did recently at the kind invitation
of Hugo van der Westhuizen, Di-
rector of the Gonarezhou Con-
servation Trust. As we saw, the
areas around water sources are
completely hammered, with mo-
pane woodlands destroyed. It is
a sorry sight, and the elephants
must wander further, including
outside the park, to find food.
Too many elephants
Elephant populations have
increased dramatically in
Gonarezhou (as has indeed been
the case across Zimbabwe), with
the park populations increasing
to around 10 000 animals (some
say more). This is around three
times the maximum number the
park can hold sustainably; al-
though as park ecologists argue
they spread over much wider ar-
eas, including across large are-
as of Mozambique to the east. mates don’t work well, but you in certain parts of the park to see Take a look at the three photo- taken on our recent trip to the
Simple ‘carrying capacity’ esti- only have to look at the damage that there is a problem. graphs below of mopane trees, area, and guess where the veg-

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Remedy Chivorese for scooping the CEO of the year and young executive of the year
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Your determination is inspirational.