Animal organisation says no to elephant culling

Animal activists are against the culling of elephants

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has asked the South African National Parks to explore alternatives to shooting elephants to control their numbers.

Jason Bell-Leask, the IFAW spokesperson, says if culling goes ahead in the Kruger Park, it will be based on a political decision rather than sound ecological principles. The organisation is to make representations on the proposed culling to Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, the environmental affairs minister, on Monday.

SANParks has proposed the culling of about 5 000 elephants it claims are damaging the biodiversity of the park.

Animal organisations has raised the concern that the underlying motivation for the cull is profit from the sale of elephant meat, skin and by-products. An estimated R6.5 million is to be earned for every 800 elephants culled.