It remained unclear how many of the 23 elephants had actually been killed by Wednesday…reports Africa Daily News Desk
Botswana has come under criticism after authorities authorised the hunting of 23 elephants to provide meat for celebrations marking the country’s 60th anniversary of independence from Britain.
The southern African nation marked its Diamond Jubilee on Wednesday with nationwide festivities, including cultural performances, concerts, sporting events and a carnival in the capital, Gaborone.
A licence issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism authorised the hunting of 23 elephants and other wildlife for what it described as “complimentary purposes”. The elephants were allocated across eight districts, with the meat intended to form part of traditional feasting during the celebrations.
It remained unclear how many of the 23 elephants had actually been killed by Wednesday. The government had not publicly confirmed the final number, although photographs published by local media showed residents gathered around elephant carcasses in different parts of the country.
The decision has drawn criticism from conservationists, who say using elephants for a national celebration risks sending the wrong message about wildlife protection.
Oaitse Nawa, chairman of the Botswana-based Elephant Protection Society, told the BBC that elephants needed greater protection. He warned that killing the animals for celebratory feasts could encourage poaching by creating the impression that killing elephants was acceptable when authorised by the government.
Nawa also argued that repeated gunfire was disrupting elephant herds and their social structures, as animals were forced to move from one area to another.
Botswana has one of the world’s largest elephant populations, estimated at more than 130,000 animals. Authorities have defended regulated hunting as one of the tools available to manage human-wildlife conflict, particularly in communities living alongside large elephant populations.
The country lifted a five-year ban on elephant hunting in 2019, arguing that the growing population was contributing to conflicts between wildlife and rural communities. The policy has remained controversial among conservation groups and animal welfare campaigners.
The latest controversy has also raised concerns about food safety amid Botswana’s continuing efforts to contain foot-and-mouth disease. Government measures have included restrictions on the movement of live cloven-hoofed animals and requirements concerning the slaughter and movement of meat in affected areas.
Some residents have questioned why elephants were selected for the independence celebrations when other game could have been used.
In Maun, a major tourism centre in north-western Botswana, elder Tshenatshe Monwela told local media that his community should instead have received buffalo. He argued that elephants have particular cultural and ecological significance and that Botswana’s record of wildlife protection should have been reflected in the choice of meat.
The allocation has also prompted concerns in Chobe, a wildlife-rich district bordering Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A local MP raised questions after residents reportedly collected meat directly from an elephant carcass at a school.
Botswana’s government has not publicly indicated that the 23 animals represented a wider change in its elephant management policy. The controversy, however, has renewed debate over how the country balances its large elephant population, conservation objectives and the interests of communities living alongside wildlife.
