We stop the sale of licenses to hunt 500 elephants at risk of extinction in Zimbabwe (PETITION)

The government of Zimbabwe has decided to sell licenses to kill up to 500 elephants by 2021 to lift the country out of the crisis.

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

To relieve the country from the crisis, the government of Zimbabwe has decided to sell licenses to kill up to 500 elephants by 2021. It seems absurd, but it is true and the decision has been strongly condemned by environmental associations. And, in fact, it is an absurd and wicked move, even more so considering that African elephants are now on the verge of extinction. 

The announcement came a few days ago through Tinashe Farawo, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. As explained by Farawo, the government has opted for this choice due to the decline in revenues due to the collapse of the tourism sector, brought to its knees by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We eat what we kill. We have a budget of approximately $ 25 million for our operations, a budget that is partly derived from sport hunting ”- said Tinashe Farawo. - "But you know that tourism has practically died due to the coronavirus pandemic". 

According to the latest census, conducted in 2014, Zimbabwe has a population of about 8400 elephants, but with the green light to hunt 500 specimens could be killed in a few months. 

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The appeal of environmental associations

The decision taken by the Zimbabwean government sparked a wave of outrage among environmentalists and animal rights activists. Simiso Mlevu, spokesperson for the Center for Natural Resource Governance, an organization committed to defending human and environmental rights in Zimbabwe, spoke on the matter.

"We strongly condemn trophy hunting, a practice that upsets wild animals and intensifies conflicts between humans and wild life," said Simiso Mlevu. - "It is almost certain that elephant families in the senseless shooting against their families will take revenge on the local villagers."

Therefore, it is not only the pachyderms that will pay the price, but also the residents of the villages in the areas where hunting will be allowed, who risk being overwhelmed and killed by elephants. Although, in fact, it is a fairly peaceful species, elephants tend to be very protective of their family members.

“Contrary to the government's arguments that trophy hunting is meant to help with conservation, the practice is motivated by greed and often the money isn't even accounted for. More innovative and environmentally friendly measures are needed to increase revenues, ”Mlevu stressed.

Read also: Poacher killed by elephants in South African National Park

The petition

One of our readers, after becoming aware of this terrible situation, has decided to launch a petition to stop the slaughter of elephants. We invite you to sign it and let it go around

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

African elephants are on the verge of extinction, but hunting is even being encouraged 

The sale of licenses to hunt elephants appears even more abhorrent in light of the fact that just a few weeks ago International Union for Conservation of Nature (Iucn) has included both the forest elephant and the savannah elephant on the red list of "endangered" and "critically endangered" species.

Africa is witnessing an unprecedented decline in the two elephant species. Since 1990, the number of forest elephants (considered "critically endangered") has decreased by 86%, while the population of forest elephants (labeled as "endangered) has dropped by 60% over the past 50 years. . And to cause the decline of these extraordinary animals are first of all the poachers and perdita dell'habitat.    Unfortunately, it is not the first time that a state on the African continent has decided to sacrifice elephants or sell them. Last December Namibia auctioned 170 pachyderms due to "drought and the increase in elephant numbers, along with the incidence of human-elephant conflicts" and is even considering culling elephants, along with buffaloes, because considered dangerous to humans, crops and other species. But, in all this history, the real dangerous being is man… Source: Zimparks / CNN Read also:

• African elephants are on the verge of extinction due to poaching and habitat loss
• Zimbabwe, still dead elephants. Found 22 lifeless bodies in days
• Namibia is ready to slaughter elephants, buffaloes and other animals (to protect crops)