Botswana Faces Backlash Over Elephant Cull for Independence Day Feasts

Animal welfare advocates have strongly criticised Botswana's authorisation of a hunt that permits the killing of 23 elephants, with the meat intended to supply traditional feasts during the country's independence celebrations. The southern African nation, which holds the largest elephant population in the world, is marking 60 years of independence from Britain on Wednesday with events across the country.

A licence granted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and reported by local media allows for the hunting of 23 elephants alongside other wild animals for what officials described as "complimentary purposes." The decision has drawn sharp condemnation from conservation groups who argue it sends a troubling message about the value of wildlife protection.

The Elephant Protection Society, based in Botswana, warned that the move could weaken longstanding conservation efforts. Its chairman, Oaitse Nawa, told the BBC that elephants require stronger safeguards, not fewer.

Nawa cautioned that slaughtering the animals for celebratory meals could inspire poaching by fostering a perception that killing elephants is acceptable when the government itself sanctions it. He also pointed to the deeper social harm inflicted on the animals, noting that repeated displacement by gunshots has stripped elephants of their natural social structures.

The controversy has also spread to social media, where some citizens raised concerns about consuming the game meat during an ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Authorities have already introduced containment measures to curb the spread of the virus, adding another layer of unease to the distribution of the meat.

In Maun, a tourism hub in north-western Botswana, community elder Tshenatshe Monwela told local media that his area should have been given buffalo instead. He stressed that elephants carry unique cultural and ecological importance, and argued that Botswana's historic commitment to protecting both wildlife and livestock should have been acknowledged in how the government allocated meat for the anniversary.

The government has arranged a wide programme of events for the diamond jubilee, including a carnival in the capital, Gaborone, along with cultural performances, concerts and sporting competitions. The game meat is expected to feature in the traditional feasting that accompanies Independence Day festivities.

The 23 elephants were distributed across eight districts nationwide. As of Wednesday morning, it remained unclear how many of the animals had actually been killed. The BBC has sought comment from the government.

Local media, however, published images from various parts of Botswana showing residents gathered around elephant carcasses, some holding knives and sharing the meat. The scenes highlighted both the popularity of the distribution and the disorganisation that has accompanied it.

In Chobe, a wildlife-rich district in northern Botswana bordering Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, a local MP voiced alarm after residents reportedly collected portions directly from a carcass at a school. He warned that the arrangement risked overcrowding and left elderly people, pregnant women and people with disabilities at a disadvantage.

MP Simasiku Mapulanga suggested the meat should instead be processed into 5kg or 10kg packages to improve hygiene and guarantee fairer distribution. In a Facebook post accompanied by photos of people scrambling for meat around an elephant carcass, he appealed for better organisation in future distributions, citing dignity, fairness and public health.

Elephant meat is not an everyday staple in Botswana, though it is common in some communities rich in wildlife, especially when meat from legal hunts is shared locally. The country maintains strict regulations on game meat, and lawful possession generally requires proof that it came from an approved hunt.

The decision has reignited a long-running and frequently heated debate over how Botswana manages its enormous elephant population, which exceeds 130,000 animals. Communities living alongside the elephants have for years complained about crops being destroyed, property damaged and, in some cases, people killed.

The government has consistently defended regulated hunting as a tool for managing both elephant numbers and human-wildlife conflict, while also generating revenue for local communities. Botswana banned trophy hunting in 2014 under then-President Ian Khama, but lifted the restrictions five years later under his successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi. Hunting has continued under President Duma Boko, who defeated Masisi in the 2024 elections.

Officials say proceeds from hunting support conservation and local development. Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi told parliament last year that special elephant quotas generated 15.6 million pula, equivalent to about $1.1m or £820,000, in 2025 for projects in areas where elephants are found.

Conservation organisations have questioned whether the current level of hunting can be sustained. Supporters of Botswana's policy counter that international criticism frequently ignores the burdens shouldered by rural communities living alongside one of the world's largest concentrations of elephants. They argue that the animals destroy crops and infrastructure and endanger residents, particularly as elephant ranges increasingly overlap with farms and settlements.