Botswana’s government has faced criticism after authorising the killing of 23 elephants to provide meat for celebrations marking the country’s 60th independence anniversary.
The southern African nation marked 60 years of independence from Britain on Wednesday with festivities held across the country.
According to the BBC, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism issued licences permitting the hunting of 23 elephants across eight districts, with the meat intended for the celebrations.
The government has not disclosed how many of the authorised elephants were ultimately killed.
The decision has drawn criticism from animal rights and conservation groups, which warned that the hunts could undermine efforts to protect the country’s elephant population.
The Elephant Protection Society told the BBC that the decision could weaken conservation efforts and potentially encourage poaching.
The Botswana-based organisation also warned on Facebook that killing members of elephant herds could trigger aggressive behaviour among surviving animals, potentially increasing risks to nearby communities.
The decision has also raised concerns among some social media users over food safety, particularly as Botswana is currently dealing with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, according to the BBC.
Botswana is home to an estimated 130,000 elephants, making it the country with the largest elephant population in the world.
Authorities have repeatedly defended regulated elephant hunting as a tool for managing wildlife populations and addressing conflicts between elephants and human communities.
The latest controversy has reignited the debate over wildlife conservation, regulated hunting and the management of Botswana’s large elephant population.
