Elephant Culling Moratorium Still Stands

BuaNews (Pretoria)

May 28, 2004
Dirk Nel
Skukuza

South African National Parks (SANParks) will not be embarking on a policy of culling the elephant population in the Kruger National Park, despite recent widespread speculation on the matter.

Although the culling process has been mentioned in recent reports by the park's ecologists as a valid management tool to restrict the unprecedented damage to vegetation by elephants, SANParks has made it clear that such action does not form part of the park's current action plan.

"Our policy has not changed, despite enormous challenges posed by high elephant growth rates in the park," SANParks Chief Executive David Mabunda announced yesterday.

"We have noted with concern recent debates in the media between Dr Willem Gertenbach and Jason Bell of the International Federation for Animal Welfare (IFAW), regarding the possible solution," said Mr Mabunda.

He pointed out that Dr Gertenbach a former wildlife management director in the park was in this matter talking in his own personal capacity.

Mr Mabunda said recent escalated interest in the possible culling of the elephants was somewhat misguided, as SANParks had indicated several times before that it was working on the consolidation of a stakeholder forum that would discuss the existing elephant management policy.

"The forum will comprise interested and affected non-governmental organisations, academics and private and public conservation authorities within the country," he explained.

"We are expecting this forum to meet within the next three months to explore an appropriate comprehensive elephant management strategy, rather than just culling," he said.

Meanwhile there had been no change in the policy decision taken by SANParks at a public meeting on 4 May 1995, to put a moratorium on the culling of elephants in national parks.

Information in the media that suggested anything to the contrary was mere speculation, he said.