By Abdullahi Lukman
Botswana has authorised the killing of 23 elephants as part of activities marking the country’s 60th independence anniversary, a decision that has drawn criticism from conservationists and former President Ian Khama.
The government said the elephants will be hunted under licensed quotas across several districts, with the meat distributed to rural communities. Authorities also approved the killing of dozens of antelope as part of the celebrations.
Botswana has one of Africa’s largest elephant populations, estimated at about 130,000. The government maintains that regulated hunting is necessary to manage numbers and reduce conflicts between wildlife and communities. It lifted a ban on elephant hunting in 2019.
Conservation groups have faulted the decision. Botswana’s Elephant Protection Society warned that killing elephants could make surviving herds more defensive toward people living nearby.
The government defended the policy, with wildlife official Dimakatso Ntshebe saying conservation should provide tangible benefits to communities living alongside wildlife.
Former President Ian Khama, who led the country from 2008 to 2018, also opposed the move, warning that it could create an expectation that elephants would be killed during future national celebrations.
Botswana’s elephant management policy has previously attracted international attention. In 2024, then-President Mokgweetsi Masisi defended the approach amid criticism of trophy hunting from Britain and Germany.
