
Zimbabwe's recent export of 24 elephants to China was legal, a senior wildlife conversation official has said, rejecting allegations that the animals were "ill-treated".
"Everything was done above board. We have the number and all the management authorities in both countries were involved and it was a very successful operation," Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Director General, Edson Chidziya, told a press conference on Friday.
The export is part of the country's wildlife strategy to manage a ballooning elephant population of 83,000 and to raise funds for conservation efforts.
The huge elephant population has impacted negatively on the ecosystem, Chidziya said.
Exporting elephants is permitted under the convention on the international trade in endangered species (CITES), while it emphasizes that the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment during the transportation should be minimized.
Animal rights activists have argued that it is cruel to separate the elephants from their herd and a familiar environment.
Zimbabwe is one of the main concentrations of African elephants.
The country boasts rich wildlife animals, but the wildlife conversation authority, Chidziya said, lacks resources to fight against poachers who were turning to "sophisticated methods of killing".
Last year, more than 100 elephants died from cyanide poisoning in Hwange National Park -- one of the worst cases of poaching recorded in the country's history.
GMT 15:21 2017 Monday ,16 October
India man-eating tiger dies after being electrocutedGMT 20:20 2017 Sunday ,08 October
White tiger cubs maul keeper to death in IndiaGMT 09:50 2017 Thursday ,05 October
Leopard on the loose in Indian car factoryGMT 18:49 2017 Wednesday ,04 October
Cats kill one million birds a day in AustraliaGMT 20:36 2017 Wednesday ,27 September
Wildlife groups accused of funding abuses against Pygmies in AfricaGMT 17:41 2017 Tuesday ,26 September
Wildlife groups accused of funding abuses against Pygmies in AfricaGMT 10:55 2017 Wednesday ,20 September
Wildlife pays the price of Kenya's illegal grazingGMT 16:45 2017 Thursday ,14 September
Elephants hide by day, forage at night to evade poachers
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor