Zimbabwe eyes exporting elephants to alleviate over-population

The wildlife authorities of Zimbabwe, one of the major concentration of African elephants, says the country has an excess of over 30,000 elephants that are available for both export and internal relocation.

In an apparent defense to criticism that rose recently over reports of baby elephant export, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said in a statement Monday that the country's main national park - the Hwange National Park to the west - is over-populated by 53,900 elephants, or about 40 percent of the country's total elephant count.

The statement said the over population of the jumbo "resulted in habitat degradation and affected biodiversity" and posed "serious" financial and socioeconomic challenges.

Zimbabwean government has said it will export elephants overseas in line with the rules of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in a bid to raise money for sustainable management of wildlife. But animal rights groups have slammed the move as cruel for fears of abuse, mistreatment, inadaptability at a new environment and sometimes forced separation of baby elephants from their mothers.

The latest controversy arose earlier this year after a local animal rights group exposed a planned export of dozens of elephants, including cubs, to the United Arab Emirates. Zimbabwean officials later acknowledged the move and revealed that Zimbabwean elephants are requested by zoo operators in countries like France and the United Arad Emirates.

According to CITES, Zimbabwe is allowed to export wild elephants if conditions for the animals' welfare at the recipient country can be guaranteed.

The wildlife authority says in general young animals are favored for export for their easy adaptability to a new environment. And if possible, a baby elephant is more likely to be exported with members of its family instead of being captured and sent abroad alone. Endi