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Botswana’s Elephants in Trophy Hunt Dispute With Germany
In a startling escalation of a conservation dispute, Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi Wednesday issued a bold threat to dispatch a staggering 20,000 elephants to Germany. The unprecedented move comes amidst growing tensions sparked by Germany’s calls for stricter limits on importing trophies from hunting animals.
President Masisi, in a stern rebuke to Germany’s stance, condemned the proposed restrictions, asserting that they would only serve to impoverish the people of Botswana. He highlighted Botswana’s conservation efforts, which have led to a significant increase in elephant numbers, arguing that controlled hunting plays a crucial role in managing the burgeoning population.
Addressing German media, President Masisi said: “Germans should ‘live together with the animals, in the way you are trying to tell us to’. This is no joke.”
Botswana, often hailed as a sanctuary for wildlife, is home to approximately a third of the world’s elephant population, numbering over 130,000 – a figure that surpasses the country’s available space. The burgeoning herds have wrought havoc, causing damage to property, devouring crops, and posing a threat to residents.
In a bid to mitigate the crisis, Botswana has previously gifted thousands of elephants to neighboring countries such as Angola and Mozambique. Now, in an audacious move, President Masisi has extended an offer to Germany.
Zimbabwe Declares State of Disaster as Drought Persists
In the wake of a relentless drought that has inflicted untold suffering upon its people, Zimbabwe declared a state of disaster on Wednesday, plunging the nation into a desperate struggle for survival.
With an estimated three million citizens teetering on the brink of starvation, Zimbabwe becomes the third country in southern Africa to raise the alarm over a crisis that has left the region reeling. The merciless grip of poor rains has wreaked havoc across much of southern Africa, where an alarming statistic from the UN’s World Food Programme reveals that a staggering 20 million people now endure the torment of food insecurity, deprived of regular access to nutritious sustenance.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in a solemn address to the nation, painted a picture of the magnitude of the crisis, stating that Zimbabwe requires a monumental $2 billion to stave off the catastrophic effects of food insecurity within its borders.
The grim reality of the situation is starkly illustrated by the decimation of Zimbabwe’s maize crop – the very lifeblood of its people. Low rainfall has mercilessly wiped out approximately half of the nation’s maize harvest, dealing a crippling blow to its agricultural backbone. With maize serving as the cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s diet, the grain shortage has triggered a rapid surge in food prices, exacerbating the anguish of a populace already stretched to breaking point.
Zimbabwe now finds itself thrust into a frenzied scramble alongside neighboring Zambia and Malawi, both of which have also declared states of disaster and emergency in the face of a common foe – nature’s relentless fury.
The South African nation’s authorities warn that the number of Zimbabweans in dire need of food aid is set to surpass initial projections of 2.7 million.
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