Botswana Faces Backlash After Authorizing Elephant Killings for Independence Feast

Animal rights organizations have voiced strong disapproval after the government of Botswana permitted the killing of 23 elephants to provide game meat for nationwide independence festivities. The southern African nation is currently marking the 60th anniversary of its independence from Britain, a milestone celebrated with cultural events and traditional feasting across the country.

Local media outlets have obtained a license issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism that authorizes the hunting of the elephants, along with other wild animals, specifically for “complimentary purposes.” Botswana holds the largest elephant population globally, numbering over 130,000 animals.

Oaitse Nawa, chairman of the Botswana-based Elephant Protection Society, warned that the move could severely undermine conservation efforts. He argued that slaughtering elephants for celebratory meals risks normalizing the killing of these animals, potentially encouraging illegal poaching by creating the perception that government-sanctioned killings are acceptable. Nawa also highlighted the social disruption caused to elephant herds, noting that frequent gunfire scares force them to relocate repeatedly.

Concerns regarding public health have also emerged. With a current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the region, several residents expressed hesitation about consuming the game meat. Authorities have already implemented measures to contain the spread of the viral disease, prompting communities to question the safety of distributing fresh carcasses.

In Maun, a tourism hub in north-western Botswana, community elder Tshenatshe Monwela told local reporters that his community would have preferred buffalo meat. He emphasized the unique ecological and cultural significance of elephants, suggesting that the government should have acknowledged Botswana’s historic commitment to wildlife protection by allocating different species for the anniversary feast.

Reports and images circulating on social media depict scenes in various districts, including Chobe in the north, where residents gathered around elephant carcasses to collect meat. In one instance, locals were seen using knives to share portions directly at a school site. Chobe-based MP Simasiku Mapulanga raised objections to the distribution method, stating that the unorganized process disadvantaged the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities. He called on officials to package the meat into standardized 5kg or 10kg portions to ensure hygiene and equitable distribution.

“For the sake of dignity, fairness and public hygiene, we respectfully call on the hunter and the relevant leadership to ensure future distributions are properly organized,” Mapulanga wrote on Facebook alongside photographs of the distribution site.

While elephant meat is consumed in some wildlife-rich areas, it is not a daily staple and its possession is strictly regulated under Botswana law, requiring proof of a lawful hunt. The government has defended regulated hunting as a necessary tool for managing human-wildlife conflict and generating revenue. In 2025, special elephant hunting quotas generated 15.6 million pula ($1.1 million) for development projects in elephant habitats, according to Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi.

The debate over elephant management remains contentious. Rural communities often bear the cost of living alongside large elephant populations, reporting crop destruction, property damage, and occasional fatalities. The country banned trophy hunting in 2014 under former President Ian Khama but lifted the ban five years later under President Mokgweetsi Masisi. Current President Duma Boko, who took office following his 2024 election victory, has continued the policy.

Conservationists continue to argue that hunting levels may be unsustainable, while supporters contend that international criticism often ignores the burdens faced by rural citizens. It remained unclear as of Wednesday morning how many of the 23 authorized elephants had been killed.