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South African Elephant Baby Boom

by jordan | February 28, 2007 at 09:27 am | 297 views | add comment

Perhaps they could put the elephants on buses to Zambia... 34,000 elephants does not sound like that many to me, considering that they're an endangered species. The first time I saw an elephant (outside of a zoo) I was overcome with awe. It looked so alien and huge and beautiful. And my camera wouldn't work. It disappeared back into the jungle, much more silently than I would have imagined.

I understand the need for biodiversity; perhaps relocating the elephants to elephant-starved regions would be a good solution. You would have to move the whole family group, though, as far as I understand.

South Africa is considering limited culls to help manage the country's booming elephant population.

Other measures such as contraception, moving herds to other areas and expanding parks are also being considered to manage growing numbers.

South Africa's elephant population has doubled to around 17,000 since culling was stopped in 1995.

The environment minister said higher elephant numbers risked destroying the biodiversity of South Africa's parks.

If left unchecked, South Africa's elephant population is expected to double again to about 34,000 by 2020.

Three-quarters of the elephants live in Kruger National Park, a favourite with visitors who come to see the "big five" animals: elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalo.