Elephant culling in the Kruger National Park has for long been a very controversial issue with ecologists, animal rights groups and the public all having their say.

Between 1966 and 1994, over 16000 elephants were culled in the Kruger Park. During this time period it was believed that the Kruger Park could sustain a population of 7000 elephants. This figure was presented after much research in 1969 and represented a concentration of 0.4 elephants/km². This is the so called carrying capacity of the Kruger Park.

In 1995 however public pressure resulted in a ban on elephant culling in South Africa. A different management policy had to be adopted by SANParks. This did not limit population growth and there are now estimated to be over 20 000 elephants in South Africa, about 14 000 of which are in the Kruger Park.

The problem with this is that elephants transform ecosystems, possibly irreversibly. Elephant populations don’t appear to self-regulate, and left to themselves they proliferate. This could result in serious repercussions for other fauna and flora

Ten years down the line with know solution to the ever-growing elephant population, a decision had to be made on controlling elephant numbers.

Translocation was no-longer an option as there seemingly was no shortage of elephant in other regions and relocating them would be a costly affair.

Contraception was also unsatisfactory as this would not reduce existing numbers and is only viable for populations of 200 elephants or less.

SANParks had to make a decision and in 1995 presented a new elephant management plan – and it included elephant culling. There were immediate public outcries and threats of tourism boycotts.

Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk stepped in and called together the world’s leading elephant scientists to form an Elephant Science Round Table. The result was a final policy passed into law at the end of March this year. It still allows culling, but only once all other alternatives have been considered. These included contraception, translocation and range manipulation.

One of the professors believes it will be very tough to prove that elephants are having an irreversible impact or that their populations are too large – a requirement before culling can take place. Elephants have never had an irreversible impact anywhere in Africa, not even in Tsavo.

It is also believed that the Kruger Park’s carrying capacity could be much greater than previously estimated. Based on observations in other parks, the elephant population in the Kruger Park could grow towards a regional density of around two animals per square kilometer. In other words the Kruger Park could sustain a population double of what it is at now.

It isn’t sure when elephant culling will begin, but perhaps the question we should ask is “will there ever be any culling”

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 10:14 am and is filed under Kruger Park news and Facts. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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