Namibia's Controversial Sale of Elephants

In August of 2021, Namibia auctioned off 170 wild elephants with the knowledge that many would get exported to foreign, non-range countries. A few days ago, 22 of these elephants were shipped from their native desert home to Abu Dhabi. This case has gotten a rising amount of global attention as many prominent organizations and media outlets are outraged at the lack of care by the Namibian government towards their wildlife.

Source: EMS Foundation Instagram

But why is the country auctioning off their elephants, and what kind of life awaits them in the UAE?

Namibia’s Human-Elephant Conflict Problem

The elephant population in Namibia is up to around 28,000 individuals, and with the rising population has come more conflict between the elephants and Namibian people. In response to the growing conflict, the government decided the right move was to sell its pachyderms to other countries that wanted to use elephants for tourism.

This is a tricky issue to balance with a growing rate of 960 cases of crop destruction per year, 923 of which were from elephants, over the past three years. The wild elephants killed four people within these crop-raiding incidents. In cases like this, the government is in a difficult position to protect people and their livelihood while also supporting conservation efforts.

The dilemma faced by Namibian authorities is not unique to the country, as several African and Asian countries face the same issues as humans encroach on wildlife and wildlife encroach on humans. Although unavoidable in many regions, better ways of managing the conflict must be investigated so we aren’t constantly punishing wildlife for an issue we too play a role in.

Now with the sale of these elephants, the government plans to use the $500,000 dollars from the auction to invest in wildlife conservation and wildlife regulations. This is a similar case to something like trophy hunting. Does the funding that comes from such a drastic move make up for the means? And why is it that the animals have to be affected in such a great way in order to get the resources needed to alleviate conflict?

Where Are The Namibian Elephants Going?

While the intention behind the sale was to reduce the elephant population to improve the safety of the local communities, conservationists around the world are deeply against this move. Director of the South African non-profit EMS Foundation Michele Pickover stated,

“Elephants have a fundamental need for ecologically and socially stimulating environments and the freedom to choose their food and mates. These needs cannot be met under captive conditions. There is no problem of elephant overpopulation in Namibia. In our view, it’s all about profit”

The scrutiny Namibian authorities are facing is in part because of an amendment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) act protecting wildlife that took place in 2019 banning the export of elephants out of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa to non-range countries. Since many of the elephants have left to go live a captive life in the UAE, conservationists are outraged by this complete disregard of the regulations in place to protect elephants.

On the other hand, Namibian news outlets like The Namibian are scrutinizing activists and animal rights groups for speaking against this auction and relocation. Ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda stated:

“Instead of condemning us, animal rights groups, which are in any case based in countries without wild animals, must be grateful to countries like Namibia that take practical decisions to enhance conservation.”

It is understandable from the perspective of Namibian officials to be frustrated by continued backlash from those with no knowledge of the region; however, that does not discredit the concern that people around the globe have for these elephants.

The Conservation Controversy

The heated dialogue has not just been contained in news articles between The Namibian and animal rights groups. Journalist John Grobler was arrested after releasing footage of the captured elephants being sent to their new zoo home in the UAE.

This led conservationists and animal rights groups to further question the intent and legitimacy of this trade, rightfully so. The controversy surrounding the forced movement of wildlife (especially into captive settings) seems to have no end in our capitalistic world.