US embassy cable - 04PRETORIA4950

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 004950 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/ETC, OES/STC AND AF/S 
INTERIOR FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV, SOCI, SF, ETRD 
SUBJECT: South Africa may reintroduce culling to manage its 
expanding elephant population 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; protect accordingly.  Not for 
internet distribution. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (SBU)  South Africa is working to identify an acceptable 
solution to the problem of elephant overpopulation in its 
national parks.  An October conference with stakeholders 
held at Kruger National Park reviewed different elephant 
management methods, including relocation, contraception and 
culling.  Culling appeared to be the most favored option 
despite concerns from animal rights activists.  The 
country's park service will make policy recommendations to 
the government in 2005 and culling is likely to be part of 
the final plan for elephant management.  In the meantime, 
Kruger will be demarcated into several zones in an effort to 
protect the park's biodiversity from the growing numbers of 
elephants. End Summary. 
 
Elephant culling is emotional issue 
------------------------------------ 
 
2.  (SBU)  Wanda Mkhutshulwa, Head of Communications at the 
South African National Parks (SANParks), told ES&T Assistant 
that the country's elephant population is approximately 
20,000.  The Kruger National Park (KNP) is home to over 
12,000 of these elephants, a rapid increase from under 7,000 
in 1995.  KNP can accommodate only 7,500 elephants 
comfortably, so the current population is well above 
"capacity."  The remaining elephants are scattered in other 
parks around the country.  Ms. Mkhutshulwa stressed that 
culling is a highly emotional and sensitive subject, and 
that SANParks is treating it as such. 
 
Elephant numbers grow, have negative impact 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
3. (U)  According to conservationists, elephants do not have 
any natural enemies in the wild and are well protected from 
poaching in the parks in South Africa.  Elephants are also 
not susceptible to diseases and have a long lifespan.  As a 
result, their numbers can only increase.  According to 
Mkhutshulwa, ten years ago the South African government 
discontinued population control by culling.  Since then 
elephant numbers have swelled, creating serious problems for 
humans, fauna and flora.  She said that conservationists and 
scientists agree that elephants are overgrazing the park 
land, to the detriment of other species.  They also destroy 
trees, some of which take long to reach maturity, or are a 
very rare species. 
 
4.  (U)  SANParks is also concerned with the impact of 
elephants on the environment.  Mkhutshulwa cited the example 
of Maphungubwe National Park, a world heritage site in 
Limpopo province.  She said the park has only about 50 
elephants, but their impact on the vegetation is very 
visible.  The park had three forests of Ilala palm, a rare 
palm family species, in its natural habitat.  Elephants 
destroyed two of the forests, and the remaining forest 
survived only because it is enclosed in a private property. 
Local communities living in the vicinity of the parks have 
also complained about the elephants breaking through fences 
and raiding crop fields and the drinking holes of livestock. 
Escaped elephants also pose a threat to nearby inhabitants, 
and the fences broken by the elephants can also result in 
other dangerous predators escaping, a threat to humans and 
livestock. 
 
Stakeholders discuss options to manage growing elephant 
population 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
5. (SBU)  SANParks hosted a conference in the KNP in October 
2004, to discuss various elephant population control and 
management methods.  National laws require all-inclusive 
consultations on national park policies that affect 
stakeholder groups.  Over 200 interested and affected 
parties, including academics, scientists, local community 
members, NGOs and the government, represented by Department 
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, attended the 
conference.  Although the participants reached no final 
decision on how to downsize the elephant numbers, according 
to Mkhutshulwa, most supported culling.  She said that five 
breakaway groups discussed different approaches to the 
problem, and three supported culling, one objected, while 
the last group was indecisive.  Culling, which involves 
selective elimination of elephants for conservation 
purposes, was perceived to be the most viable and reasonably 
humane option to adopt. 
 
Alternative options considered weak, less effective 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
6. (SBU)  Animal rights groups and other stakeholders 
attending the conference suggested alternative management 
methods such as contraception, translocation to parks in 
Africa or other foreign countries showing an interest. 
SANParks did not dismiss such suggestions, but it has a 
responsibility to provide an effective solution to the 
problem as soon as possible.  Mkhutshulwa said that 
contraception is a slower-acting and more expensive method. 
She said elephants that have been relocated to another 
country, such as Mozambique, have walked back to their old 
habitat in South Africa.  Some countries eligible for 
relocation do not want the elephants, as they too have 
elephant overpopulation.  Zimbabwe has 80,000 while Botswana 
has 120,000 elephants, according to Mkhutshulwa.  South 
Africa does not want to repeat the mistake of allowing the 
elephant population to reach such great proportions. 
 
7. (SBU) SANParks' view is that because elephants are such 
free ranging animals, South Africa would appear 
irresponsible if it were to relocate them to countries where 
they will be confined to captivity.  It would also be 
traumatic for elephants to be deprived of the freedom they 
have had all their lives, especially the older ones. 
Translocation is costly and is not expected to make a big 
impact on the existing numbers.  A scientist at the 
conference said that exporting the elephants to places as 
far away and foreign as West Africa would be like sending 
the elephants to another planet, where they would struggle 
to adapt.  Also, the elephant species found in West Africa 
are different from their Southern African relatives of the 
savannah grassland.  Security is another problem, as it is 
not clear that the elephants can be sufficiently protected. 
According to Mkhutshulwa, most options have serious 
limitations. 
 
SANParks responsible for efficient park management 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
8. (SBU)  South Africa's Protected Areas Act stipulates that 
SANParks' management policy must be approved by the Minister 
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.  SANParks is 
responsible for efficient management of the country's 
national parks, and if it fails to deliver, the government 
can transfer responsibility to another entity.  Mkhutshulwa 
said that SANParks is also planning to divide the KNP into 
different zones so that the impact of the elephants on the 
park's biodiversity can be better controlled.  According to 
Mkhutshulwa there will be a high impact absorbing area in 
the center of KNP, low impact areas and specific protected 
vegetation areas, where elephants would be kept out to 
protect the plants.  As a signatory to the Convention on 
Biodiversity, SANParks believes South Africa cannot afford 
to be seen losing species through poor park management. 
 
9. (SBU)  Mkhutshulwa said that culling is not likely to 
encourage poaching because KNP management had almost 
eliminated poaching in the last ten years.  Most of the 
policing work is done through intelligence methods involving 
community participation.  If communities stand to benefit 
from saving the parks and protecting wildlife, they will not 
tolerate poaching or allow it to occur. The law also imposes 
very stringent penalties against transgressors, which is 
another deterrent. 
 
Next steps by South African government 
-------------------------------------- 
 
10.  (SBU)  Following the elephant management conference, 
SANParks plans to hold bilateral meetings with interested 
parties for further deliberations.  SANParks will formulate 
policy recommendations to be presented to the Minister of 
Environmental Affairs and Tourism by April 2005.  The 
Minister will then publish the policy document for public 
comment before making a final decision on whether or not to 
cull.  If the Minister approves a recommendation to cull, 
the government will consult relevant stakeholders and 
appoint an ethics committee for advice on specific culling 
methods.  The stakeholders and the committee members will be 
invited to witness the culling to ensure that the animals do 
not suffer.  SANparks officials will apply agreed-upon best 
practices in culling elephants, which have a higher level of 
intellect and consciousness relative to other animals. 
Tusks recovered from any culling will be added to the 
national stockpile stored at the KNP, while the skins and 
meat will be sold to the local communities. 
Comment 
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11. (SBU)  Elephant culling stirs emotions in South Africa 
and around the world.  SANParks is carefully balancing the 
concerns and emotions of stakeholders on the culling issue 
with its responsibility to manage biodiversity in national 
parks.  We expect the final, well-debated decision to 
include an option of culling. 
 
Frazer