Conflicts between humans and elephants occur time and again in Botswana. The large and incredibly strong animals lay bare the roofs of huts, destroy enclosures and sometimes even attack people.
It's no wonder that criticism of elephant hunting in Botswana from Western animal rights activists is not well-received. Local hunters are allowed to shoot a certain number of elephants each year, as are tourists from abroad. They bring a lot of money into the country, which ultimately also benefits animal welfare, according to the Botswana government. They even want to send 20,000 elephants to Germany so that the Germans can learn about the problems that come with living with elephants.
In Botswana, they are proud that the elephant population has recovered thanks to consistent animal welfare programs — but are suffering the consequences at the same time.
A report by Florian Nusch.