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Namibia plans to cull more than 700 wild animals

Namibia says it will cull hundreds of wild animals, including 83 elephants and distribute the meat to people struggling to feed themselves because of the ongoing drought in Southern Africa.

The Ministry of Environment says the cull will take place in national parks and other areas where humans and wildlife are competing for supplies of water.

Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in decades.

According to the United Nations, Namibia exhausted 84% of its food reserves last month and nearly half of Namibia's population is expected to experience high levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

Adam Cruise, a wildlife investigative journalist in Cape Town, says, 鈥淣amibia has always been known to exploit its wildlife for human consumption, whether it鈥檚 trophy hunting or trading live animals. But, this seems to have been ramped up."

(Photo: Elephant in Etosha National Park, Namibia | Credit: Getty Images)

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