The cruel and scientifically-deceptive practice of culling elephants may resume in South Africa, as part of the government's new "National Norms and Standards for Elephant Management." "Culling" is nothing more than "rationalized killing." Whenever human encroachment further reduces elephant habitat, the government blames the resulting human/elephant interactions on "too many elephants." 

 Ironically, South Africa's new standards, which go into effect May 1st, provide some unprecedented new protections for elephants, banning the capture of elephants for circuses and elephant-back safaris, prohibiting the export and import of captive and wild elephants for the purpose of keeping them in captivity, and preventing the forced, artificial breeding of captive elephants. IDA cheers these aspects of the new plan and congratulates South Africa for the progressive thinking they represent.

But South Africa cannot be allowed to renew elephant killing under the guise of population management. We must use our voices now to let the South African government know that elephant culling is not acceptable, and any killings will be met with international outrage and action.

Elephants are extremely intelligent and complex animals, capable of a large range of emotions such as grief, joy, anger, and sympathy. They live in large, tight-knit family groups, in which females remain with their herd for life. Research shows that elephants are self aware, and they have been known to visit and tend to the bones of dead relatives for many years, much as we visit and tend to the graves of dead relatives. Like humans, elephants suffer long-term psychological effects from trauma and abuse.

Yet, for the first time since 1994, the South African government will target elephant families, pursuing them with helicopters before killing each magnificent being with shots to the head, while terrified family members watch, awaiting their turn.

The South African government must focus on real solutions such as the linking of preserves and other land to create "trans-frontier parks" or "megaparks" that expand elephants' migratory ranges and lessen their local impact. Culling must be removed as an option for elephant management.

Please Take Action to urge Mr. Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs, to oppose the culling of wild elephants and seek real solutions that protect both elephants and human communities.