Zimbabwe to cull 200 elephants amid food shortages

Elephants in Amboseli National Park. [File, Standard]

Zimbabwe will cull 200 elephants as it faces an unprecedented drought that has led to food shortages while also tackling a ballooning population of the animals, the country's wildlife authority said Friday.

The country has "more elephants than it needed", Zimbabwe's environment minister said in parliament on Wednesday, adding that the government had instructed the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) to begin the culling process.