The animals Namibia intends to sell include 28 elephants. Photograph: Eric Baccega/NPL / Barcroft

1,000 animals were forced to auction by drought in Namibia

At least 1,000 wild animals-including elephants and giraffes have generate US$1.1 million for conservation after the drought-hit in Namibia which led to the sale of  the wild animals. According to the environment ministry spokesman, Romeo Muyunda, this year is a drought year for Namibia and the ministry would like to sell various types of species from various protected areas to protect and generate funding for the wildlife management.

Last month the authorities declared that it was a disaster month and the meteorological services in the southern African estimate that some parts of the country faced the deadliest drought. According to an agriculture ministry report based on April, 63,700 animals died in 2018 because of the dry weather

This week, Nabimia’s cabinet announced that the government would sell about 1,000 animals, they include, 600 buffalos, 65 oryx, 35 eland, 28 elephants, 20 impala, 150 springbok, and other animals from national parks. The fund that has been raised will go towards a state-owned Game Products Trust Fund for wildlife and parks management. The auction was advertised in local newspaper.

Namibia has previously made calls for help due to drought emergency that has affected 500,000 people. The government announced on April that around $39,400 will be used to buy food, water tankers and to subsidies farmers.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/16/namibia-drought-auction-1000-wild-animals