Naude says elephant killing exposes failed leadership at MEFT 

Allexer Namundjembo

Sean Naude of the Namibian Marshall Rangers has accused the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) of showing poor leadership and weak crisis management following the killing of a bull elephant near Onawa village in the Omusati region on Friday.

Naude said the decision to put down the elephant, which had escaped from Etosha National Park after wildfires spread into the north-central regions, was not conservation but cowardice. 

“Killing an elephant that is already traumatised is not conservation; it is cowardice. A bullet is cheaper than doing the right thing. It was due to negligence that the elephants had to escape Etosha for safety in the first place,” he said.

He accused the ministry of failing to use available relocation resources, saying officials took the “simpler and cheaper” option instead of making an effort to save the animal. 

“The cheaper and simpler method was to kill the already traumatised bull,” he said.

Naude said the incident showed failed leadership in conservation. “The world would have respected Namibia more had you put in the effort to save the elephant,” he wrote.

He said the killing and the scenes of villagers climbing over the elephant’s carcass reflected a national failure in wildlife protection and public ethics. 

“This is a shameful example of our poor leadership when it comes to protecting our wildlife. You should all feel ashamed of your actions and decisions,” he stated.

Naude also criticised the ministry’s reaction to videos of the incident that circulated online. “You cannot say you disapprove of videos being shared when you allow the killing to happen publicly. Did you really think people would not record and share it?” he asked.

He questioned the government’s priorities, saying resources used for wildlife exports should have been used to rescue the elephant. 

“When there is profit involved, there are always transport vehicles, tranquillisers, and veterinarians available. But when it comes to saving a healthy bull that could have started a new lineage, a bullet suddenly becomes the easiest option,” he said.

MEFT spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela confirmed the incident over the weekend, saying the decision followed several unsuccessful attempts to guide the elephant back to Etosha.