Zimbabwe and Namibia have announced plans to slaughter hundreds of wild elephants and other animals to feed hunger-stricken residents amid severe drought conditions in the southern African countries.

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The Namibian government last month approved the culling of 723 animals, including 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas, 300 zebras and 100 elands, among others.

Roughly 1.4million people in Namibia and Zimbabwe are facing high levels of food insecurity driven by severe droughts across southern Africa, with authorities proposing a cull of wild animals to feed