Government of Botswana

Botswana Faces Global Outcry After Authorising Elephant Slaughter for Independence Feasts

Botswana has drawn sharp international condemnation after authorising the hunting of 23 elephants and dozens of other wild animals for independence day celebrations, a move critics say turns conservation into spectacle. The decision has intensified debate over wildlife management, food security, and the political symbolism of state-sanctioned hunting in one of Africa’s most prominent safari destinations.