How many free roaming Elephants currently reside in SA?
Michele Pickover: While the process of the dramatic decline in elephants did not play out in the same way throughout Africa, as far as southern Africa is concerned it was accelerated in the 19th century with a growing market for ivory and with significant habitat transformation. By the early 20th century the once large elephant population in the region had virtually been exterminated except for small isolated populations in remote localities. It is estimated that the current free-roaming elephant population in South Africa is about 17,500. How much hunting, poaching, culling and slaughtering is going on in South Africa regarding the elephants? Local animal rights groups campaigned hard in 1994 and 1995 against’ culling’. As a direct result a moratorium on the so-called ‘culling’ of elephants was put in place in South Africa. Since 2004 there has been a huge push by government and the “sustainable use” lobby in South Africa and within the region (with support from pro-culling NGOs abroa
