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Translocation is being considered if suitable reserves are found.<\/p>\nEZEMVELO KZN Wildlife has issued an urgent appeal to national and international conservation bodies for help in relocating elephants from overcrowded reserves, amid reports warning that failure to act could soon leave culling as the only option.<\/p>\n
Ezemvelo spokesperson Musa Mntambo said several key protected areas, including Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, Tembe Elephant Park, Ithala Game Reserve and uMkhuze Game Reserve, are exceeding their carrying capacities. This is despite the department\u2019s long-term contraception programme and attempts at protected area expansion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis overpopulation is ecologically unsustainable and poses a significant threat to biodiversity conservation within the reserves and ultimately threatens the well-being of the elephants themselves,\u201d said Mntambo.<\/p>\n
He said the urgency of the situation has been heightened by recent speculation around possible culling. \u201cIn reality, although the Board has agreed that the animals need to be removed, the organisation has not yet made any final decisions on how and when this will happen,\u201d Mntambo said.<\/p>\n
Translocation is being considered if suitable reserves are found.<\/p>\n
Also Read:\u00a0WIN: The Last Lions, a powerful tribute to Africa\u2019s iconic predator<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTranslocation is only considered if suitable reserves are found, and no decision has been made on culling, although it may become necessary in the near future if the protected area ecosystems are to be protected and neighbouring communities.\u201d<\/p>\n Ezemvelo pointed to the crisis at Madikwe Game Reserve as a stark warning of what could unfold if urgent action is not taken. \u201cIt is precisely to prevent this kind of suffering that Ezemvelo is compelled to act,\u201d Mntambo said, referring to reports of more than 70 elephants dying from starvation due to overpopulation.<\/p>\n Beyond environmental damage, the organisation warned that rising elephant numbers are also increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict, particularly in communities bordering reserves.<\/p>\n \u201cEzemvelo would be failing in its mandate if it allowed the current overpopulation crisis to escalate to a point where important protected area values\u2026 are lost,\u201d Mntambo said.<\/p>\n Also Read:\u00a0Animal conservation: A possible solution to climate change<\/a><\/p>\n He added that the organisation is calling on NGOs and conservation partners to urgently provide \u201cviable and ethical solutions for elephant range expansion and translocation to delay the need for culling in the near future\u201d.<\/p>\n Should these efforts fail, Mntambo warned that more drastic measures may be unavoidable. \u201cShould non-lethal range expansion or translocation solutions prove impractical, Ezemvelo will be compelled to resort to lethal options to address overpopulation to protect the broader ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n Ezemvelo has urged any organisations able to assist to come forward immediately, warning that time is running out to prevent a deeper conservation crisis. For information or to assist contact Vuyiswa Radebe on vuyiswa.radebe@kznwildlife.com.<\/p>\n For more from\u00a0Berea Mail,\u00a0follow us on\u00a0Facebook,\u00a0<\/a>X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram.\u00a0<\/a>You can also check out our videos on our\u00a0YouTube channel<\/a>\u00a0or follow us on\u00a0TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n Click to subscribe to our newsletter \u2013\u00a0here<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tAt Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/bigstock-Elephants-running-Herd-Running-8057039-520x400.jpg\")
An urgent call has been made to relocate elephants from overcrowded reserves to prevent ecological damage.<\/p>\n