CNN —Zimbabwe has authorized a mass slaughter of elephants to feed citizens left hungry by its worst drought in decades. With nearly half of the country’s population facing the risk of acute hunger, “we are targeting to cull 200 elephants,” Tinashe Farawo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, told CNN on Monday. The move follows a decision in Namibia to cull elephants and other wild animals to relieve food insecurity fueled by a prolonged drought. Zimbabwe is home to more than 84,000 elephants, Farawo said, around double its “capacity of 45,000,” he added. At least 31 people have died in Zimbabwe this year as a result of conflict between humans and wildlife, local media reported.

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Persons: Tinashe, Farawo, Sithembiso Nyoni, ” Nyoni, El Niño, ”, ” Farai Maguwu, Keith Lindsay, —, CNN’s Laura Paddison Organizations: CNN, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, Botswana’s, Zim Parks, Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, Tourism, for Natural Resource Locations: Namibia, Zimbabwe, ”, Africa