Botswana still stands by its pledge to translocate 500 elephants to Mozambique and is committed to seeing this happening in the “near future”, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a three-day state visit to Botswana by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Masisi repeated a pledge he made in 2018 to donate 500 elephants to Mozambique as part of efforts by his government to reduce the population of the animals in the country.
“I wish to reiterate Botswana’s donation of 500 elephants to Mozambique. We look forward to their subsequent translocation to Mozambique in the near future and are very keen to see them finally roaming their new habitat,” Masisi said.
Mozambique is trying to rebuild its elephant herd after losing an estimated 10,000 elephants in the Niassa Reserve between 2009 and 2011, according to the National Administration for Conservation Areas.
The reserve is home to Mozambique’s largest elephant herd, currently estimated at more than 15,000.
JN/APA