The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), on Saturday, September 28, responded to a distress call from a resident in Victoria Falls and gunned down a problem elephant that had entered their yard.

As reported by The Standard, the elephant was shot around 5 AM, prompting outrage among animal conservationists who argued that the elephant left behind calves. Said an animal rights activist:

An elephant cow was shot dead on the streets of Victoria Falls today (yesterday) leaving her three orphaned calves.

This has caused an outcry. The elephant was just eating some plants outside someone’s garden and it was shot by parks rangers at 5 AM.

However, Zimparks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo defended the decision to kill the elephant, saying it had posed a threat to human life. Said Farawo:

Yes there was an incident of elimination of an elephant, human life was under threat and normal in this is part of our wildlife control measures.

I do not know how they come to the conclusion that this elephant had three young calves.

You know we do not use emotions when we deal with these things. We deal with facts.

The fact still remains when human life is under threat, that is how we react and we are not apologetic.

I think it’s not right for people to invoke emotions around problem animals control.

When human life is under threat we react, its provided for in our policy and legislation and that is what we have done.

How do they prove that this is the calf of the eliminated elephant, they are just playing games.

The government recently announced plans to cull 200 elephants to provide food for those facing shortages as a result of the ongoing drought.

More: Pindula News