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| S Africa announces elephant cull | S Africa announces elephant cull |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The South African government has said it will allow elephants to be culled for the first time in 13 years. | The South African government has said it will allow elephants to be culled for the first time in 13 years. |
| In a statement given to journalists on Monday, the government said a cull was needed to control elephant numbers. | In a statement given to journalists on Monday, the government said a cull was needed to control elephant numbers. |
| The elephant population is thought to have grown from 8,000 to 20,000 since the government banned culls in 1995. | |
| The statement acknowledged that the issue would rouse "strong emotions", and the news is expected to anger many animal rights campaigners. | |
| They have already threatened to call tourist boycotts and take legal action against the measure, which had been expected. | |
| Family groups | |
| In the statement, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the minister of environmental affairs and tourism, said culling would be an option of last resort that was acceptable only under strict conditions. | |
| But he said the measure - which comes into effect from 1 May - was only being adopted after consultation "with all shades of opinion". | |
| He said the interests of "balanced biodiversity or people living in proximity to elephants" must also be taken into account. | |
| Conservationists argue culling is cruel because it involves killing entire family groups. |