rfmcdonald | [LINK] "Elephants Start Contraception at South Africa’s Oldest Reserve" (Reply)

Paul Burkhardt's Bloomberg article explores the use of birth control to limit overgrowth of elephant populations. I wonder what the elephants will think of the effects of this.

Elephants at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa’s oldest game reserve, have begun receiving a contraceptive vaccine to control the pachyderm population.

[. . .]

“The immunocontraceptive program allows elephant populations to be managed humanely, especially in small enclosed parks and private conservancies,” said [the Humane Society International], along with Ezemvelo, the conservation authority in KwaZulu-Natal, the province where the park is located.

While elephants are endangered across much of Africa, in Southern Africa many parks are overpopulated, leading to damage to ecosystems as the animals, which can weigh six metric tons and stand 3.3 meters (10 feet) at the shoulder, tear down trees.

In the past, including in South Africa, they have been culled, leading to protests from animal rights organizations. Moving the animals from one area to another is usually considered too expensive to be viable as a conservation method.

The about 600 elephants in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi come from a population of 160 that were introduced between 1985 and 1991 when they were moved from the Kruger National Park, which was considered over populated with elephants, according to the park’s website.