In 2025, Madikwe Game Reserve became the site of a major dispute over elephant management after authorities proposed large-scale killings on the grounds of alleged overpopulation and ecosystem damage. This investigation examined whether those claims were supported by credible science, transparent governance and a genuine commitment to non-lethal conservation measures.

Investigation conclusion:
The findings indicate that the case for culling elephants in Madikwe was opaque, poorly substantiated in the public domain and ethically troubling. Claims of overpopulation were advanced without clear published evidence showing that elephant numbers had caused the level of biodiversity harm alleged. At the same time, non-lethal interventions appear not to have been meaningfully exhausted before lethal measures were placed on the table. The Madikwe case therefore points to a broader conservation problem in which political and commercial pressures can overshadow scientific scrutiny, transparency and humane wildlife governance.

Published articles:

• Daily Maverick — Too many elephants or just an excuse to kill them? (12 June 2025)

• Daily Maverick — The hidden motives for Madikwe’s elephant cull plans (15 September 2025)