Botswana president threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany

Botswana is facing an explosion of the elephant population in the country after conservation efforts have boosted its growth to 130,000, AFP reported. 

In a bid to control its "overpopulation", Botswana has offered 8,000 elephants to Angola and another 500 to Mozambique.

Similarly, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi Tuesday threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in a dispute over hunting trophies' import.

Earlier this year, Germany's environment ministry expressed the possibility of setting stricter limits on the import of hunting trophies over poaching concerns.

Masisi, however, raised concerns, saying such a ban would only impoverish Botswanans.

Masisi said: "Germans should live together with the animals; in the way you are trying to tell us to. We would like to offer such a gift to Germany," adding that he would "not take no for an answer".

The president expressed concerns over increasing damage to property, eating of crops, and trampling of residents by elephants.

Botswana is home to one-third of the world’s elephant population.

The country now issues annual hunting quotas, which it claims is a good source of income for poor people as well as decreases poaching of animals.

Germany is the European Union’s largest importer of African elephant trophies.