“It’s been illegal to kill the animals for the past 13 years, but since then their numbers have more than doubled from about 8,000 to 20,000.” –
CBBC Newsround

“South Africa has done such a good job of protecting its elephants that it’s now facing a population explosion. On May 1, the government is lifting a 13-year ban on killing them.” – Bloomberg.com

“In September 2005, South African minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, announced that the cabinet has given him a mandate to develop Norms and Standards for Elephant Management.” – Kruger Park News

“As of May 1, 2008, a moratorium that was placed on the culling of elephants in 1995 will be lifted. This was one of the options in the final norms and standards for elephant management announced by environmental affairs minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday, February 25, 2008 Other options included range manipulation, removal by translocation, introduction of elephants and contraception.’ – Kruger Park News

World-famous Kenyan conservationist Richard Leakey has given his cautious support to the resumption of elephant culling in South Africa, declaring it “necessary” and based on “animal welfare concerns”. – IOL

“Elephants. Not an uncommon sight in the Kruger National Park area. At any given time, one is likely to encounter a breeding herd containing young elephants. But the likelihood of seeing a female elephant with twin calves is exceedingly rare and almost never happens. The reason for this is that both twins seldom survive the natural odds which are stacked against them” – Kruger Park News

“While the International Fund for Animal Welfare warns that the slaughter of elephants is funding the killing of humans, there are more traditional fears for the survival of elephants in Kenya’s Amboseli region. On Richard Leakey’s authoritative blog, one of the world’s most knowledgeable elephants experts, Cynthia Moss, reveals that 14 elephants have been speared in Amboseli since the start of the year”- IndyBlogs

“The proposed massacre of thousands of wild elephants in South Africa has sparked international outrage, yet the zoo community has been strangely silent. Zoos tout their elephant conservation efforts, yet not one U.S. zoo has joined the many respected scientists publicly opposing the large-scale killing of a species already threatened with extinction.” – News Blaze

“The eminent conservationist Richard Leakey has given qualified backing for South Africa’s plan to cull elephants.” – BBC NEWS

“It is too soon for conservationists to ring the alarm bells over South Africa’s elephant management plan that includes culling, argues Dr Richard Leakey. In this week’s Green Room, he says the measures are necessary and based in animal welfare concerns.” – BBC NEWS

“This year the elephant and buffalo census team, under the leadership of Dr Ian Whyte, who is conducting his 24th census, counted 13 050 elephants in the Kruger National Park (KNP). Although Ian retired earlier this year, he was contracted to conduct the census.” – Kruger Park News

“In this issue of Global voices environment, we check in with various blogs around the world. The themes are varied, and some are of global concern with commentary from Kenya about elephant culling in South Africa, commentary from Europe on “Eco-colonialism” in Botswana, Brazil, DRC, Patagonia and other countries.” – Global Voices Online

“Contraception of female elephants in one South African game reserve began in June 2007, well ahead of the news this week that the government has put culling back on the table.” – Wildlife Extra

“The Kruger National Park is expected to announce a massive elephant culling programme after the latest census showed the population has doubled since the controversial practice was suspended in 1995″ – Mail & Guardian Online

“There are 6 billion people in the world, and counting. The planet’s resources are spread dangerously thin among all humans. But despite our conscious overpopulation problem, we’re not going to start systemically killing people to bring down the increasing numbers. Killing isn’t the answer, nor is it the answer for South Africa’s elephant population problem.” – The Daily Aztec

“Killing elephants for the sake of keeping their population in check has been authorized by the South African government in a statement released Monday, lifting a ban from 1994.” – Short News

“After 13 years of relative peace, government-sanctioned gunfire will again be heard in the Kruger Park – as will the trumpeting and screaming of elephants as closely knit families watch the massacre of their kin or die in terror as bullets smash into their skulls.” – Star

“China, one of the world’s largest traders in illegal ivory, is vying to buy up South Africa’s massive elephant ivory stock which has built up over several years as the result of a worldwide ban.” – IOL