Zimbabwe has authorized a mass slaughter of elephants to feed citizens left hungry by its worst drought in decades.

Zimbabwe will proceed with its first elephant cull in decades after the southern African nation suffered a severe drought, with plans to target around 200 from its herds of over 100,000.

Zimbabwe is facing its worst drought in four decades. And with nearly half of its population at the risk of acute hunger, the landlocked African country has authorized a campaign to cull 200 wild elephants in a controversial effort to feed its drought-stricken communities.