The government of Zimbabwe decided to pay the external debt of the wild beasts, especially elephants. The country does not have foreign exchange reserves. Due to the high inflation also abolished the national currency. In the course of the US dollar, South African Rand, and Chinese yuan, according to the newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
According to the Zimbabwe organization for the protection of wildlife, the idea of using a “full-fledged currency,” suggested the wife of 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
In payment of the external debt to China is scheduled to ship 130 elephants and 50 lions.
The first batch of 35 young elephants were recently sent a Boeing 747 to Shanghai. For sending a heavy load required to extend the runway of the airport. During the trip, one of their elephants died of stress.
Conservationists fear for the fate of the elephants. In China they have to live in reserves which are actively being exploited for tourism purposes. In addition, animals can fall victim to poachers due to the high price of ivory.
Earlier it was reported that Zimbabwe abandoned its national currency.
The nature reserves of Zimbabwe, there are about 36 thousand elephants. The Washington agreement for the protection of animals does not prohibit trade in live elephants. Banned is only selling their tusks.
