Richard Miniter

In the following viewpoint, Richard Miniter argues that elephants are overpopulated in Zimbabwe and claims they are destroying the habitats that they share with other species, consuming croplands that villagers depend on for survival, and killing local people. He contends that hunting elephants maintains sustainable elephant populations and that the hunting fees provide local people with money for needed projects and conservation programs. Richard Miniter, who has written about environmental issues for more than a decade, writes for the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, the Atlantic Monthly, and other publications. He can be reached at rminiter@aol.com.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How many trees per day does an elephant knock down, according to Miniter?
2. According to the author, how much cropland can one elephant herd consume...