elephants are not endangered animal. Not everywhere.
In some areas, they are over populated...if you know how much they ate everyday or the damage they can do to the habitat...a herd of elephants need to migrate quite often since they can turn green land into desert quite fast.
Relocating those 10 tons plus animals to hundreds miles away to turn agicultural area into desert or made money from rich safari hunters overseas, not a tought choice for those poor Africa governments who need money to MANAGE their natural resources just as our MNR...
Anyway, no meat will be waste...
The locals like the meat and their farmland will be safe too.
Oh! btw, go check outdoorlife feb/2006 issue page 15.
Elephants Are Endangerous?