To cull is to remove from a group of animals those individuals who show signs of weakness. This process is normally done to in essence "thin the herd," which by removing the weaker animals will in itself become stronger. Culling can be used to take the animals out of a herd that would be least desirable for breeding. It can also be used to remove animals who are not living up to their production quotas, such as chickens producing eggs, or cows producing milk.

In wildlife management, particularly on African [[game farms]game farm]], culling is also a means of population control or manipulative management. When large animals disturb tenants or nearby farmers some of the population may be killed. In the case of very large animals, such as elephants, adults are often targetted. Their orphaned young, easily captured and transported, are then relocated. Young male elephants, without proper elephant socialization, are believed to become unruly and dangerous to other elephants, wildlife and humans. This is a controversial practice in many African countries such as South Africa, where culling has been banned since the 1980s, but was suggested as a means of population control in 2005. Wildlife management is a process for keeping certain wildlife populations in check. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Farmer spreading grasshopper bait in his alfalfa field. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Proboscidea is an order including only one extant family, Elephantidae or the elephants, with three species: the Savannah Elephant and Forest Elephant (which were collectively known as the African Elephant), and the Asian Elephant (formerly known as the Indian... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Brief description of South African culling controversy

• Copy of Time article concerning orphaned bull elephants