Africa-Press – Botswana. Government is unimpressed and has refuted the findings of a survey by a private wildlife conservation researcher and journalist, Adam Cruise, which punches holes in the ineffectiveness of trophy hunting in Botswana.
Cruise’s research titled ‘Investigation into the trophy hunting of elephants in Botswana’s Community-Based Natural Resource Management areas’ was released last month.
Among others, the research paper indicates that trophy hunting in Botswana not only fails to provide any meaningful revenue for most individuals residing in and alongside Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) areas but also contributes to a potential collapse of elephant populations and fails to mitigate the incidences of elephant conflict scenarios.
The report also indicates that trophy hunting often goes against the regulations for the utilization of natural resources by communities as set out by the CBNRM programme in Botswana. The research also concluded that in some cases, leases where elephant trophy hunting took place were never granted by a Land Board (as in the case of NG13).
“Many irregularities persist, such as hunters exceeding quota numbers without fear of retribution from government agencies. In any case, elephant quotas, which are much higher than in neighbouring Namibia where elephants freely migrate, don’t seem to be based on any formal aerial or ground survey. Quotas appear to be, as one analyst said, a cut-and-paste affair that favours the politically connected,” the report found.
Furthermore, the research findings reflect that historically, trophy hunting has done little to alleviate poverty in Botswana’s CBNRMs, while also showing that it has not mitigated human-wildlife conflict as was envisaged by the government.
“Trophy hunting is detrimental to elephant populations, herd dynamics, and migration routes, again as per the principles laid out by the Hunting and Escort Guidelines. Bull elephants, in particular, are facing declines in many of these areas since they are the targeted species for both trophy hunters and poachers. The large tuskers are dwindling, and the elephant shot in NG13 may be one of the last of its kind in Botswana.”
These findings have not been well received by the Botswana government, prompting the Director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Kabelo Senyatso to rebut the report.
In a statement released this week, Senyatso explained that the hunting ban was lifted in May 2019, informed by the recommendation of a presidential sub-committee of cabinet that was tasked to initiate a social dialogue aimed at reviewing the ban on hunting.
He said the process entailed rigorous nationwide consultations through various platforms including Kgotla meetings and consultations with local authorities as well as other stakeholders, including Community-Based Organisations.
“Therefore, the decision to include sustainable hunting as an option for the utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local communities was made on the basis of improving rural community livelihoods. These are the people who bear the brunt of living next to wildlife, especially elephants,” he stated.
Senyatso stated that government developed the Botswana Elephant Management Plan and Action Plan 2021–2026 in 2001, which details actions that will be undertaken to protect the national elephant population and the potential areas of how communities can benefit from the utilization of elephants. “Botswana has over the years earned international accolades for its sterling efforts to conserve and manage its wildlife resources.
This hard-won reputation is the result of the implementation of wildlife policy that stretches back several decades and that continues to this day,” he added. Senyatso said that the report should be disregarded as the author has not engaged any of the Community Based Organisations’ boards who would have provided the financial information required for such a study.
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