Botswana lifts ban on hunting! [update]

update (24 May 2019): The Government of Botswana has released more details regarding the hunting suspension.

• Hunting will be allowed on a small, strictly controlled basis, with fewer than 400 elephant licenses to be granted annually, as has been approved by CITES.
• Priority will be given to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Trusts in allocation of hunting quotas (over 50% of quota to be given to CBOs and Trusts).
• Hunting will be re-instated only in designated Concession Hunting Areas (CHAs.)
• There will be equitable distribution of citizen hunting quota.
• Citizen hunting license shall not be transferable.
• An effective hunting quota allocation system shall be developed based on science.
• Animals to be included in the hunting quota shall be those currently reflected in Schedule 7 of the Wildlife and National Parks Act of 1992.
• Special game license will not be re-instated due to existence of other government social safety nets to cover for such. [src.]

The Government of Botswana has lifted its ban on hunting. According to a statement on Facebook by the country's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, the decision to lift the hunting suspension follows extensive consultations with all stakeholders, including local authorities, affected communities, NGO's, tourism businesses, conservationists, researchers and other stakeholders. 

The Government of Botswana established a Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban Social Dialogue in June 2018, through which the suspension of hunting in Botswana was reviewed. Some of the findings of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban and Social Dialogue were as follows:

1. The number and high levels of human-elephant conflict and the consequent impact on livelihoods was increasing;
2. Predators appear to have increased and were causing a lot of damage as they kill livestock in large numbers;
3. There is a negative impact of the hunting suspension on livelihoods, particularly for community based organisations that were previously benefiting from consumptive utilisation;
4. The lack of capacity within the Department of Wildlife and National Parks leads to long response time to problem animal control reports; and
5. The general consensus from those consulted was that the hunting ban should be lifted.
   

On the basis of these issues, the Government of Botswana has reflected and assessed the recommendations, and lifted the suspension. Hunting of wildlife in in all controlled hunting areas in Botswana was banned with effect from January 2014. We'll keep you posted!

Botswana to ban all wildlife hunting

update (02 Aug 2011): Botswana's Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, and Tourism just published an official response to the www.mmegi.bw article in which it was quoted Botswana was to ban hunting.

MMEGI ARTICLE RESPONSE: “WILDLIFE HUNTING TO CEASE IN BOTSWANA”.

We refer to the above article carried on Mmegi issue of Friday 15th July, 2011.
It was said that; the Botswana government is in advanced legal process to ban the hunting of wildlife in favour of photographic safari.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism would like to clarify that there is no decision made to ban wildlife hunting. Instead, what is being done is to encourage photographic tourism and gradually limit but not ban wildlife hunting. It must be known that species with declining numbers will be considered for limited hunting while those with increasing numbers like elephants, will continue to be hunted within CITES framework.
On the 13th and 14th July 2011, the Ministry and other stakeholders organized two days training workshop for local Media Practitioners on Poverty and Environmental Reporting. It was at this workshop that the Ministry spokesperson highlighted the benefits of photographic tourism to Community Trusts in the country as compared to just issuing hunting quotes during a discussion on Community Based Resource National Management (CBNRM). But there was no reference to hunting ban. Unfortunately, he was quoted out of context.
In conclusion, the Ministry states that the Botswana Government has no plan to ban hunting in this country and we would like to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continues to benefit from hunting. The Mmegi story does not reflect current government thinking on the subject of wildlife hunting.  

Yours Faithfully

Mable Bolele
Coordinator, Communications, Research and Development 

According to report on www.mmegi.bw the Botswana government is considering to ban all wildlife hunting in the country and to promote photographic safaris instead. The online edition of the newspaper is quoting Archibald Ngakayagae, a Ministry of Wildlife, Environment and Tourism spokesperson, saying that "they [the Botswana Government] will be using recent research findings by wildlife conservationist, Dr Mike Chase, that shows that some wildlife species have dwindled by as high as 90 percent due to hunting, poaching and veldt fires over the last decade. The policy to promote photographic safari against hunting is now advanced and in future they will not be issuing any hunting quotas."

The report by Dr Mike Chase shows that ostrich have declined over the last years by about 80%, wildebeest by 90%, 83% of tsessebe, about 80% of warthogs and roan antelope, and 65% of giraffe. Lion hunting in Botswana was already suspended in 2007.

Uganda to end ban on big game hunting

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) just announced that they will be lifting a ban on big game hunting (elephants, buffalos etc.) to boost tourism revenue in Uganda.
From now on private companies can get the authorisation to sell sport hunting licenses in some areas of Uganda that are currently not designated as wildlife reserves.

What do you think about it?

more info on www.uwa.or.ug >>
overland tours in Uganda >>