Professional Hunters Raise Two Million Rand For Conservation

Professional Hunters Raise Two Million Rand For Conservation
PHASA Press Release

The Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA) raised over two million Rand (ca 200,000 Euro) at a black tie event on April 16th. The funds will all go towards the training of African students in wildlife management at the Southern African Wildlife College at Hoedspruit. It was the 4th "Wildlife Heritage Gala Dinner", again endorsed by Dr Ian Player and the Peace Parks Foundation. Funds raised by selling exclusive donations of unique hunting opportunities, wildlife art and luxury weekend retreats, donated by individuals, government agencies and corporations from the SADC region will be used for bursaries for their respective students at the Wildlife College.

The largest donations came from South Africa’s North West Province. Thus far, PHASA has funded training of over 200 students at the SA Wildlife College, many of whom are now in managerial positions in their countries.

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Theresa Sowry, South African Wildlife College with Herman Meyeridricks, Chair PHASA Conservation & Empowerment Fund and CEO PHASA Adri Kitshoff

"The biggest contribution we can make to conservation is to see that there are adequately trained wildlife managers in Africa, and PHASA is leading the way in conserving Africa wildlife heritage" said Paul Stones, an executive member of PHASA.

The evening was attended by numerous dignitaries including His Majesty the King of Zululand and her Royal Highness the Queen, Ms Hazel Jenkins, Premier of the Northern-Cape Province, as well as professional hunters, conservation authorities and invited guests. Coenraad Vermaak, one of the founding members of PHASA, who gave an entertaining talk on how hunting has transformed land use and wildlife populations in South Africa over the past 40 years and kept everybody chuckling when he wittily recounted some of his experiences in the field (turn to page 21 for Coenraad’s speech).

Theresa Sowry of the Wildlife College thanked PHASA and bidders and stated that the Wildlife College simply could not do its training programs without the funding support of PHASA.

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From left to right: His Majesty the King of Zululand, Paul Stones (PHASA), Her Royal Highness the Queen, Hermann Meyeridricks (PHASA), Coenraad Vermaak ( Founder member of PHASA), Vicky Vermaak, Eduard Katzke, PHASA President, Hans Vermaak (PHASA), Marianna Louwrens (PHASA) and PHASA CEO Adri Kitshoff