Hunting Concessions In Namibia Auctioned & Black Rhino Opened For Sport Hunting

Hunting Concessions In Namibia Auctioned & Black Rhino Opened For Sport Hunting

WINDHOEK – Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) will raise close to N$50 million over the next three years through the sale of trophy hunting concessions.

The MET held an auction yesterday, offering a wide range of game through hunting concessions on State land outside registered communal conservancies.

For the first time, the endangered black rhinoceros is up for trophy hunting after the species’ successful recovery.

Only one post-reproductive (old) rhino per year is, however, allowed for the next three years, at localities that will be identified by the ministry.

Concessions that went under the hammer were the Mahango Game Park (part of Bwabwata National Park), Eastern Kavango, Western Kavango, Waterberg Plateau, Daan Viljoen & Von Bach Game parks and three black rhinoceros concessions at localities to be identified.

The highest concession, the Mahango National Park went for N$3.4 million, while the lowest was sold for N$160,000.

The highest black rhino concession was sold for N$1.7 million.

Different animals to be hunted range from elephants, buffaloes, hippopotamus, crocodiles, sables, roan, leopards, lechwe, kudus, blue wildebeest, impalas, duikers, giraffes, warthogs, burchell’s zebras, steenbok, oryx, spotted hyena, eland, white rhinoceros, hartman zebras and the common impala.

Interested companies had to submit valid original proof of registration issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry as well as proof of registration with the Namibia Tourism Board and MET before any hunting can take place.

This time around, Black Economic Empowerment was also catered for, as all companies registered in Namibia were only eligible to bid at the auction if they had a minimum of 20 percent shareholding of previously disadvantaged Namibians.

No more than two concessions will be sold to the same company.

For the first year, the trophy hunting concessions will bring in N$13.7 million, while in the second year more than N$15 million is expected and in the third year, more than N$16.5 million is expected.

The auction was well attended.

Source: New Era, Namibia

Note:
N$ (Namibian Dollar)
Exchange rate April 24, 2009
1.00 N$ = 0.114300 US$
1.00 US$ = 8.74891 N$

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