Green hunting comes to Zimbabwe

Green hunting comes to Zimbabwe
by Ronny Zikhali May 2009

Green hunting has become the hottest issue under discussion in safari and hunting circles around the world with Zimbabwe also joining in the fray to see if the option can be offered to hunters in the country.

Green hunting or dart safaris offer a unique synergy between sport hunting and conservation, allowing trophy wildlife to be shot and wildlife research and management to be conducted at the same time.

Green hunting is the brainchild of Dr Paul Bartels, head of the Wildlife Biological Resource Centre of the National Zoological Gardens. It requires more skill and precision than hunting with a rifle. Not only must the animal be shot from close range, but darted animals are also highly unpredictable sometimes charging or bolting.

Hunters and conservationists have agreed that there is need to work at conserving the animal species especially the Big Five. Pioneered in South Africa, the green hunting concept is fast winning the favour of traditional hunters, who see it as a chance to enjoy their sport while contributing to conservation.

Francis Nhema, the Environment and Natural Resources Minister pointed out that this is another challenge that they are looking into. "Because the concept is so new to us, we are still conducting research as to how those animals that will have been darted respond to people around the. We are looking at the side effects of that darting exercise including behavioral patterns of the shot animals", he said.

White rhino are most frequently darted, but lion, elephant, buffalo and leopard are also regularly hunted. Black rhino are not yet open to darting. Most green hunters are traditionalists who now see darting as a new challenge and a chance to do more for conservation. Green safaris are available to both individual clients and groups.


Source: africanews.com

Should be interesting seeing how it develops.

Jerome

I see a few issues with the green thing....

1. If hunting goes green what will happen to the surplus animals...each year...due to over range population...

2. What will the native villages due for protein if the green standards is adopted...will poaching take off...

3. The loss of positions or jobs at dip and pack...taxidermy...shipping.......

i am sure that there are more....

the green community has provided very little in the way of animal survival...hunting and there dollars has provide many jobs for the local community over the years...

First off, the article is from 2009. Second, I don't think green hunting will ever take the place of standard hunting practices, but I do think it will be another option (possible more economical option) for some of the big five and glamour game. Just my .02.

I still don't know how to feel about it. I think in moderation, where dart hunting will almost certainly always remain, it can be a very good thing. Again, it makes wildlife valuable, especially the rarer species likely soon to include the Black Rhino if its numbers recover to the point darting can take place. Putting a $ sign on these animals and the ranges they require to live is a good thing, it's still supporting the core of African hunting conservation.

My only concern is if those who respond to hunting emotionally, not rationally, see it as a replacement for traditional hunting and begin to leverage against traditional hunting. Essentially, it's a great option, and as long as it remains just an option, especially for rare species, I'm all for it. It would be disastrous however if it was to become the new ethos of hunting, for locals who rely on the meat and revenues of sport hunting, as mentioned above by James.Grage, for the wildlife in that the popularity of hunting and thus commercial viability of maintaining large areas privately for wildlife would certainly decrease, and for our sport overall. I see this risk as manageable, and I'm cautiously in favour of dart hunting for the time being.

Ahhh, foiled again! I thought someone was offering to hunt Greens...
Seriously, I believe this form of hunting may have it's merits. It should be very challenging to the hunter, as long shots just are not an option (imagine getting close up and personal to the old Dugga boy and finding out exactly what he thinks about this invasion of privacy). The scientific results should profit the wildlife and thus, eventually, all hunters. The nice thing about science, if done correctly, is that it proves facts, not opinions. Some of the results may dismay the anti-hunting fraction, likely proving that hunting improves the wildlife in an area rather than impacting negatively. I doubt that it will be more than a niche market, though.

I think green hunting has it's place but on a limited basis. I agree with James Grage on his comments. My biggest fear is poaching would become more prevalent as the natives wouldn't be getting the meat from Buffalo & Elephants. they have to eat and sport hunting has kept them fed and provided jobs. I doubt if i would spend money to go green hunting unless it was an exterely endangered animal!