Hunting Officially Banned in Botswana from 2013

Received this notice by email this morning from Kgori Safaris in Botswana (www.kgorisafaris.com)


VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!!

Hunting is officially banned in Botswana from 2013, except for plainsgame on game ranches and a few elephants that will be auctioned outside the wilderness areas in the cattle areas.

There are only 2 areas that will still have limited quota for 2013 namely, CH 1 and NG 41.

This is a very sad and unfortunate situation.

Best regards,

KGORI SAFARIS
Sir Seretse Khama Road
Plot 374, New Mall
P/Bag 146, Maun
BOTSWANA
Tel: 00267 686 2049
Fax: 00267 686 2048

FOR ALL HUNTING ENQUIRIES PLEASE USE: hunt@kgorisafaris.com
FOR ALL OTHER ENQUIRIES PLEASE USE: info@kgorisafaris.com
Website: www.kgorisafaris.com


Update from Kgori Safaris received on April 23,2012

Hi Jerome ,
My e-mail was a letter to my clients and NOT A PRESS RELEASE. I probably
should have said: PHASED OUT and not banned. You should probably receive a
proper statement from BWMA soon

Off course I will be affected badly which is sad.
Regards,
Jim



Email from Johan Calitz received on April 23, 2012


Hi Jerome
Thanks the wording of Jimmy van Rensburg's press release being 登fficially banned is incorrect.
It is not official, neither has it been banned we've been told by Government that hunting elephant in certain areas will continue the statement that we all agreed (attached) is accurate and reflects the current situation.
Premature and inaccurate news and the distribution thereof is likely to cause operators to get cancellations because they think it is officially banned -- equally, we COULD find that we get an extension on our leases, as was the case with us for NG41, for 2013 then what?
The rules ARE changing but the game is still on!
Tharia Unwin
JOHAN CALITZ SAFARIS
E.mail: tharia@calitzsafaris.com
Wbsite: www.johancalitzsafaris.co.za


HUNTING IN BOTSWANA - STATEMENT TO VALUED CLIENTS, AGENTS AND FRIENDS
Over the last 5 years, Botswana's trophy hunting industry has been subjected to some extensive changes to areas available for hunting, and changes in land use in other areas where photographic and hunting operations have been combined these changes have given rise to much speculation amongst the international hunting fraternity:? the Botswana Wildlife Management Association wishes to confirm that from the end of this year big game hunting will continue in the following concessions:

Butler & Holbrow Safaris / Chobe Enclave CH1/2 end of 2013

Calitz Hunting Safaris / Mababe NG 41 end of 2017

In spite of draconian cuts in quota for other species, elephant remain the flagship species in Botswana and sustainable offtake of this species will continue under the guidance and direction of the Botswana Government. Recent aerial surveys conducted by independent researchers, in collaboration with Government and the Association, have determined that the Botswana elephant population is stable and in some parts of the country are considered locally over-abundant. The Special Elephant Quota, which is auctioned annually to industry members and stakeholders, will continue in select areas for the benefit of local communities and for elephant conservation and management as a whole. Private research on tusk weights/population distribution and densities, supported by outfitters, is ongoing and will continue to inform Botswana's wildlife Management Authority.

Assurances have been made to the industry by senior members of Government during the course of the last five years that elephant hunting will continue in Botswana; in the meantime, outfitters remain committed to ongoing discussion and consultation with Government to determine the way forward. Hunting on game ranches is unchanged. Please contact your safari outfitter or the Botswana Wildlife Management Association (botswanawildlife@yahoo.com or debbie@mochaba.net) for any further information or confirmation you may require.
27 March, 2012

The Botswana Wildlife Management Association
Private Bag 098
Maun
Botswana
Tel: + 267 6862 671
Fax: + 267 6862671

Please share any further details that you might have, thank you.

Hasn't been any articles in the Botswana papers on this yet. Hope it turns out to be false.

I truly hope this is false as well. What a loss if it is true.

I hope its not true. This will be yet another loss for us sportsman!

Only story I could find is from April 2, 2012


The end looms for hunting

The Ngami Times reports that the new hunting season in northern Botswana is likely to be the last and next season will also be the final one for the Tuli Block and southern Botswana.

The government has banned hunting of wildlife, except apparently for elephants and on game farms, in favour of photographic safaris.

It will be losing millions of Pula as a result of the move through VAT payments, training levies, bed night fees, and trophy fees.

Hundreds of people from hunters to safari employees and taxidermists are expected to be out of work, and as a result it is widely anticipated that the economy of towns such as Maun and Kasane will be adversely affected.

The government will also no longer be issuing hunting quotas, which is one of the mainstays of rural communities.

The authoritative "The Hunting Report" publication said last year that "hunting would be significantly reduced in Botswana, with plains game hunting continuing only on private ranches (but) we also reported that elephant hunting would continue under a special dispensation for 粗lephant management.'

"Elephant is conspicuous by its absence from lists of animals (that cannot be hunted). That's because elephant populations in Botswana have been rising significantly, and, in the process, destroying habitat that many of these other species need. Most telling is that elephant quotas have not been reduced, rather they have been increased and more have come up for auction."

In a statement to the publication on August 26 last year, the government said: "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."

The Ministry (of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism) said at the time there was no plan to ban hunting "and would like to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continue to benefit from hunting. 'No further confirmation of this could be obtained by The Ngami Times this week.

Lion hunting in Botswana was suspended in 2007 to allow the cats' population to swell as the Department of Wildlife said there was a dwindling number of lions in the Khutse Game Reserve, Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) and the Kgalagadi Trans-Frontier Park, where conflict between humans and predators is on the rise.

In the Kgatleng District the hunting of wildlife of all kinds has remained suspended since 1981.

The move towards photographic safaris has divided wildlife conservationists, some of whom argue that hunting quotas issued to the communities that live near wildlife management areas help empower and develop local communities.

Usually the community sells the commercially valuable species such as elephant, zebra, lion and leopard to a private-sector partner. These species have no subsistence use for local people.

Valuable trophy (male) animals such as buffalo, gemsbok, sable, wildebeest and kudu are sold, while the females (meat value) and the lesser antelopes, such as duiker, impala and springbok, are retained for subsistence hunting.

Hunting joint-venture agreements generate large sums of money at community level and substantial employment during the six-month hunting season from April until the end of September.

The tourism industry of Botswana was initially based on trophy hunting and all areas outside the national parks and reserves was divided up into concession areas to be tendered for by professional hunting companies for trophy hunting safaris.

It is widely feared that the ban will allow for an increase in poaching, already widespread in many parts of the country, particularly the Chobe National Park and the Central Kalahari.

"The ban on hunting in Kenya 1976 resulted in 100 000 elephants being poached within a year," said one hunter. According to the Endangered Species Handbook, Botswana earns US$100 million (about P750-million) a year from tourism, including trophy hunting.

In an interview published late last year the "Mmegi" newspaper in Gaborone, top hunter Harry Charalambous, of Maun, called for an increase in the quota for game hunting in the area, saying it attracts billionaires from Europe and America to Botswana.

He said he hosts Russian billionaire and Chelsea Football Club owner, Roman Abromovich, every year for trophy hunting.

Charalambous added he also pays approximately P10-million a year to four community trusts in Chobe, Sankuyo, Mababe, and Okavango from proceeds earned from trophy hunting.

He told the newspaper he was aware that President Ian Khama "is not a fan of trophy hunting and is being lobbied by other interest groups to ban it in favour of photographic safaris."


Source: ibotswana.co.bw

When I was in Botswana in 2009 one of the guides told me that he dislikes the current government reign as they were trying to ban hunting.

One thing is the loss for us hunters, but I fear that on long term the biggest loosers will be the wildlife. When most of the game are eradicated by poachers, the photo safaris will disappear, leaving the areas open for exploitations of all kind, that will do permanent damage.

Nothing on the MEWT website or in the papers in BW.

Just for interests sake I sent the info to the Director of Parks for comment.

Will let you know what they say, if I get a reply.

I hope someone is just jerking a leg!

We were on the border in the Limpopo in October and this was the word of what was coming. Really sad to see it's coming to fruition.

So why wont there be anymore hunting? What is going on?

Originally Posted by AfricaHunting.com

Received this notice by email this morning from Kgori Safaris in Botswana (www.kgorisafaris.com)


VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!!

Hunting is officially banned in Botswana from 2013, except for plainsgame on game ranches and a few elephants that will be auctioned outside the wilderness areas in the cattle areas.

There are only 2 areas that will still have limited quota for 2013 namely, CH 1 and NG 41.

This is a very sad and unfortunate situation.

Best regards,

KGORI SAFARIS
Sir Seretse Khama Road
Plot 374, New Mall
P/Bag 146, Maun
BOTSWANA
Tel: 00267 686 2049
Fax: 00267 686 2048

FOR ALL HUNTING ENQUIRIES PLEASE USE: hunt@kgorisafaris.com
FOR ALL OTHER ENQUIRIES PLEASE USE: info@kgorisafaris.com
Website: www.kgorisafaris.com

Hunters are the eyes and ears of wildlife.........now the poachers will have free reign/dominion over all game animals as long as they pay a select few to be blind/deaf...well they are already dumb so no need to pay for that quality.......so now all the villages who depended on the money from tag fees/jobs will have to beg from the government or any other aid organization that has money to dole out........who says slavery is dead!

Most of us are wry aware of Ian Kama's attitude and or strong dislike towards hunting, this would not be a surprise as Bots have systematically been going this direction over the last 5 and even more years.

A pity indeed.

This literally makes me want to throw up knowing that once the wildlife ceases to have safari value they will be simply be killed off with no concept of game management.

I very much wanted to hunt Cape Buffalo there but it wouldn't be until 2014 Now it will not happen.

This is bad news Just today I read a hunting report on Bots and sent an inquiry as to cost for 2013. Thanks for the info Jerome better to find out now and avoid the problems later.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

Nothing on the MEWT website or in the papers in BW.

Just for interests sake I sent the info to the Director of Parks for comment.

Will let you know what they say, if I get a reply.

I hope someone is just jerking a leg!

Much appreciated BRICKBURN!

Just heard that people at the SCI have a meeting on Monday about this issue with some folks at the embassy... Also waiting to hear more from Kgori Safaris.

Sad day for both outfitters and hunters. I am most afraid for the wildlife in Botswana. Worst case scenrio the poachers roam free and destroy whats there.

Wildlife hunting to cease in Botswana
by Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe
July 15, 2011

The Botswana government is in advanced legal process to ban the hunting of wildlife in favour of photographic safari, a Ministry of Wildlife, Environment and Tourism spokesperson revealed at a workshop at Yarona Country Lodge early this week.

Archibald Ngakayagae says they 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, Ngakayagae says, adding that in future they will not be issuing any hunting quotas. Lion hunting in Botswana was suspended in 2007, to allow the cats' population to swell. The Wildlife Department has been worried by the dwindling number of lions in places like the Khutse Game Reserve, Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve (CKGR) and the Kgalagadi Trans-Frontier Park, where conflict between humans and predators is on the rise. In the Kgatleng District the hunting of wildlife of all kinds has remained suspended since 1981, according to Molepolole-based regional wildlife officer, Dorothy Thite.

The campaign to move towards photographic safari is promoted by operators who run photographic safaris in the Okavango Delta and Kasane regions, but the campaign has divided the wildlife conservationists in Botswana, some of whom argue that hunting quotas issued to the communities that live near wildlife management areas, help empower and develop local communities. Research findings unveiled a few weeks ago by Chase, reveal that the Okavango Delta has suffered "catastrophic" species loss over the past 15 years. The study found that 11 species have declined by 61 percent since a 1996 survey in the Ngamiland district. Ostrich numbers declined by 95 percent, while 90 percent of wildebeest were also wiped out, along with 84 percent of antelope tsessebe, 81 percent of warthogs and kudus, and nearly two-thirds of giraffes.

"The numbers of wildebeest have fallen below the minimum of 500 breeding pairs to be sustainable. They are on the verge of local extinction," he said.


Source: mmegi.bw

Botswana will not ban hunting
by Gill Staden
August 1, 2011

In a Mmegi article the other week it was quoted that Botswana was to ban hunting. This is not the case according to an official response from the Botswana government.

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 July 13 and 14, 2011, the Ministry and other stakeholders organized a two-day 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 a hunting ban. Unfortunately, he was quoted out of context.

In conclusion, the Ministry stated that the Botswana government has no plan to ban hunting in the country and wants to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continue to benefit from hunting.


Source: eturbonews.com

Originally Posted by AfricaHunting.com

Botswana will not ban hunting
by Gill Staden
August 1, 2011

In a Mmegi article the other week it was quoted that Botswana was to ban hunting. This is not the case according to an official response from the Botswana government.

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 July 13 and 14, 2011, the Ministry and other stakeholders organized a two-day 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 a hunting ban. Unfortunately, he was quoted out of context.

In conclusion, the Ministry stated that the Botswana government has no plan to ban hunting in the country and wants to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continue to benefit from hunting.


Source: eturbonews.com

I remember this statement of denial. the last word really, until todays email!

Originally Posted by Jaco Strauss

Most of us are wry aware of Ian Kama's attitude and or strong dislike towards hunting, this would not be a surprise as Bots have systematically been going this direction over the last 5 and even more years.

A pity indeed.

Jaco this is my understanding as well from talking to friends who operate there , and reading reports about the situation. the photo operations who worked in league with the antihunting organisations sent people into the okovango areas to preach to the people, that photographic operations would mean more people coming to the areas for a longer period of time, so they the workers would make more money, and be employed for longer periods of time. would love to see the photo people enjoying themselves in the rain etc (dont have anything against them) just have a sneaking suspicion they wouldnt like to be in the swamps or any where else when it rains properly!. the photo people also bought up the hunting areas in the okovango at prices that the hunting operators who were leasing, or in partnership with other people couldnt compete with.these people must have had backing from people or organisations who dont care what it costs when it comes to stopping hunting. also what you must remember that botswana or bechuanaland remained for the majority of time as a protectorate rather than a colony, and has had the same family/ elected govt rule since before and after independence. it is the longest lasting most stable government in any african country. it is also a mineral rich country with a relatively small population. with diamonds, copper etc contributing to the economy.i fear this means the amount contributed to the economy via hunting is not that economically significant to the govnt, as it is in other countries, also you have the autocratic powers that be who are not in favour of hunting. this is only my opinion from what i have heard and read, if i need correcting please go do it, and if i have misinterpreted the info i do apologize.