Botswana lifts ban on elephant hunting - 22 May 2019!!

[Scrumbag]

https://news.yahoo.com/botswana-lif...6wLdIZN2FMu53ZzqbhByXzdmSx9OndxwbPz6TEvVeCHli

Gaborone (Botswana) (AFP) - Botswana on Wednesday lifted its ban on elephant hunting, saying the population had increased and farmers' livelihoods were being impacted, in a move set to trigger outrage from conservationists.

A prohibition on elephant hunting was introduced in the southern African country in 2014 by then-president Ian Khama, a keen conservationist.

But lawmakers from the ruling Botswana Democratic party have been lobbying to overturn the ban, saying populations have become unmanageably large in some areas.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi took over from Khama in April last year and a review began five months later, with reports suggesting growing political friction between Masisi and his predecessor.

"Botswana has taken a decision to lift the hunting suspension," the environment ministry said in a statement.

It said a cabinet committee review that found that "the number and high levels of human-elephant conflict and the consequent impact on livelihoods was increasing".

"The general consensus from those consulted was that the hunting ban should be lifted," it added, vowing that hunting would is re-started "in an orderly and ethical manner".

Landlocked Botswana has the largest elephant population in Africa, with more than 135,000 roaming freely in its unfenced parks and wide open spaces.

Some experts say the number of elephants in the country has almost tripled over the last 30 years, and that the population could now over 160,000.

Farmers struggle to keep elephants out of their fields where they eat crops and can kill people.

Lifting the hunting ban could be popular with rural voters ahead of an election due in October.

Many of Botswana's elephants roam across borders into Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 

[JPbowhunter]

Great news!

 

[Hank2211]

We so rarely hear of either common sense or science based decisions when it comes to hunting that I almost didn't believe this could be true.

Now I just need an outfitter . . .

 

[Hogpatrol]

Is the ivory importable in to the U.S.?

 

[Hank2211]

Is the ivory importable in to the U.S.?

I don’t believe it is . . . Which may present an opportunity for Canucks!

 

[Hogpatrol]

I don’t believe it is . . . Which may present an opportunity for Canucks!

 

[seth hollenbach]

Good outfitter?

 

[Mort Hill]

While USFW has not approved any elephant permits to the US as of late from the formerly banned countries of Zim and Tanzania, I don’t see how they can avoid having to address Botswana differently. With the largest elephant population for its size of all of Africa, the fact it has not been hunted in four years, and was formerly one of the model countries for elephant management, they can not toss into the bucket and ignore. People with a lot more money than me will put this to the test both from a permitting standpoint and a legal standpoint. I think there could be hunting this year, and surely into next season. This is just good news for hunters any way you look at it. Should know much more tomorrow after the press conference in Botswana. Won’t be a cheap hunt, but never was, even 5 years ago.

 

[CAustin]

Looking forward to hearing more about this development!

 

[Royal27]

The pricing is going to be interesting. It will be expensive to start but I won't be surprised if prices don't drop relatively quickly. Without import to the US high priced supply will very likely exceed demand.

Will be interesting to watch for deals.

 

[sierraone]

The pricing is going to be interesting. It will be expensive to start but I won't be surprised if prices don't drop relatively quickly. Without import to the US high priced supply will very likely exceed demand.

Will be interesting to watch for deals.

If you are not interested in hunting elephants, what other game is/was Botswana famous for. About 29-30 years ago when I first started thinking about going to Africa someday, lions were one of their primary animals if my memory is correct.

 

[Scrumbag]

Kalahari lions are genuinely impressive. They have plenty of buff too. Not sure on Leopard. Plains game galore and this will open up the Gov't hunting areas.

Scrummy

 

[Rule 303]

My fear is that the prices will be very high to start with and the Concession owners -Not the PH's but traditional owners- in Namibia etc will then jack their prices up, at least in the short term. This would make life very hard for hunting operators in neighbouring countries.

I do agree that Botswana needs to do something about the over population of Elephants in the Chobe and opening up hunting again is a good step in the right direction.

Not long back from the Caprivi and the talk there is the number of Elephants in Botswana is somewhere between 150,00 and 200,00. Lets say it is 150,00 with 75,000 being cows and only 30,000 breeding. They drop a calf every 2 to 3 years. Say one every 3 years that is 10,000 a year. Take out infant mortality, which I am told is not high, so say 8000 elephants a year. That is a lot of bush and crops needed to feed them.

Please note these figures are just arbitrary (and I believe conservative) and used just high light what a population of 150,000 could mean in population growth.