Botswana cancels PH License over killing of protected elephant

It appears the prohibited activity is destroying the collar, no mention is made whether shooting a collared animal is illegal. A bit more information would be helpful, instead of an inflammatory headline.

The article does say the animal is protected because of the collar.
 
Thanks for sharing
 
A bit more information would be helpful, instead of an inflammatory headline.
Reading is fundamental... Paragraph #6: "Even with the ban lifted, the male elephant had protected status as a research elephant after the non-governmental organization (NGO) Elephants Without Borders collared it."
Paragraph #7: ""Killing of collared animals is not permitted under any circumstances," the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation, and Tourism said in a statement Thursday."
 
Why were they destroying a collar if they were hunting legally?

Do people today not understand that the transmitter immediately sends a signal when the critter dies?

You’d think if they can operate a mobile phone they could comprehend radio signals and a GPS.

Now we can only hope they don’t start a new poaching career.
 
Reading is fundamental... Paragraph #6: "Even with the ban lifted, the male elephant had protected status as a research elephant after the non-governmental organization (NGO) Elephants Without Borders collared it."
Paragraph #7: ""Killing of collared animals is not permitted under any circumstances," the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation, and Tourism said in a statement Thursday."

Yes thank you. The article did not fully load the first time I read it.
 
Convenient that article comes out in US news just days after DSC files a suit over elephant imports
 
Convenient that article comes out in US news just days after DSC files a suit over elephant imports

It looks like it just happened yesterday (the ruling). Not sure when the actual shooting happened.

The timing sucks for sure, but the truth is the antis don’t care, they are a bit rabid in their train of thought anyway. No rational debates to be had with 90% of them.
 
Incident November 24th

Reading the comments below is certainly good for a few laughs, except they are serious.
 
It looks like it just happened yesterday (the ruling). Not sure when the actual shooting happened.

The timing sucks for sure, but the truth is the antis don’t care, they are a bit rabid in their train of thought anyway. No rational debates to be had with 90% of them.

Unfortunately you are right. But we can hope. In this case, it's not just for our freedoms, it's truly for the future of the animals. But that fact doesnt change their agendas. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed, I'd love to chase a bull one day but if I cant bring it home I'll support the area with a tuskless instead
 
Seems as though the government wildlife services has taken immediate and appropriate actions against the PH's in an effort to keep legal hunting in the country open and silence the anti's attempt to use this as propaganda against legal and necessary conservation of the country's wildlife and the human/wildlife conflict.

I'm curious as to why one PH lost his license indefinitely and the other for only 3 years.

With today's optics and ample communications, the collar should have been readily seen and checking with the NGO should have verified whether the collar was still active or not,...only then should the elephant have been hunted.

Just my 2 cents.

I read the article in full as per website listed in OP, but I think it is only a portion of the whole story!

Such as were the PH's involved hunting the elephant themselves.....or or third a hunter/client actually hunting/shooting the elephant (?), to which the PH's were being paid,....as in the Cecil incident?

To such were these PH's in the process of committing a criminal act of poaching? and for what purpose? when the elephant could have been shot legally and for trophy fees to a legally/authorized hunter?.

To intentional destroy a working collar, owned and in full operation for research is definitely a criminal act regardless of who owns it: NGO, personal, outfitter, etc. (except illegal poachers, other such criminals for illegal acts).

This article has more holes in it than one of my 100 yard targets.
 
This is from the Botswana Daily News:
Source : BOPA
Author : BOPA
Location : Gaborone
Event : Press release
Date : Dec 15 Sun,2019

http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/news-details.php?nid=53504

Two hunters surrender licences to wildlife department

Following an incident in which a collared elephant was shot in NG3, the two hunters involved, Mr Michael Lee Potter and Mr Kevin Sharp have voluntarily surrendered their professional hunting licences to the licensing authority, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

A press release from the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism states that after engaging the relevant authorities, it was resolved that the period of the surrender of Mr Potter’s license will indefinite while Mr Sharp’s license will be surrendered for a period of three years with immediate effect.
In addition, the two hunters will replace the destroyed collar.

This follows reports received by the environment ministry that a collared male elephant was shot and killed on November 24, in the controlled hunting area NG3.
In a separate press release the ministry states that the controlled area where the animal was hunted was issued with an elephant-hunting quota and the license to hunt was obtained from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

The release states that Mr Potter, a professional hunter and Mr Sharp, a citizen hunting license holder claimed to have encountered several bull elephants in the thick bushes, North of Dobe Border Post.

“They allege that one of the bulls approached them and they shot at it. The professional hunter claimed that the collar was not visible as the elephant was in a full-frontal position. Once the animal was down, they realised it had a collar on it placed for research purposes,” states the release.

In accordance the hunting guidelines, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks officer escorted the hunting group.

Although this was a legal hunt, the release states, the killing of the collared elephant is regrettable, and investigations by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks are at an advanced stage with a view to understanding exactly what transpired.

“We do not condone the shooting of collared animals and will take all the necessary measures to ensure that this does not occur again. Killing of collard animals is not permitted under any circumstances and appropriate measures shall be taken against transgressors including revocation of their licenses. We urge hunters to adhere to the hunting guidelines, their code of conduct and ensure that ethical hunting is practiced at all times,” states the press release. Ends
 
Ok, this makes a little more sense, or not.

There is a licensed PH, a permitted client, and as required an escort officer from the Dept of Wildlife and National Parks, on this legal hunt, authorized by the state.

At no time none of the three had a broadside look at the elephant, only a frontal view, which was obscured by bush, and at no time prior to the shot(s) a collar was never seen(?).

Can it be that at some point prior to shooting that the PH and state officer collaborated that this elephant was good/legal to shoot? and that the PH acknowledged to his client to make the shot(s)?

Shouldn't the responsibility.....(for the client shooting this elephant, given the ok by his PH, who received the ok from the state officer)....fall upon the officer from the Dept of Wildlife and National Parks?.

I don't see any comparison between the shooting of this elephant and the shooting of Cecil the lion, as there was no mention of a state officer present when Cecil the lion was shot, broadside, and a collar was in full view.

Now for the destruction of the elephant's collar, as mentioned in the Fox news article, who decided and why was the collar destroyed once it was discovered on the elephant? The collar should have been returned to the NGO conducting the elephant survey.

The elephant moved towards them.....
Did the elephant moved towards them because it was just feeding their way?
Did the elephant make a fake charge or attempting to intimidate them away from him and the herd?
Did the elephant actually charge toward the hunting party?

Just my logical mind at work based on these two articles.

Unless there is more to this story, I see nothing unethical or illegal about this hunt, other than destroying the collar.
 
Now for the destruction of the elephant's collar, as mentioned in the Fox news article

"Reuters reported the two men destroyed the collar to hide evidence of the killing. It's not clear how the collar was destroyed."

Why would they deliberately destroy the Collar with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks officer escort as a witness???

That's the part that does not make any sense??? There was a Govt. Officer with them when the collared elephant was killed.
Why would they bother to destroy the collar to hide evidence of the killing? Unless the Department of Wildlife and National Parks officer wanted to cover his ass as well?
 
This article has more holes in it than one of my 100 yard targets.

Shouldn't the responsibility

fall upon the officer from the Dept of Wildlife and National Parks?.

" Unless the Department of Wildlife and National Parks officer wanted to cover his ass as well?

Sounds like all of you are asking really good questions. This one looks like an iceberg, only 10% is showing. Is "destroying" a collar just cutting it off? lots of information left out from the Parks dept or the press to make this sound worse than it may be. Or it really was a case of shooting a big collared elephant and hoping to get away without being caught. Lots of NGO's want to collar every animal they can for "research" just to keep them from being hunted.
 

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