Shakey
AH veteran
- Joined
- May 18, 2011
- Messages
- 160
- Reaction score
- 72
- Media
- 161
- Member of
- SCI, DSC, NRA
- Hunted
- US, Canada, RSA (Limpopo, Eastern Cape), Zimbabwe (Omay North X 2, Dande Safari Area, Dande East), Botswana
I haven't been following the forum closely for a few days, so if this was a recent topic and I missed it, I apologize for starting a new thread. A friend sent me an e-mail from a hunting report that contained the links below. The text from each of the stories is included as well. These stories seem to cater to those who feel all hunting should be banned, so I doubt these represent the whole story (blanket ban on hunting in Botswana)? Anyhow, is this internet hype or is a significant portion of the hunting in Botswana at immediate risk?
Botswana bans all hunting
eTurboNews Sports Tourism
By Gill Staden, eTN Jul 18, 2011
(eTN) - Botswana government is set to ban hunting throughout the country following a recent report by Dr. Mike Chase, Elephants without Borders, which shows that some wildlife species have decreased by as much as 90% during the past 10 years. The decrease is due to hunting, poaching, and bushfires.
The Botswana government will promote photographic safaris only. Botswana does very well with its high-end photographic safaris which are world-renowned. The change in legislation will also affect Batswana hunters who are used to having their quota. However, in the interest of their wildlife, the government feels that they have no alternative but to ban all hunting.
The report shows that ostrich have declined by 95%, wildebeest by 90%, 84% of tsessebe, 81% of warthogs and kudu, and around 60% of giraffe. This is since 1996.
Botswana has much stricter policing of their wildlife than some countries. They are also willing to undertake aerial surveys and publish the results. The figures above are extremely frightening for our world when many African countries take no surveys of their wildlife populations and even if they did are not likely to publish them.
Wildlife hunting to cease in Botswana
Mmegi Online
by MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE Staff Writer
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.
Botswana bans all hunting
eTurboNews Sports Tourism
By Gill Staden, eTN Jul 18, 2011
(eTN) - Botswana government is set to ban hunting throughout the country following a recent report by Dr. Mike Chase, Elephants without Borders, which shows that some wildlife species have decreased by as much as 90% during the past 10 years. The decrease is due to hunting, poaching, and bushfires.
The Botswana government will promote photographic safaris only. Botswana does very well with its high-end photographic safaris which are world-renowned. The change in legislation will also affect Batswana hunters who are used to having their quota. However, in the interest of their wildlife, the government feels that they have no alternative but to ban all hunting.
The report shows that ostrich have declined by 95%, wildebeest by 90%, 84% of tsessebe, 81% of warthogs and kudu, and around 60% of giraffe. This is since 1996.
Botswana has much stricter policing of their wildlife than some countries. They are also willing to undertake aerial surveys and publish the results. The figures above are extremely frightening for our world when many African countries take no surveys of their wildlife populations and even if they did are not likely to publish them.
Wildlife hunting to cease in Botswana
Mmegi Online
by MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE Staff Writer
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.
