South Africa imposes year-long leopard hunting ban for 2016

[James.Grage]

South Africa has imposed a year-long ban on leopard hunting in 2016 in a decision hailed Monday by conservation activists.

“Provincial conservation authorities were informed that leopard hunts should not be authorised in 2016,” the department of environmental affairs said, adding that the ban would be reviewed at the end of the year.

The department said it was acting on recommendations from South Africa’s scientific authority, which had suggested an intervention to ensure the survival of the leopard population.

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), South Africa can allocate 150 permits each year for the trophy-hunting of leopards destined for export.

The size of South Africa’s leopard population remains a mystery.

“We just don’t know how leopards are faring in South Africa,” said Guy Balme of environmental group Panthera.

“They’re secretive, mainly nocturnal, solitary and range over huge areas.”

Conservation groups hailed the year-long ban, saying it was crucial to protecting the species given that the size of the population is unknown.

“Until we know population numbers and carrying capacity we should not hunt them,” said Andrew Muir of the Wilderness Foundation.

Kelly Marnewick, carnivore conservation manager at the Environmental Wildlife Trust, added: “It’s important to ensure that any wildlife trade we do is sustainable.”

“If we can’t do that, it’s highly problematical. We need a trade ban until we can get to that.”

The mismanagement of trophy hunting and the illegal trade in leopard fur are the main threats to South Africa’s population of the big cat, according to the government.

Dignitaries from South Africa’s Zulu community traditionally wear animal skins for ceremonies, particularly leopard fur.

South Africa earns substantial revenues from selling permits to wealthy foreigners willing to pay thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars to hunt one of the “big five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino or buffalo).

Hunting generates some 6.2m South African rand ($379,000) for South Africa every year, according to the environment ministry.

This article was amended on 26 January 2016 to show that 6.2m South African rand is roughly equal to $379,000 USD, not $375m as previously stated.

 

[James.Grage]

I have received 2 e mails from outfitters/ PH's today about South Africa closing Leopard hunting for 2016.

Above is one article that i have found looking to double check.

 

[James.Grage]

A ban on the hunting of leopard in South Africa has been imposed by the Department of Environment Affairs for the rest of 2016, and it will then reassess the situation, according to news reports.

The department said that conservation authorities in the various provinces were told that leopard hunts should not be authorised in 2016, and that the situation would be reviewed t the end of the year, the reports said.

“Now this is really great news and a fantastic reprieve for leopards that are under just so much pressure from the trophy hunting sector,” said conservationist Louise Joubert on her Facebook page.

The Department of Environment Affairs said it was acting on recommendations from South Africa’s scientific authority, which had suggested an intervention to ensure the survival of the leopard population.

Hunting generates some $375 million a year for South Africa, according to news reports, although is coming under more and more pressure from conservationists, especially inside the country. The practice of canned hunting in particular has come under the spotlight in recent years, where lions bred in captivity – and often raised in petting facilities – are hunted in closed conditions, giving the animal no chance of escape.

 

[BRICKBURN]

It must be a good idea if the Joubert lunatic is on side with it!

 

[tarbe]

Hunting generates some 6.2m South African rand ($379,000) for South Africa every year, according to the environment ministry.

We know that number is massively wrong....the gang from AH spends that much per year in RSA by ourselves!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Statistics and Anti Hunters don't mix. It involves arithmetic!

 

[sestoppelman]

Is Louise Joubert related to famed wildlife photograpers Derek or Beverly Joubert? Never heard of Louise.

 

[enysse]

Yes, conservation activists never surprise me with their wisdom

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

A very uneducated move in my opinion. you cant base a ban on unknown population.... I think if they take all the number of complaints by the cattle and game breeding farms they would see that there are more of them than they think.

 

[broncolcj]

That'll last about as long it takes for the cat's to start chewing on tribesmen's goats and popping up in urban areas again