Elephant Hunting and Poaching in Botswana: Politics, Popular Grievances and the

[bearpaw]

Good article on the complications facing the future of hunting in Africa:


Elephant Hunting and Poaching in Botswana: Politics, Popular Grievances and the Power of Animal Advocacy
https://www.conservationfrontlines.org/2019/04/elephant-hunting-and-poaching-in-botswana-politics-popular-grievances-and-the-power-of-animal-advocacy/

[huntnfmly]

That's good news and a great read thanks for sharing

[Bob33]

In a country with a minimum of 125,00 elephants and a carrying capacity of 50,000 the politicians banned hunting, and the outcome was completely predictable.

"The hunting ban not only impoverished communities, it also led to more human-elephant (and human-lion) conflict. Hunting concessions had acted as buffers between game parks and farmland, and boreholes in the concessions (wells maintained by safari operators or local people) meant that wildlife need not move into farms in search of water.

Hunting provided other benefits as well: Safari operators supplied meat to villages and left partial carcasses in the bush, which meant that, if necessary, lions and other predators could find food without raiding livestock. The presence of hunting parties also deterred poachers."

[Britt-dog]

Excellent article.

[goldenhtr]

I have no doubt that bribes were used to shut down hunting in 2014, it's the way of government in most of Africa. I have friends that have businesses in a southern African country that tell me it's the norm. Our friend that is a MP in his country is disgusted by what he sees in his own country, that's why he ran for parliament in his country. Their own election was just fraught with deceit and outright in your face cheating, and he is trying to fight it as we speak. People over there line up for HOURS to cast their vote. It's a different world over there and people are easily bought with MONEY. (some say the same thing here ) The anti's throw money everywhere they can to stop conservation (ie:hunting) including bribes IMO.