More than half a year later, the country is going to auction licences to hunt a total of 70 elephants, in a bid to ‘end human-wildlife conflict’. This will be the first such hunt to take place since President Mokgweetsi Masisi lifted the five-year hunting ban last year.
Overall, elephant population in Africa is on a decline, however, countries like Zimbabwe and Botswana face ‘overpopulation’, due to which Botswana legalised their killing to curb ‘man-human conflict’.
According to Botswanan officials, hunting is necessary to ease conflict between animals and humans. Farmers suffer as their crops and infrastructure is destroyed by elephants roaming outside their feeding zones.
Justin Sullivan
MSN reports that a spokeswoman for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife said the licences would be for controlled hunting areas and that the auction was open only to companies registered in Botswana.
“There are seven hunting packages, of 10 elephants each, available. The seven areas chosen are those most impacted by human-wildlife conflict, especially involving elephants,” MSN quoted Alice Mmolawa as saying.
I always was interested in this subject and stock still am, appreciate it for posting.