Hunting trophy ban detrimental to conservation, Shifeta says

The banning of the importation and transport of African hunting trophies to the European Union (EU) will prove to be detrimental to conservation and the livelihoods of rural communities.This according to tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta, who said the ban will rob communities of a critical source of income and may even turn them against conservation.Addressing the EU at a high-level conference over the possible ban, he said: “We need the African voice to be heard loud and clear. Individual countries banning hunting and banning the import of trophies will not help conservation. Burning stockpiles of trophies will not help conservation. Even the trend for airlines to ban transporting trophies will not help conservation”.The conference ‘Is Africa being heard? Hunting conservation and livelihoods’ took place on Wednesday in Brussels and follows after the EU and other European countries have contemplated introducing policies and laws to ban the importation of trophies hunted in Africa.Shifeta said countries intending to institute any prohibitions and restrictions on the import of trophies should consult the source countries and really consider the unintended consequences their actions may cause.According to him, 55 out of 86 communal conservancies (64%) have conservation hunting contracts in place, underlining its importance for income generation and employment opportunities.Conservation modelMeanwhile, joint-venture tourism accounted for 49% of all revenue generated by communal conservancies, while conservation hunting accounted for 33%.Shifeta said Namibia has realigned its legislation and policies to make provision for rural communities and private landowners to manage their wildlife populations sustainably and derive financial and other benefits from these natural resources.“Our conservation model, which has received international acclaim, is based on the premise that people living with wildlife are its rightful custodians.”According to the minister, communal conservancies are now at the centre of this people-centered approach to conservation.There are 86 registered communal conservancies in Namibia, which cover approximately 20% of the country’s landmass. Added to the 20 state protected areas and other conservation areas, it gives an area of over 42% of Namibia’s landmass under some form of conservation management, Shifeta said.“It is even estimated that one in every 11 Namibians is now a member of a communal conservancy.”Sustainability and scienceThe minister said communal conservancies have opened up livelihood opportunities for their communities to benefit from both the consumptive and non-consumptive use of wildlife.He mentioned that Namibia’s elephant population has grown from about 7 000 animals in 1995 to about 24 000 based on the latest estimates, while the lion population has increased significantly outside of national parks, as has its distribution range.“Our black rhinoceros population was almost extinct and now we have the largest population of that species in the world.”The recovery in populations of wildlife has been accompanied by increasing socio-economic benefits to the people, he said, adding that Namibia’s utilisation of wildlife is guided and informed by the principles of sustainability and the application of science.“We carry annual game counts and surveys in all regions to inform a strict system of quotas and permits to ensure that all harvesting and use of wildlife is done on a sustainable basis. This also applies to the identification of problem animals for hunting.”Revenue generated from conservation hunting and tourism activities in Namibia has been successfully reinvested into the maintenance of park infrastructures, human-wildlife conflict mitigation as well as other projects, Shifeta said.“Most importantly, the benefits from conservation hunting gained by local communities provide an incentive for the continued wise management of wildlife as communities wish to maintain and expand their benefits therefrom.”This, he said, is a critical buffer against challenges to the conservation programme such as human-wildlife conflict, poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

Hunting trophy ban detrimental to conservation, Shifeta says

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-14

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Hunting trophy ban detrimental to conservation, Shifeta says

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-14

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