I am horrified that this piece of news seems to have been slipped gently in to the news yesterday, and then almost ignored. There was a small announcement in the BBC news, a few short sentences, and then that was it. Does anyone out there understand that this is a travesty? That the elephants of this world will end up in serious danger?
The news that the Botswana government is lifting a ban on hunting elephants made me terribly sad......and angry. Do they not understand the impact this will have on their conservation efforts? Elephants numbers are in decline, rapidly. I understand that conservationists throughout the world have condemned this decision but I don't think that will be enough. It is pretty obvious to me that the Botswana president, Mokgweetsi Masisi is doing this for political reasons. His statement explained that "there was a serious elephant and human conflict and therefor his 'constituents' were having problems". Disgustingly enough the statement also used the words 'predators' to describe the elephants, and said that they were harming livestock and the livelihood of people.
In June of last year he commissioned a study of the elephants and the 2014 ban. Apparently his study committee recommended "regular but limited elephant culling, in addition to establishing elephant meat canning for pet food and other products". It also recommended "expanding Botswana's safari hunting industry". The country has game ranches. This wasn't enough for Masisi and he rejected the culling and the meat canning. The government said that "regular culling is not considered acceptable giving the overall continental status of elephants. Rather a more sustainable system such as selective cropping should be employed". I don't know what selective cropping is but as a layman this seems a bit of a loose term. Who makes the decision how many 'crops' are done? How will they be done? Humanly? Hunted? Safaris? Money making scheme?
The committee said the "general consensus from those consulted was that hunting ban should be lifted". In 2014 the Botswana government banned the hunting of elephants, but it was a controversial decision as people said the elephants caused them problems destroying crops and such like. Masisi has overturned the ban. In October of this year the country will hold it's general elections and this ban has been a campaign issue. It smacks of a popularity situation here. The ban was unpopular so let's get as many people on our side by lifting the ban. People will like this and I will be elected again. Easy. Sorry but I can see through this ploy clearly. Masisi doesn't care about elephants. He just wants to be elected.
Botswana has the largest population of elephants in the world. After diamonds, elephants are the countries biggest foreign income earner. I'm not sure if it's the hunting that brings in the money but I suspect it's a lucrative business. Let's hope people will boycott the country and stay away. Hit them where it hurts, and avoid the area. Keep the money away, and maybe if this information goes viral the president will rethink his decision? Sadly I think there will always be people willing to pay large sums of money to hunt wild animals. You only have to look at the disguising pictures on Facebook and social media to see hunters revelling in their dead trophy. Sometimes it makes me wonder what selfishness people have that they cannot see the bigger picture. That if a ban like this has been overturned you will let in the 'wolves'. It will be difficult to manage, and anyone and everyone will be allowed to kill elephants without any redress. The population will decline rapidly and so, hopefully, will the countries ability to get money from this all. By then it will be too late. But don't worry Masisi. You will be a president because you looked for the popular vote. Maybe, just maybe, you will be a president of a country that no-one wants to visit!
Conservationists say that this statement from the committee is not true. That elephant's populations have not grown dramatically, and neither have the episodes of elephant and human conflict. Many African countries allow elephant hunting and ivory sales. South Africa and Zimbabwe allow trophy hunting. They argue that the money from this allows them to spend more on conservation. I say nothing but I despair. Sadly the future for these animals looks bleak.
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