Botswana: elephant hunting license auction controversy

Text by: RFI Follow

The government sold six permits this week to kill ten elephants each. It is the first auction of these permits, since the controversial reinstatement of elephant hunting in this country last May. Botswana is home to the largest elephant population in the world, approximately 135,000 free-roaming elephants.

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A total of six permits, sold between 330,000 to 430,000 dollars each.

Each permit gives the right to kill ten elephants, except those wearing a collar intended to follow their movements, and therefore protected.

The identity of the buyers has not been revealed. However, these auctions are open to companies registered in the country and with proven hunting experience. These are often specialized tourist agencies, which then resell these licenses to hunters around the world.

The reestablishment of hunting last year by the Botswana president has sparked heated controversy. He believes that the survival of the species is at stake, that their uncontrolled development threatens the livelihoods of the local population. His predecessor Ian Khama, a staunch protector of the environment, had banned commercial hunting.

Environmental protection NGOs denounce this new source of income for the country. They had obtained a total ban on the ivory trade to protect this species threatened by poaching. Adding that hunting is not an effective long-term means of regulating the number of elephants.

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• botswana
• Wildlife

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