Botswana Just Legalised Hunting Elephants Because There Are Too Many Of Them
Botswana has legalised elephant hunting and killing. Botswana boasts a population of 135000 elephants. Majority of them reside in the wild and they do not know the tragic fate that awaits them.
A couple of days ago we told you that Zimbabwe, due to overpopulation of elephants, is willing to sell them to any country which is ready to take responsibility of shipping charges. In May this year, the country sold 90 elephants to China and Dubai for $2.7 million (approx. Rs 18 crore)
Apparently ¡®overpopulation of elephants is a common problem in some countries of Africa. Though Zimbabwe¡¯s treatment of the problem has not been appreciated by environmentalists, it does not involve cruelty. That is not the case with Botswana.
Botswana shares a border with Zimbabwe and apparently has the problem of having ¡®too many elephants¡¯ too.
Reportedly, Botswana boasts a population of 1,35,000 elephants. Majority of them reside in the wild and they do not know the tragic fate that awaits them.
The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism in an official statement on their Facebook page which reads, ¡®Government of Botswana has taken a decision to lift the hunting suspension.¡¯
Basically Botswana has legalised elephant hunting and killing.
These were the reasons that they sited for this jarring decision.
1) The number and high levels of human-elephant conflict and the consequent impact on livelihoods was increasing.
2) Predators appear to have increased and were causing a lot of damage as they kill livestock in large numbers.
3) There is a negative impact of the hunting suspension on livelihoods, particularly for community-based organisations that were previously benefiting from consumptive utilisation.
4) The lack of capacity within the Department of Wildlife and National Parks leads to long response time to problem animal control reports.
5) The general consensus from those consulted was that the hunting ban should be lifted.¡¯
Elephants are killed for their tusks (ivory) which internationally sell for a large amount. However, there is an international ban on the sale of ivory. Countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia with the help of South Africa are appealing to have the ban uplifted. This would allow them to sell stockpiles worth millions of dollars which according to them could be sold to further fund conservation.
Overpopulation of animals can be dealt with scientific methods like sterilisation, the proposal of killing the ¡®extra¡¯ elephants is preposterous and people have not shied away to express this opinion.
Even Ellen DeGeneres has condemned the act.
President Masisi, for every person who wants to kill elephants, there are millions who want them protected. We¡¯re watching. #BeKindToElephants @OfficialMasisi https://t.co/iTSAYXvrfM
¡ª Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 22, 2019
The government of countries, along with UN should come together to find a healthier solution to this problem. Killing more wildlife is the last thing are planet needs.