Latest report on trophy hunting found wanting

Experts punch holes in Adam Cruise’s report on trophy hunting in Botswana and observe that it was influenced by a known wildlife propagandist, Dr. Mike Chase, whose initial report in 2014, led to the hunting ban during the Khama era. BG Senior Reporter, Dikarabo Ramadubu follows the arguments.

Inaccuracies, and in some cases downright lies, plague the Adam Cruise report on Botswana’s wildlife management, according to local observers and experts, notably Botswana Wildlife Producers Association ( BWPA).

Observers and wildlife experts who spoke to Botswana Guardian stated that a report by Cruise named ‘ Trophy Hunting in Botswana- A Tale of Declining Corruption, Exploration and Impoverishment’ - as published “bears the hallmarks of a strategy that led to the 2014 Hunting ban that suffocated the range communities and destroyed their livelihoods.” The critics of the Adam report allege that it relies heavily on Dr. Mike Chase’s views and publications just after the Ministry of Environment and Tourism rejected his research permit application. In an interview with the Botswana Guardian, the Chief Executive Officer of BWPA, Isaac Kaumana Theophilus said BWPA is aware of a report in circulation which among other things mentions the lack of benefits to the communities from trophy hunting. “The report is full of so many inaccuracies and not based on factual information.” The Association is currently studying the report and will respond in due course. It should however be noted that Botswana subscribes to sustainable use of its natural resources for economic development. Wildlife resources are no exception and hence the reintroduction of sustainable harvest of wildlife through trophy and subsistence utilisation. This is part of wildlife management which has ensured growth of our wildlife populations contrary to the report. Wildlife experts say the Community Based Natural Resource Management Policy of Botswana surpasses expectations, especially on sustainable utilisation of natural resources ( Hunting). At the time [ hunting ban], a decision was taken based on the report published by Dr. Mike Chase that suggested that wildlife numbers were declining at an alarming rate. According to Theophilus, “several communities’ lost income, jobs and businesses due to that inaccurate decision taken by the then administration under former President Dr. Ian Khama.” It is said the decision was taken at a Kgotla meeting in Sankuyo without input or advice from the government authority on the subject matter, being the Department of Wildlife National Park ( DWNP). It is said as opposed to the past, currently, the DWNP conducts hunting reviews after every hunting season to assess both scientific, operational, and administrative aspect of hunting and adopts any required change management decisions especially around areas related to risk management on the implementation of the Elephant Management and other hunting related strategies.

Experts say communities and hunting safaris are compliant with the management instruments of Botswana. Further, to the scientific review, the government conducts an operational review with the Communities and escort guides to determine whether the hunters are complying with the set code of conduct and hunting ethics. Further, that during this exercise, the communities provide their perspectives on the benefits realised from hunting as to whether they meet their expectations or not particularly on pricing and hunting products. This allows the department to have a holistic view of the compliance with policy and legal requirements relating to hunting and determine as to whether it shall be in public interest to issue further quotas based on the factors such as numbers, habitat status, ecological and social aspects like incidences of human wildlife conflict. They argue that “These matters are not explored in the report published by Adams.”

However, experts admit that at international level, Botswana “was not found to be compliant with CITIES as the legislation did not cover matters relating to Forestry and Fisheries.” But this was corrected in the recent Parliament sitting, which passed the required amendments. Although the report comes after the amendments were passed by parliament, it does not acknowledge them. Similarly, on the quota numbers, the report does not acknowledge that whereas Botswana hunts approximately 356 elephants in a year, CITIES’ allowed quota for Botswana which has never been surpassed is 400.

Hunting proceeds

It is worth noting that it is through hunting that the Community of Sankuyo in the Northwest was able to build lodges in their concession and graduated from hunting to photographic. Another success story is of a lodge built from the proceeds of hunting, and providing considerable employment to the communities and contribute to revenue generation from tourism sector in Botswana.

Recently, the Mababe Community acquired properties in Maun as a way of diversifying income generated from hunting. The PALEKA Community has suffered great loss in the past during the hunting ban and almost closed shop. Since the lifting of the hunting ban, the Community Trust has managed to revive their activities and would now be building office blocks, camps and several businesses set up from the proceeds of hunting. The Community in Nata has also revived their operations at the Nata Sanctuary and currently developing their Community Development Plans so as to have a strategic approach to investments of proceeds from hunting. These initiatives and efforts are not acknowledged in the report. The report seems to encourage communities to rely on government handouts as opposed to a gradual progression to self- reliance and development which would be more sustainable in the long run than government support. Experts say whereas the report emphasizes on photographic tourism as a sustainable approach, the product is not viable in all wildlife rich areas in Botswana. Areas such as the national parks and game reserves are attractive for photographic tourism due to the availability of infrastructure and related marketing investments made by the government over the years. Such level of investment cannot be matched in the wildlife management areas where hunting takes place.

Experts say communities and hunting safaris are compliant with the management instruments of Botswana