http://www.timeslive.co.za/sci...rd-hunting-published



Draft norms to govern leopard hunting published

Ernest Mabuza | 2017-02-10 12:53:38.0


The department of environmental affairs this week issued draft norms and standards for the management and monitoring of the hunting of leopards in South Africa.

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These were issued despite the department extending the ban on leopard hunting‚ announced in January last year‚ for the whole of this year. This means that the regulations will apply when the department lifts the ban on leopard hunting.

Department spokesman Albie Modise said on Friday the norms and standards would govern the hunting of leopards if there was no ban on leopard hunting. When the department announced the extension of the leopard ban in January‚ it said the decision was based on the review of available scientific information on the status and recovery of leopard populations in South Africa.

It said the Scientific Authority recommended to Minister Edna Molewa that‚ based on the information received and reviewed‚ there should be no leopard hunting for 2017.

The Scientific Authority was established in terms of legislation to assist in regulating and restricting the trade of listed threatened or protected species.

“In a situation where the Scientific Authority recommends the lifting of the ban next year‚ the norms would govern the hunting of leopards‚” Modise said on Friday. Molewa said the purpose for the norms was to manage the hunting of the leopard in order to reduce the impact of hunting on the stability of the leopard population‚ and to ensure that such hunting is carried out in an ecologically sustainable manner.

The draft norms state that to ensure that a leopard hunting trophy can be traced to a land where the hunt took place‚ the hunting of a leopard must be regulated by means of an individual hunting permit‚ issued by the relevant issuing authority.

The norms also state that only an adult male leopard that is seven years or older may be hunted. In the event that a female leopard or an under-aged male leopard has been hunted‚ the issuing authority may not allocate a leopard hunting quota in respect of the affected leopard hunting zone to allow the leopard population in that area time to recover.

The norms also state that if a hunting client intends to hunt a leopard‚ he must first undertake a once-off leopard hunting examination in the presence of an issuing authority to confirm that the hunter was competent to assess the age of the leopard and was familiar with applicable law.

Members of the public have been invited to submit written representations or objections to the minister within 30 days of the publication of the draft norms.

- TMG Digital

Must be seven years of age?????

South African leopard hunting is over...........

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I'm interested in why the client hunter has to take an aging examination versus the PH/outfitter??

Just another hoop to make Leopard hunting in South Africa nearly impossible. Ridiculous, comes to mind.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Must be seven years of age?????

South African leopard hunting is over...........

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Not so and RSA just needs to get it's house in order.

Why would the hunting client be required to take the test? Shouldn't the PH be required since they are making the call?

Brett

Do not worry we are fighting this.

No just the PH to undertake the test, or local hunter.

quote:

Originally posted by infinito:
Do not worry we are fighting this.

No just the PH to undertake the test, or local hunter.

Keep on fighting. South Africa is just giving usfws an excuse to ban importation to the US........

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