Zambia lobbies US over elephant trophy hunting

Daily Mail (Zambia)
January 27, 2007
Byline: Bwalya Nondo, Nevada, USA

ZAMBIA has launched a campaign to lobby the United States government to recognise elephant trophy hunting as key to the conservation of the earth's largest mammal.

The American government does not allow its citizens to participate in elephant safari hunting in Zambia, and advances the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banning, dealing in ivory among others, as the reason for its position.

Zambia has since met the United States Fisheries and Wildlife Services authorities to argue that increased quotas for trophy hunting in selected areas with trans boundary elephant populations, was necessary.

These areas include the Zambezi valley, where the elephant population was shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Zambia considers a quota of eight for the Lower Zambezi, far below the limit settings recognised for elephant trophy hunting quotas.

Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Kabinga Pande, who is leading a delegation of Government, Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), and Zambia National Tourist Board (ZNTB) officials to the annual hunters convention in the American desert city of Reno, said he was concerned that while Zimbabwe was allowed a gigantic 500 quota in the shared trans boundary elephant population for sport hunting, Zambia was restricted to a paltry 20, annually. Speaking when he met United States Fisheries and Wildlife Services, director, Ken Stensil, at the Reno Convention Centre, Mr Pande observed that sport hunting had the potential to bring large financial benefits to the country and empower local communities economically and motivate them to participate in conservation projects.

He said sport hunting would also go a long way in easing animal human conflicts in game management areas and therefore enhances conservation of animals such as elephants.

He said sport hunting was a conservation tool that would help Zambia plough back proceeds into the community.

He regretted that in the past, the government has been subsidising conservation of elephants through funds raised from other species when the elephant could itself contribute to its own management. Between 2001 and 2005, 115 elephants were killed on control programmes, resulting in a loss of US$1.1 million in licence fees.

If the same animals were hunted for trophy, communities would have realised US$575,000 for investment in various socio economic areas to reduce poverty.

Mr Pande said although many elephants were killed on control programmes every year, the only benefit to the community was meat.

He said it was for this reason that communities supported the resumption of trophy hunting.

The United States was an important market for Zambian trophies and appealed to authorities to rescind the decision not to allow their citizens to bring trophies from elephant hunting safaris.

Mr Pande also cautioned the American government to be wary of some safari hunters who were maligning the Zambian government through e mails, suggesting that safari hunting in Zambia was corruptly handled.

And Mr Stansell assured the Zambian delegation that US authorities would study the Zambian case.

He appealed for more information to enable the American authorities appreciate Zambia's elephant situation clearly.

The five day convention organised by Safari Club International, has attracted 19,000 delegates from around the world.

Document LQAF000020070127e31r0005n

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When I hunted the Lower Lupande concession of the Luangwa Valley, eight years ago, elephants were everywhere. We were charged, real charges, not bluffs, 3 times in 10 days. An American hunter was killed by an elephant, only a few weeks before I arrived and less than 5 miles from our camp. If those population levels still are present there today, then I believe that some trophpy hunting is overdue.

When I hunted the Northern Luangwa last September, elephants were everywhere. Two weeks prior to our arrival, two villagers were killed by elephants as the elephants raided their fields. We had elephants in camp every night.

Hopefully Zambia will convince USF&W. It would be a great additional to the options for elephant.

This can only be a good thing for Zambian wildlife management; it's a great funding tool.