Tanzania Makes Last-Minute Quota Cuts
(posted July 10, 2006)

If you have a safari to Tanzania booked this season, you may want to contact your safari operator regarding the species you plan to hunt, as the Tanzanian government has cut trophy quotas across the board by 10 percent. We have that directly from game department officials who told The Hunting Report that the late adjustment in quotas are in response to a severe drought that has hit Tanzania this year.

While the cut overall is only 10 percent nationwide, the southern part of the country will see a higher percentage cut because the drought has been worse there than elsewhere. Particular species targeted for quota reduction include lion, Cape buffalo, sable, topi, lesser kudu and gerenuk. Lion quotas in the south have been particularly sharp, with cuts in some areas approaching 25 percent. Leopard quotas, fortunately, have not been reduced and will remain the same.

Are the quota cuts grounds for canceling, or postponing, a safari this year? Almost certainly not, especially if you are booked into the early part of the season with an operator who has two or more areas under his control. Even smaller operators will likely be able to accommodate you on most of the animals you are interested in. Still, it probably is a good idea to contact your safari operator, or the agent who booked your safari, in light of the last-minute cuts. We welcome feedback from clients who have been adversely affected. - Barbara Crown.

Folks,

Adam is in Masailand as we speak and I'll have an answer from his perspective tomorrow for interested people.

FWIW Our first Masailand client killed a monster lion, big leopard and buff in the first week of hunting. I'll have pics in a few days. The season seems to be a good one so far.

Mark

My departure for a 21 day western Tanzania hunt is in 61 hours,but whose counting? Glad its not 61 days.

What is interesting is that where some guys had 4 Lions, they now have 3, or, 6 Sable now becomes 5, etc. So, it is not a true 10% across the board.

Maybe it is 10% when 40 Buffalo goes to 36, but on the lower quota animals (less than 10 animals on quota), looks like, in some cases, they just took away 1 which can be 25% 33% .. .all depends on how many you had to start with!

Steve,

Your animals on license has not changed because of the quota reduction. Good luck. 59 hours left to go!

For that matter, anyone who has booked a Tanzania hunt with me, teh quota reduction has not changed the animals that will be on your license.

As usual, the whole thing is a joke! In some instances, they have cut quota for gerenuk by close to 50% and similarly on Lesser kudu, oryx and Grant's gazelle. all these are "drought-resistant" species and the GD name "drought" as the main reason for the cut???

Further, what is 1 baboon less from a quota? Or 1 less dik dik, impala, tommy, etc. How is that going to "save" the species from "extinction"

And they issue the quota 2 days before the seasdon starts once all marketing and selling has been accomplished, airline tickets purchased, some clients already in country and they wonder why the next day they have 100 outfitters asking to see the director complaining about the cuts? Yet when an outfitter asks for a quota adjustment, he is asked to produce scientific evidence supporting the request

Folks,

I just heard from Adam and none of our areas are affected at all by the quota reduction. We have as many cats, buff, lesser kudu whatever as we had before plus the hunting areas are all in great shape.

As bwanamich says it seem like a joke.

Mark

Excellent news Mark.

Only 46 more big sleeps to go!

Cheers,
Canuck

What about the drought mentioned? Has there been a drought so far this year?

In many areas, the rains fell heavily but lasted a few weeks less than normal. Most places received their annual average and some mor ethan average.

Western Tanzania, Moyowosi for example, received good rains locally but not in the catchement area so large parts of the swamp are still excessively dry. That means the water holes on the flood plain will be gone by August. Kigosi will have an advantage in this case and hunts there should work out fine.

Other than a few select cases, hunting will be as good as always...