http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zi...l-lion-conservation/



CBS NEWS October 14, 2015, 7:00 AM

Who profits from trophy hunting riches in Zimbabwe?

VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE -- Zimbabwe announced this week it would not charge a Minnesota dentist who hunted a popular lion. But the killing of Cecil the lion has brought worldwide attention to big-game hunting, a controversial practice that critics say is full of corruption.



Victoria Falls and game reserves are major tourist attractions in Zimbabwe, but the riches brought by the natural beauty are not shared by the country's people, reports CBS News' Debora Patta. Following 35 years of repressive rule under Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, the government is broke and the economy in ruins.

Hwange National Park, former home to Cecil, is being ravaged by the country's dire economic conditions. As a result, conservation relies solely on money generated from hunting, Emmanuel Fundira who oversees the industry in Zimbabwe told CBS News.

"How much money does the government give to the parks?" Patta asked him.

"Nothing. Zero," Fundira said.

So the parks have to turn to hunting. When American dentist Walter Palmer killed Cecil, he was on a private hunt which officials claim was illegal. Thirty percent of fees for private hunts are supposed to be paid to the National Parks to help conservation.

"But in most cases, you find that the bureaucratic nature of organizations, most of that money may be consumed to a large extent through administration costs and does not necessarily filter directly to conservation," Fundira said.

If a hunt is conducted on land owned by indigenous communities, the community is supposed to receive 100 percent of the trophy-hunting fees. This money is administered by a project known as Campfire, which is run by the Rural District Council. We met its CEO Phindile Ncube near his thriving sunflower crops.

"We were at Hwange today, and with the sun and everything, the crops aren't doing so well," Patta observed.

"You need to water them," Ncube responded.

"Really, but they don't have water," Patta said.

"Unfortunately," Ncube said, chuckling.

Unlike the rural poor, Ncube has running water. His council made over $600,000 in trophy fees over the past year. He claims that money is used to provide infrastructure and feeding schemes for local communities.

But the villagers we spoke to, like Edward Ngwenya, who has not had a job for decades and does not have one dollar to his name, said they haven't received a cent from the council.

"So where do you get your food from?" Patta asked.

"Just from agriculture, if the rain comes well," Ngwenya said.

By agriculture, he means the few meager crops he is able to grow in a country that is facing a drought.

"So why does everybody say they don't have food? Are you saying they are lying to us?" Patta asked Ncube.

"Yah! Of course they are," he responded.

"Yes, they are lying to us?" Patta asked again.

"They are, they are, they are. Because there is no one who goes hungry in this country," Ncube said.

Walter Palmer was one of hundreds of Americans who trophy hunt in Zimbabwe. Americans make up 65 percent of the hunting market in Zimbabwe. Palmer was initially accused of illegally shooting Cecil the lion. Charges were dropped of illegally shooting Cecil, but the men who led that hunt will still be in court Thursday.

Emanuel Fundira has his wires crossed AGAIN!! On private land the animals belong to the land owner, none of these guys pay 30% to parks..!!

Unless you are Roger Whittal whose land was forcefully appropriated by the government,then given to parks dept to run... Roger had to buy back the hunting rights for his own ranch!! And now pays trophy fees to the government for his own animals!! Bloody ludicrous to say the least... He did this to safeguard his ranch that has been in his family for generations .. So no outsider would come hunt on his land.

On a leased concession, like all government safari areas, operators bid on an area and pay a "right to hunt fee for a fixed period, normally 5 yrs" then they will pay an annual concession fee , which is worked out at 30% of the value of the fixed quota allocation. In addition to this trophy fees for these quotas are also payable. Hence HIGH FIXED quotas on high dollar trophy species, to boost the value of the fixed quota, whip in turn increase value of concession fee.

Campfire or communal areas, funds raised from trophy fees are supposed to be distributed to local communities, with a small portion of around 15% accruing to local rural district councils as an administration fee. This rarely happens.

Fundira needs to spend a little more time getting to know the hunting and wildlife industry. He was a figure head, put into/so called elected to this position when ZATSO (Zimbabwe association of tour and safari operators) mostly white owned companies was merged into one with the IPHAZ (indigineous professional hunters association of Zimbabwe )black or African owned companies, to form what is now SOAZ (safari operators association of Zimbabwe )

National parks is basically insolvent /broke. Salaries gobble up over 80% of revenue generated. So very little is left for operations,equipment,etc corruption is rife, and until that gets strangled and put under control, I am afraid we are fighting a losing battle, ultimately it's the wildlife that pays the price in the end.

And if we dare say anything about a black politician in Zimbabwe or my own country we are called racist right away! Funny how they play the race card just when it suits them!! O but when it is time again for international aid and help the Whiteman suddenly becomes a friend again... And yes the only looser will be the animals.

Phillip you are spot on bwana.

After all the hype over Cecil and wanting to extradite the American client ....

I do not see anyone of the local African politicians thanking the "American Mr Paul Allen" for the $7million he parted with to fund the great elephant census over Africa .

I guess it's just proved what we have been saying for the past 5-10 years... The African elephant is taking a hammering...no matter where they live.

But as long as we have rampant corruption and ineffective game departments they have little chance.

National Parks was made a "self-funding" "authority" some years ago, which meant that it no longer drained the government coffers and also certain of the powers of its investigators were curtailed because it was no longer "government". But when hunters come to Zimbabwe, the bulk of their payments go into the central treasury, so the whole thing is a con. Surprise, surprise.

Correct, it has changed from a government department to an "authority"

Their biggest problem is they are way overstaffed, especially at management levels. Like we said their salary bill gobbles around 80% of their revenue generated. So there is very little funds remaining for field operation and equipment purchases and or maintenance. They lack suitably qualified staff, who are truly passionate about wildlife conservation.

Take mana pools national park, it's one of the most profitable parks the authority has. It generates a lot of funds, hundreds of thousands of $us annually. Like every thing parks authority does, very little or no funds are ever ploughed back into the area. Basic infrastructure like roads, campsites, ablution facilities are in a sad state. Let's not even talk about basic park management or anti poaching efforts, equipment and maintenance, uniforms etc.

Still waiting for an answer to the original question.
My guess is the answer is the same as everything in life. Two groups make money from sport hunters in Africa. Safari Companies and African politicians.

This erodes the basic argument for sport hunting. Our dollars do not help locals or local wildlife populations an more than photo safaris.

We don't kill it to save it. We kill it to provide jobs for the safari company and employment for a few locals. Tourists take a picture for the same reason. The African government looks at both as a source of income.

Ski+3

Funny how there is no mention of the voluntary contributions safari hunters make to the local people. Things like clothing, school supplies, infrastructure, sports equipment, medical supplies, wages, food, and gratuities are mentioned only rarely, but are often of greater benefit to the locals than trophy fees and daily rates.

quote:

Originally posted by SkiBumplus3:
Still waiting for an answer to the original question.
My guess is the answer is the same as everything in life. Two groups make money from sport hunters in Africa. Safari Companies and African politicians.

This erodes the basic argument for sport hunting. Our dollars do not help locals or local wildlife populations an more than photo safaris.

We don't kill it to save it. We kill it to provide jobs for the safari company and employment for a few locals. Tourists take a picture for the same reason. The African government looks at both as a source of income.

Ski+3

There are a few exeptions but they are the minority. The principle of regulated hunting in Africa is great when it works.... but too often, African Politics, private sector greed and the corruption that comes with it get's in the way of a good plan.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Ferrall:
Funny how there is no mention of the voluntary contributions safari hunters make to the local people. Things like clothing, school supplies, infrastructure, sports equipment, medical supplies, wages, food, and gratuities are mentioned only rarely, but are often of greater benefit to the locals than trophy fees and daily rates.

Tim, while well meaning and appreciated by the few beneficiaries of these gestures, it's just a drop in the ocean.

Bwanamich,
JFK once said that, "It is better to light one small candle, than to curse the darkness." And it is a larger candle than those proferred by any other group.

Agreed in the first instance. Not quite so obvious in the second instance. The "others" have the numbers on their side. The many "bad apples" amongst us are keeping us constantly on the defensive against the eye of public opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
The many "bad apples" amongst us are keeping us constantly on the defensive against the eye of public opinion.

So true my friend...so true!!!