https://www.gov.za/speeches/mi...018-12-aug-2018-0000



Minister Edna Molewa allocates leopard hunting quota for South Africa for 2018

12 Aug 2018

Based on a determination by the Scientific Authority, the Department of Environmental Affairs has confirmed the quota for the trophy hunting of leopard (Panthera pardus) in South Africa for 2018.

The quota has been allocated as follows: Five male leopard in Limpopo Province and two male leopards in KwaZulu-Natal. The leopard must be older males –seven years or older in both cases.

It is important to note that the hunting of leopard is only undertaken in specified hunting zones where scientific evidence indicates stable leopard populations.

The current determination is based on a review of available scientific information on the status of leopard populations in South Africa and an evidence-based assessment by the Scientific Authority.

The Scientific Authority was established in terms of Section 60 (1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No.10 of 2004) (NEMBA) to assist in regulating and restricting the trade in specimens of listed threatened or protected species and species to which an international agreement regulating international trade applies.

In making the recommendation, the Scientific Authority took into account data and reports from the National Leopard Monitoring Project and other inputs on leopard numbers.

As part of an ongoing adaptive management approach, the Scientific Authority concluded that a small quota, restricted to older males and coupled with the implementation of appropriate management systems as set out in the draft Norms and Standards for the Management and Monitoring of the Hunting of Leopard in South Africa for trophy hunting purposes, would not have a detrimental effect on the survival of leopard in the wild.

The new quota replaces a zero quota for the hunting of leopard in place since January 2016.

The Scientific Authority has recommended that the quota be implemented in conjunction with the following actions:

Applications and hunt return data, including for leopards killed as Damage Causing Animals, should be managed at a national level by the Department of Environmental Affairs;
The Norms and Standards for the management and monitoring of the hunting of leopard in South Africa for trophy hunting purposes should be implemented. Until these come into effect, the principles and procedures contained in the draft Norms and Standards should be adhered to;
The private sector should be encouraged to participate in joint leopard monitoring projects that are aligned with best practice guidelines for leopard monitoring;
The ongoing threat posed by the unregulated trade in leopard skins by religious groups needs urgent attention - as available evidence suggests that this impact is much greater than trophy hunting;
Trend data must form the basis for any management decisions regarding hunting;
No hunting should take place where leopard populations are in decline or where there is an absence of scientifically robust data on leopard population trends
It should be noted that quota allocation may change every year depending on the updated available scientific information on the status of leopard populations in South Africa.

Media enquiries:
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Cell: 083 490 2871

Editor’s Note:

The leopard (Panthera pardus) has been listed on Appendix I of CITES since 1975. At the 4th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Parties adopted the first in a series of resolutions addressing trade in leopard skins.

Resolution Conf. 4.13 (i.e. Trade in Leopard Skins) recognised that Panthera pardus is not endangered throughout its range and established export quotas and a tagging system for leopard skins from seven range countries. South Africa, as one of the range states of Panthera pardus, was allocated an annual quota of 150 leopards.

Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs
More from: Department of Environmental Affairs
More on: Environment

Ah another pointless decision to satisfy the loonies!

7 leopardsin the whole of South Africa??

Not only 7 in the whole of RSA. They issue quota for 2018 in Mid Aug? Damn shame.
Bruce

When it comes to life (or, in this case, the minister) giving you lemons and making lemonade...

There might be some good deals for hunters who can go on short notice!

7 years or older?
Knock knock, anybody home?

quote:

Ah another pointless decision to satisfy the loonies!

7 leopardsin the whole of South Africa??

What do you expect?????

These Africans are clueless..........

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quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
These Africans are clueless..........

.

I don't think he is being clueless actually...I think a mid August realease with a ridiculously limited quota with a ridiculous 7 year old requirement that is literally impossible to field judge is quite purposeful...
They will turn around and politically use it against hunters and say ...seeee...hunting is ineffective

quote:

I don't think he is being clueless actually...I think a mid August realease with a ridiculously limited quota with a ridiculous 7 year old requirement that is literally impossible to field judge is quite purposeful...

If the age rule is good enough for Lions then it makes sense (to some) that it has to be good for Leopards as well.

Incredible scientific minds win again.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

I don't think he is being clueless actually...I think a mid August realease with a ridiculously limited quota with a ridiculous 7 year old requirement that is literally impossible to field judge is quite purposeful...

If the age rule is good enough for Lions then it makes sense (to some) that it has to be good for Leopards as well.

Incredible scientific minds win again.

More like stupid, political appointees, have had their palms greased!

And this tends to play into the utterly brainless ideas of the enemies of wildlife, poaching supporters, claiming to be “conservationists!

“Look what we are doing for conservation!”

While in reality they are doing absolutely nothing except reduce the REAL money that actually helps conservation!

https://www.iol.co.za/saturday...ard-hunting-16623326



Claws out over DEA 'jumping gun' on leopard hunting
NEWS / 18 AUGUST 2018, 2:00PM / SHEREE BEGA


The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) “jumped the gun” by deciding controversially to reinstate hunting of leopard in South Africa.
“I don’t know how the DEA has come to the conclusion that it’s a good idea to hunt leopard, given the declines reported across the board,” remarked Maxine Gaines, a KwaZulu-Natal-based wildlife biologist, yesterday.

In 2015, the department announced it was placing a moratorium on leopard hunting because the predators were in decline across most of their range.

But this week it revealed the 2018 quota for trophy hunting - five male leopards in Limpopo and two males in KwaZulu-Natal.

The leopards to be hunted must be seven years or older.


“This is a very cryptic species and a huge amount of effort has gone into getting to know more about leopards since the moratorium was put in place. We know so little, even with all the research. We’ve only scratched the surface and need to tread with real caution.”


The current leopard conservation status was of a population in decline, facing several threats, Gaines said.

The DEA said this week that hunting of leopard would only be undertaken in specified zones where scientific evidence indicated stable leopard populations.

“As part of an ongoing adaptive management approach, the Scientific Authority concluded that a small quota, restricted to older males and coupled with the implementation of appropriate management systems would not have a detrimental effect on the survival of leopard in the wild,” it said.

No hunting should take place where leopard populations were in decline or where there was an absence of scientifically robust data on leopard population trends.

“The DEA have put in some really good measures to ensure leopard hunting is sustainable,” explained Dr Kelly Marnewick, senior trade officer at the Endangered Wildlife Trust. “These are based on good long-term research and adaptive management. What the monitoring finds this year will determine the quota for next year.”

Bool Smuts, founder of the Landmark Foundation, an NGO focused on leopard and predator conservation, believed “at best there are 5000 leopards” remaining in South Africa and, at worst, about 3000.

“I believe that if they (the DEA) get this through without too much of a fight from us, next year it will open the floodgates. There are vested interests from the hunting industry at play and there has been no consultation with conservation stakeholders.”


Hunters, he argued, would be unable to age and sex leopards during a hunt as they had “a split-second” to shoot the animal.

Gaines warned that infanticide would be worse in hunting areas where males in their prime were continuously removed. Male leopards in protected areas bordering on hunting areas would be vulnerable too because they ranged widely.

The DEA said the unregulated trade in leopard skins by religious groups such as the Shembe “needs urgent attention as available evidence suggests that this impact is much greater than trophy hunting”.

Dries van Coller, president of the Professional Hunters Association of SA, argued the low quota was a “slap in the face” for landowners, farmers and hunters. "Farmers who have lost 20 to 30 animals or wildlife to leopards will tell you a different story to the preservation lobby.”

South Africa had been allocated an annual quota of 150 leopards by international wildlife trade authority, Cites. “The full quota should be utilised. We know that more leopards have been illegally poisoned and destroyed since the moratorium was put in place. It’s called shoot, shovel, and shut up. That’s what we want to try to prevent - to give landowners an incentive to protect leopards.

“The minister has issued a cautionary quota with strict requirements in place that won't have a negative impact on leopard populations,” he said.