Zim urged to copy Zambia and Botswana in hunting suspension

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
09 January 2013

Zimbabwe’s government is being urged to copy the recent moves by Botswana
and Zambia and suspend giving out hunting licences, to clamp down on illegal
activity.

Zambia last week suspended the tender process for hunting concessions and
also cancelled all hunting licences, because of alleged corruption. That
country’s Tourism Minister, Sylvia Masebo, was reportedly spurred into
action by incidents of corruption and malpractice taking place between the
hunting operators in the country and some government departments. She also
went on to fire the Director General of the Zambian Wildlife Authority and a
number of other officials, before launching a full investigation.

This drastic move, which is being applauded in wildlife activism circles,
followed the announcement by Botswana’s President Ian Khama last year, that
his government will no longer issue hunting license. He said the issuing of
such licences was fuelling poaching in the country and preventing
sustainable tourism growth.

With poaching levels in Southern Africa reaching crisis levels, it is hoped
that measures like hunting suspensions could assist in protecting the
wildlife in the region. Last year more than 600 rhino were killed by
poachers in South Africa alone, with warnings the animals are now facing
being wiped out in a few years if nothing is done.

Johnny Rodrigues, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, told
SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that Zimbabwe’s government should also consider
a suspension.

“I do believe that all hunting licences should be revoked and instead we
should try and get more sightseeing and photographic tours. That way you can
cut off corruption. There are certain individuals getting licences but their
operations aren’t benefiting the country, they’re not benefiting the
people,” Rodrigues said.

He added: “At the moment licences are handed out to favoured people and they
aren’t always following the laws that regulate hunting. So for example they
are going into the breeding areas in national parks and hunting there. So I
would really advise government to go down this route.”

Rodrigues agreed with Botswana’s Khama that clamping down on the hunting
industry and promoting photographic tours, would help fight poaching.

“One, there will be more people in the way of tourists on the ground to see
the animals, so it would be easier to spot when things go wrong. Also, all
the money generated could be used to actively fight poaching,” Rodrigues
said.

He added: “It fills me with hope when I see other countries doing this. So I
really hope that this is a sign of things to come.”

What an incredible idiocy!

quote:

“I do believe that all hunting licences should be revoked and instead we should try and get more sightseeing and photographic tours.....there will be more people in the way of tourists on the ground to see the animals, so it would be easier to spot when things go wrong. Also, all the money generated could be used to actively fight poaching,” Rodrigues said.

Is Johnny Rodrigues really this stupid? Tourists tromping around the escarpment, or the buffer areas, or communal land taking pictures of chickens and village dogs....are you kidding me!

Ganyana has been saying for years that Johnny Rodrigues is anti-hunting...without a shadow of a doubt, here is the proof.

A characteristic of no intelligent leadership.

I am still confused. Has Zambia banned hunting for residents and nonresidents in 2013?

quote:

With poaching levels in Southern Africa reaching crisis levels, it is hoped
that measures like hunting suspensions could assist in protecting the
wildlife in the region.

Oh boy

Rodriquez believes in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and believe Obama is the best president ever.

Amazing that the head of a "conservation task force" can be so naive.

What an idiot- While i know he is anti hunting I cannot believe he would think that stopping hunting would in any way help limit the poaching problems! As Bill says- photo clients in the hills of the escarpment and communal lands- come on!

I should not be surprised by him though as I have been on the receiving end of his damning statements mostly said with out hard facts!

Buzz, do you think that Zimbabwe will ban hunting??

I can't even think about it!!

You cant think about it- what about me!!!!! No Zim has certainly made their fair share of idiotic decisions in the recent past but that will not be one of them I am sure!

Jonney Rodegez is a radical non hunter and not to be taken seriously at all. It is a pity that we could not redirect all his energy in the right direction as he would then be a force to be reckoned with as he has no shortage of it!

who is Jonney Rodegez?

Pure lunacy. Are the ecotourism companies that presently operate in Botswana and Zambia so overrun with business that they are turning the tens of thouands of clients away that would only begin to account for a fraction of the dollars contributed by hunters and outfitters? Where does one come up with the supply side numbers to support these idiotic actions?

Mr. Rodrigues - Kenya tried your approach it was and reamains an ecological disaster.

Where do these bone heads come from? One only has to look at Kenya to understand the value of hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by shotgun46:
who is Jonney Rodegez?

From his orgs facebook page:

quote:

JOHNNY RODRIGUES
Johnny was born in Santa Cruz, Madeira in 1949 and moved to Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) at the age of 5, where he grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe. He became fluent in the African languages and fully conversant with the African customs at a very young age.
By 1974, the liberation war was under way in Zimbabwe and Johnny was asked to join the Selous Scouts. He remained with them for the duration of the war. When Robert Mugabe won the elections in 1980, all the Selous Scouts were told to leave the country immediately and the South Africans took advantage of the situation by recruiting them for their Special Forces to assist in their war.
Johnny and Cheryl and their two small daughters, Lorraine and Brigitte, moved to the army camp in Phalaborwa, South Africa where Johnny served the South African army for the following 5 years. Their son, Shane was born in South Africa in 1983. By 1985, they heard that things in Zimbabwe had calmed down quite a bit and being homesick, they decided to go home.
Johnny started a garage in Zimbabwe, repairing vehicles and the business thrived for the next 10 years, enabling him to educate his children and keep food on the table. However, the economic situation in Zimbabwe started deteriorating in 1995 and the business was suffering so he decided to buy a 30 ton truck and start a transport company.
In 2000, Johnny had a spate of bad luck. In 2000, Johnny had a spate of bad luck. Although the company was doing quite well, it was not doing well enough to pay the exorbitant insurance premiums on the trucks so when one truck was written off in an accident and another was hijacked in South Africa and never recovered, he was not able to replace them. Around that time the land invasions began and he started hearing about the slaughter of the wildlife. He was extremely concerned that one day there would be no animals left in Zimbabwe so he started the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force to try and preserve the wildlife. Around that time the land invasions began and he started hearing about the slaughter of the wildlife. He was extremely concerned that one day there would be no animals left in Zimbabwe so he started the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force to try and preserve the wildlife.
Johnny has been running the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force since its inception in 2001 Johnny has been running the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force since its inception in 2001, using donations from concerned people to relocate animals under threat, to buy veterinary medication, to remove snares from animals and to expose the ongoing atrocities to the rest of the world. He is in desperate need of funds to continue with this work.

I find it interesting that his business failed about the same time he set up the "Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force".

No wonder he puts such energy into it - He literally has nothing better to do all day!

A cynical person could say he found a new racket to replace his failed business...


.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:

quote:

“I do believe that all hunting licences should be revoked and instead we should try and get more sightseeing and photographic tours.....there will be more people in the way of tourists on the ground to see the animals, so it would be easier to spot when things go wrong. Also, all the money generated could be used to actively fight poaching,” Rodrigues said.

Is Johnny Rodrigues really this stupid? Tourists tromping around the escarpment, or the buffer areas, or communal land taking pictures of chickens and village dogs....are you kidding me!

Ganyana has been saying for years that Johnny Rodrigues is anti-hunting...without a shadow of a doubt, here is the proof.

Johnny has always been an idiot.

Nothing has changed. And I wonder who is pulling his strings, and how much he is getting?

a classic sterio type of a used car salesman

Johnny has done his fair share of hunting...I can find records of his purchases on the zimbabwe citizen auctions at makuti charara and through the ZHA (zimbabwe hunter assocition- the organisation that ran Rifa, Tuli and Hartely A before willis Makombe decided citizens should be denied the right to hunt)

He was, Genuinely, a selous scout- a teritorial who served under my brother. He saw service in Moçambique on the external raids as a portuguese speaker- usful in a country where people only spoke portuguese. He never qualified as a full scout and is not listed in 'pamwe chete'. His courage on operations though was never an issue.

He has made 'anti hunting' a crusade - subtely in 2001-2005 period when he engauged SCI et al to stop the political involvement in the hunting industry undermining sustainable offtakes.

Since 2005 he has sided soley with the anti hunting crowd and preached that an end to hunting is the only salvation for Zimbabwe's wildife.

There are many, many issues in wildlife conservaion- none are as clear cut and dried as Johnny would present them- or the safari oprators. He has a large audinece- and should serve as a waring to pro hunting initiatives- anti hunters dn't commit funds to concervation, they throw money at hose that expose sensational abuses.

Jonhnny leared the lessons of deception well in the scouts- truth was never our friend in co-ersing the enemy into beliveing that we were true frieds who would help them:

At the same time- the scouts were disbanded and the records hidden of who had served under the Muzowera liberal government of 1979 (Ian Simith stepped down as Prime minister in 1978). There was no 'need' to 'flee' to south Africa as Johnny describes. 'c' squadron perhaps. RLI yes, territorial scouts...no all my my intial NCO's in Parks had known me before the make over

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
a classic sterio type of a used car salesman

Johnny has done his fair share of hunting...I can find records of his purchases on the zimbabwe citizen auctions at makuti charara and through the ZHA (zimbabwe hunter assocition- the organisation that ran Rifa, Tuli and Hartely A before willis Makombe decided citizens should be denied the right to hunt)

He was, Genuinely, a selous scout- a teritorial who served under my brother. He saw service in Moçambique on the external raids as a portuguese speaker- usful in a country where people only spoke portuguese. He never qualified as a full scout and is not listed in 'pamwe chete'. His courage on operations though was never an issue.

He has made 'anti hunting' a crusade - subtely in 2001-2005 period when he engauged SCI et al to stop the political involvement in the hunting industry undermining sustainable offtakes.

Since 2005 he has sided soley with the anti hunting crowd and preached that an end to hunting is the only salvation for Zimbabwe's wildife.

There are many, many issues in wildlife conservaion- none are as clear cut and dried as Johnny would present them- or the safari oprators. He has a large audinece- and should serve as a waring to pro hunting initiatives- anti hunters dn't commit funds to concervation, they throw money at hose that expose sensational abuses.

Jonhnny leared the lessons of deception well in the scouts- truth was never our friend in co-ersing the enemy into beliveing that we were true frieds who would help them:

At the same time- the scouts were disbanded and the records hidden of who had served under the Muzowera liberal government of 1979 (Ian Simith stepped down as Prime minister in 1978). There was no 'need' to 'flee' to south Africa as Johnny describes. 'c' squadron perhaps. RLI yes, territorial scouts...no all my my intial NCO's in Parks had known me before the make over

A cunning and deceptive foe. Obviously in it for his own financial enrichment, as are Ian Michler, Dereck Joubert and Pieter Kat. Greedy, manipulative people who have no qualms about lying to further their own selfish agendas, at what will ultimately prove (is proving) to be to the detriment of African wildlife. You know, I have often wondered how these fellows would do in an impartially judged debate with some of our own. We have a number of highly qualified, experienced and informed people who could represent the pro-hunting side: Craig Boddington, Ivan Carter, Clive Stockil, Drs Alistair Pole, Pete Lindsey, Dusty Joubert...Just to mention a few. I have often wondered how such a debate would play out, but I never wonder for long. Any one of the guys mentioned could shoot down the anti 'stance' in short time, with hard fact and real examples, as we all know. I suppose that is why such a debate would never happen...

David

Rodriguez.......I believe his head is just to keep his ears apart.

Scary to think that he actually believes what he says!

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
Rodriguez.......I believe his head is just to keep his ears apart.

I like that! I am now just waiting for an opportunity to use that phrase myself.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
Rodriguez.......I believe his head is just to keep his ears apart.

I like that! I am now just waiting for an opportunity to use that phrase myself.

It can also be said that the only manner in which he keeps his ears apart is by picking his nose!

Theiry...johnny doesn't belive a word he says...that is what makes him so dangerous. He is the ultimate used car salesman now selling heart rendering wildlife sob stories. Facts are usefull to him only if they can be turned to his advantage. Detail...such as US F&W (or any good policeman would want) to prosecute a crime is of no interest-it doesn't help paint a big gloomy picture... nor does he have ANY interest in seeing the crooked operations halted- that would cut off his income!


Johnny sincearly hopes that Bob Inc will keep things going as they are- It minimises the risk of somebody fixing the leaks and focing him back to his original (and less lucrative and glamourous) profession

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
Rodriguez.......I believe his head is just to keep his ears apart.

I like that! I am now just waiting for an opportunity to use that phrase myself.

I have an idea who's post will be the recipient of that phrase but I won't ruin it for you!!

Ganyana,
Do you think Zim will ultimatly close hunting??