SA bans leopard hunting in 2016
http://www.iol.co.za/news/sout...ting-in-2016-1975774

26 January 2016 at 04:07am
By: AFP

Johannesburg - South Africa has imposed a year-long ban on leopard hunting in 2016 in a decision hailed on Monday by conservation activists.

“Provincial conservation authorities were informed that leopard hunts should not be authorised in 2016,” the Department of Environmental Affairs said, adding that the ban would be reviewed at the end of the year.

The department said it was acting on recommendations from South Africa's Scientific Authority, which had suggested an intervention to ensure the survival of the leopard population.

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), South Africa can allocate 150 permits each year for the trophy-hunting of leopards destined for export.

The size of South Africa's leopard population remains a mystery.

“We just don't know how leopards are faring in South Africa,” said Guy Balme of environmental group Panthera.

“They're secretive, mainly nocturnal, solitary and range over huge areas,” he explained.

Conservation groups hailed the year-long ban, saying it was crucial to protecting the species given that the size of the population is unknown.

“Until we know population numbers and carrying capacity we should not hunt them,” said Andrew Muir of the Wilderness Foundation.

Kelly Marnewick, carnivore conservation manager at the Environmental Wildlife Trust, added: “It's important to ensure that any wildlife trade we do is sustainable.

“If we can't do that, it's highly problematical. We need a trade ban until we can get to that.”

The mismanagement of trophy hunting and the illegal trade in leopard fur are the main threats to South Africa's population of the big cat, according to the government.

South Africa earns substantial revenues from selling permits to wealthy foreigners willing to pay thousands, or even tens of thousands, of dollars to hunt one of the “big five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino or buffalo).

AFP

The so-called "Scientific Authority" im South Africa is not, as they would like folks to believe, a government scientific watchdog, but the name sounds credible. In actual fact, their reason for existence is "The Scientific Authority has been established in terms of Section 60 of the NEMBA. The purpose of the Scientific Authority is "to assist with regulating trade in TOPS- and CITES-listed species. This is achieved by making non-detriment findings and providing recommendations and advice based on a scientific and professional review of available information." So they're just activists with a fancy-sounding name that other activists can cite as a reference.

I'm told by a little bird that the "ban" had something to do with the failure by the relevant SA authority to submit the annual country quota request paperwork to CITES!

More likely the truth I would think. Anyone else heard anything?

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I'm told by a little bird that the "ban" had something to do with the failure by the relevant SA authority to submit the annual country quota request paperwork to CITES!

More likely the truth I would think. Anyone else heard anything?

That's exactly what I heard........includes Hippo in the Limpopo as well.....

.

IMHO there will be more leopards killed by farmers as vermin now that they have no $$$$ value.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I'm told by a little bird that the "ban" had something to do with the failure by the relevant SA authority to submit the annual country quota request paperwork to CITES!

More likely the truth I would think. Anyone else heard anything?

Yep, been told the same!