Botswana bans hunting

[Dimitri]

Friends, it appears that hunting will be banned in Botswana as from 2013 (see the link and text below - copied and pasted from the SAHGCA website)

Kenya?s game population has declined by how much since hunting was banned there? Some sources say 70% others 90% and others a more modest 60%.

I suspect that there is a pretty good chance that Botswana will eventually go the same way if all hunting is banned there. It is unclear if hunting will also be banned on private game farms. I have no idea how much land in Botswana is in private hands but if it is substantial, and if hunting is allowed to continue there, then there is at least some hope ? for the time being.

Let the poaching begin. Who can begrudge the local communities that were benefitting from hunting on public land if they now start poaching?

This terrible decision by the Botswana Govt is just another small step toward banning hunting here as well and undoing our conservation successes. Be assured that almost every bit of animal rights propaganda will now refer to ?bold, progressive and necessary steps taken by the Botswana govt ?? and when used enough (and particularly if their new angle goes unchallenged) the minds of neutral decision and policy makers in SA will slowly be poisoned.

As hunting and other animal use industries we continue to make comparatively small peeps here and there against what is happening. Ron Thompson has called for this before and I think it makes sense: a well funded association of animal use industries and real conservation bodies making a big noise will be able to achieve much more in the fight against the animal rightists than an uncoordinated and fragmented effort from individual bodies.

http://www.pacificbreeze353.com/newslet ... 49&langu=1

Botswana Bans Hunting
06 Nov 2012
Botswana?s president Ian Khama has announced that the government will no longer issue licenses for hunting wild animals in the country.

In a progressive move to protect the country?s natural heritage and the tourism industry, he said that the government of Botswana, through the Environment and Wildlife Ministry, would stop issuing hunting licenses as of next year.

In the address to locals in Maun (the spring-board town to the popular Okavango Delta), Khama said that the issuing of hunting licenses has fuelled poaching in the country and prevented the tourism industry from growing sustainably and significantly.

The Okavango Delta, home to a remarkable diversity of animals, plants and birds, attracts thousands of visitors from around the world each year. It?s Africa?s largest wetland wilderness.

Hunting concessions are currently operated within the delta, as well as in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve further south.

Khama made clear that tourism is increasingly important for Botswana and contributes at least 12 percent to the overall GDP of the country.

?Our wildlife control measure through issuance of hunting licenses has reached its limit,? said Khama.

Comments:
Posted by Lutz Otto on 07 November 2012 at 07:43
For those who have a true interest in conservation, sustainable utilisation and hunting ? This should not be news and our local apathy towards this threat could very well lead us in the same direction. This threat is real and live ? And contrary to sometimes popular opinion this same threat is not only an ?Africa thing? but global.

We have fantastic success story?s of local national parks and a relatively thriving game industry but this does not detract from the fact that that hunting in South Africa is under constant threat from not only animal rightists but also from the government, lack of global conservation understanding, consumerism, corruption, exponentially growing human population as well as locally impoverished communities. There is a strong and threatening undercurrent constantly at play which too many chose to ignore.

With regards the local communities they in many instances see far too little benefit from the ?sustainable utilisation principles? and if they did, this latter group in particular could become our allies through there seeing greater benefit from wildlife. Besides the threatening ?van Aardes? of the world these poverty fuelled communities next to all of our game farms, national and provincial parks see these places as the domain of rich people who have the time to drive around and ?lovingly look at animals? whereas they see the animals as either nyama or a threat to their meagre livelihoods. The latter statement holds true, amongst others, for our world famous Kruger Park.

There is a naivety, ignorance or perhaps ostrich syndrome, amongst many about the status of true conservation ? Locally and globally. We really should focus on empowering ourselves with deeper understanding too allow us to tackling these challenges more proactively.

It is long overdue that hunters, field guides, the game rangers association, IUCN styled NGO?s and conservationists who share a supporting conservation philosophy join hands in this matter. We spend time bickering amongst ourselves about ?ego issues? rather than tackling the task collectively at hand. For those passionate about true wilderness this is a threat not only to that which is deeply important to us but to the generations that follow who are not likely to share that which already rapidly diminishing at a rate faster than we can control.


Posted by Mario du Plessis on 07 November 2012 at 07:39
I agree with Ron Thomson. What you said Ron, is not general knowledge to all. Please let me know when you want to put such a team together. I want to participate. It is time that we, South Africans, stand up to IFAW & the Professor Rudi van Aaarde?s.


Posted by D.J.Swan on 07 November 2012 at 07:18
Daar gaan nog 'n paradys in die drein af. Ons weet almal wat die engelse spreek wword se: "If it pays, it stays"
Wie het die Okovango tot 'n toeriste aantreklikeid ontwikkel? Defnitief nie die regering nie, maar wel daardie manne wat die safarie blokke bestuur het. Hoe lank gaan die stuktuur bly staan? Weens 'n onverantwoordelike dom besluit het die regering reeds 'n groot probleem geskep met die bevordering van werkloosheid en die daar stel van 'n "kleinhuisie" vol wilddiewe wat nie meer werk het nie, en ook geen verdere heenkome het nie.
Tipies swart afrika mentaliteit.


Posted by marcel on 07 November 2012 at 07:09
swak besluit vir botswana maar positief vir rsa boere aangesien n persentasie van botswana se jagters nou voortaan in rsa sal kom jag




Posted by Dr Francois du Toit on 07 November 2012 at 06:50
I am dumbstruck! Lunacy is doings the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Has no learning taken place regarding hunting? He only has to look to South Africa where wildlife is thriving, not because, but in spite of Government (recent failure to contribute to rhino poaching presentations embarrassment).




Posted by Ron Thomson on 07 November 2012 at 06:43
Let nobody be dissolutioned about this development. It has been on the cards for several years. It comes as a result of President Ian Khama associating with animal rightists such as the well-known wildlife video-maker Dereck Joubert and the anti-wildlife management and pro-animal rights 'fellow-traveller' Professor Rudi van Aarde (Pretoria University) - who is largely responsible for the no-elephant culling policy in Botswana. It has come about, also, because those of us who have known that the wildlife management programmes in Botswana were animal-rights orienated - and are wrong for ANY game reserve - did nothing about them. We must look back at ourselves and say to ourselves: "WHY DID WE NOT MOTIVATE THE PEOPLE OF BOTSWANA INTO THE REALISATION THAT WHAT WAS GOING WRONG WAS GOING TO DESTROY THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS - AND IT WILL ULTIMATELY DESTROY TOURISM, TOO. THERE IS NO POINT IN TRYING TO PERSUADE KHAMA HIMSELF BECAUSE HE IS ALREADY HOOKED ONTO THE ANIMAL RIGHTS BAND WAGON. SO BOTSWANA'S BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IS DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION. LETS JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE SAME THING DOES NOT HAPPEN IN SOUTH AFRICA.... AND LET US NOT FORGET THAT PTOFESSOR RUDI VAN AARDE, SPONSORRED BY THE BIGGEST ANIMAL RIGHTS ORGANISATION IN THE WORLD - IFAW - IS ONE OF THOSE PROFESSORS WHO IS ALSO PRINCIPLALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICY OF NO-INTERVENTION IN THE ELEPHANT POPULATION IN KRUGER. KRUGER IS GOING THE SAME WAY AS BOTSWANA - WHOSE GAME RESERVES WILL SOON BE A DESERT. LET US NOT LET THIS HAPPEN HERE. PLEASE. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE FIELDED A TEAM TO OPPOSE THE ANIMAL RIGHTISTS' WAR "FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF SOUTH AFRICANS". WE HAVE ALLOWED THEM FREE REIN TO DO AS THEY HAVE LIKED ON THE OPEN PLAYING FIELDS IN SOUTH AFRICA - WITH NO OPPOSITION - FOR FAR TOO LONG. IT IS TIME TO FIELD SUCH A TEAM - AND TO BEAT THESE NEFARIOUS PEOPLE AT THEIR OWN GAME. IF WE DON'T, VERY SOON, IFAW AND VAN AARDE AND THEIR ILK WILL BE DOING THE SAME IN SOUTH AFRICA AS HAS HAPPENED IN BOTSWANA. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS WE MUSTN'T CRY CROCODILE TEARS.

[Boogjagter]

Ek lees elders dat Johan Calitz reeds 30 mense moes afdank en dit beteken 'n "knock-on" effek van 600 mense wat sonder inkomste sit. Dis net Johan se operasie en hy mag nog jag tot 2014, daarna maak hy toe. Weet nie hoeveel mense deur ander operasies laat gaan moet word nie, maar al daai mense gaan wil eet en hulle ken jag... Nie moeilik om te sien dat onwettige jag die hoogte in gaan skiet nie. Die brand paaie wat deur jagoperasies onderhou was, is die jaar nie weer geskraap nie en al die watergate wat deur boorgate voorsien is staan nou leeg, want jagters wat hulle vol gepomp het het ontrek. Volgens Ivan Carter staan die wild nou op gereelde basis by die lee suipings en gaan moontlik vrek van dors of trek na natuurlike water, wat die druk daar gaan verhoog. Die bunnyhuggers het die ding nie so lekker deurdink nie.

Ek lees ook dan Ian Khama die PB's belowe hulle verliese as gevolg van olifante en leeus sal 100% vergoed word. Ek wonder hoeveel  kos 'n mens se lewe as dit 100% vergoed word...

[Eugene]

Hierdie is baie jammer...

Botswana was regtig een van die lekkerste plekke om te gaan jag!

Ai, ek wens mense wil 'n bietjie dink, voordat hulle met die natuur begin rondneuk...

[stan man]

julle maak my benoud!!
my jag vir einde mei is klaar geboek. ek wil eland en koedoe gaan skiet. en dan het ek aansoek gedoen vir n permit vir n luiperd. ek gaan die vet weet kleinserig wees as ek nie kan gaan nie.hierdie is n trippie wat ek vir jare al oor droom.
ek hoop maar net ek sal nog in botswana kan gaan jag.

[Lourens Potgieter]

Hoeveel van die jag grond in Botswana is staats beheerd en hoeveel privaat?Op ander sites praat die manne dat dit net op staatsbeheerde grond verbied word?

[Spanner]

Ja, ek het self 'n jag wat vir 2013 bespreek is - op privaat grond.  Ek is ook bekommerd, vreeslik bekommerd.

Maar niemand weet nog hoe die wet op die privaatgrond jagte gaan uitwerk nie.  Die regering sal seker 'n plan maak om dit ook te stop !  Miskien gaan hulle 'n wet maak wat s?, jy kan  steeds daar gaan jag.... maar geen vleis of trofee mag uitgeneem word nie !  So dalk stop hulle dit ook.  Dit sal my nie verbaas as hulle eintlike doen 'n totale verbanning van jag is nie .

[FCLoretz]

Die volgende kom van Gerhard Koch vanaf Koch Safaris in Botswana

Middag Julle
Soos almal weet het Mnr. Khama van die begin van sy Presidentskap die jag in Botswana probeer stop sit en al verskeie sulke uitsprake en dreigemente gemaak.

Die laaste uitspraak wat hy gemaak het(Ek verwys na die Artikel in SA jag se nuus brief) was in Maun hierdie jaar, die areas en jag wat hy na verwys is jag areas(konsesies) in die Okovango en aangresend aan Nasionale parke.
Die jaar is daar aangekondig dat al die jag in die konsesie areas aan die einde van 2012 seisoen verval behalwe een area nog tot 2013 en 'n ander tot 2016.

Ek het egter verneem dat alle areas nog 'n jaar uitstel gekry het en dus sal almal nog in 2013 beskikbaar wees.
Die jag op privaat grond is glad nie nou ter sprake nie en baie water sal onder deur die brug moet loop voor jag op privaat grond stop gesit kan word.

Dus is jag in Botswana nog aktief.
Ek sal julle almal in kennis stel as iets wel verander, ons kry gewoonlik onmiddelik woord van die Botswana Wildlife Producers Association as iets wel wetlik verander.
Baie Groete
Gerhard Koch
Koch Safaris Botswana

[Spanner]

Dankie vir die info. 
Ek sukkel om die plaaseienaar in Botswana te kontak om nog 'n ander perspektief hierop te kry.  Sal laat weet sodra ek iets het.

[Rainbird]

Ons kan vir Derek & Beverly Joubert bedank dat Botswana nie meer jag konsesies sal uitryk nie. Hulle protesteer al jare lank om jag in Botswana te stop.
Baie mense gaan hulle werk verloor, en as dit gaan soos dit in Kenya gegaan het, gaan Botswana se toerisme inkomste binne n paar jaar n groot terugslag beleef.

[JK]

Nou sal die poachers seker oor vat

[bengogga]

Die staats ouens wil net nie leer nie. Hulle hoef maar net na die ander afrika lande te kyk om te sien wat gaan gebeur. Maar ek dink hulle gee nie regtig om nie.

Dis ons jagters wat omgee vir die diere en wat wild 'n waarde gegee het.
'n klompie jare terug het baie mense nog verniet gaan jag, maar daar is geen boere wat jou nou verniet sal laat jag nie, want die wild het 'n waarde. En dis ons jagters wat hulle 'n waarde gegee het.

Plaas dat die staatsmanne vir mense soos Ron Thompson luister. Hy weet ten minste waarvan hy praat en sit nie agter 'n lessenaar en maak of hy iets weet nie.

[Homer]

I have read on another forum were a lot of conspiracy is flying around that one of the major driving forces behind this is Microsoft

Apparently they are pushing big money into this

Other companies mentioned that has publically stated anti-hunting sentiments is Barclays, Heinz and Dell

[Marc]

Fanie, ek het in een van my stories gekryf van die bykans eenman party regering in Botswana wat al vir so vele jare sonder opposisie regeer. In 1978 was daar 35000 olifante en my maters daar praat nou van 225000. Hulle het toe al skade gemaak, hoe dit nou lyk kan n mens net dink en die effek op ander spesies moet katastrofies wees. Daar is mense wat grade werk op die verwoestyning van die noordelike gebiede. Die bos word weggevreet en die staak van jag gaan dit net baie vereger. Ook moet Cities die skuld kry vir die "ban" op ivoor en ook tot n mate renosterhoring. My opinie van die huidige president is bekend.
Daar is vir lang jare baie gedoen deur baie jagters om die land op te hef, dit is nou die diamant magnate wat praat na hulle die aarde opgeneuk het met myne en daar meer geld in klippe as in diere te maak is. Die diere gaan ly en dit is die begin van die einde vir baie spesies. Ek dink die wild boere in ons land het n baie goeie toekoms en die teel van enige skaars spesies gaan absoluut floreer.
Ek was vir baie jare baie uitgesproke teen die jag van geteelde spesies, ek het werklik handomkeer verander. Dit sal al wees wat daar te jagte gaan wees oor n paar jaar. Voorspoed vir enige buffel of leeuboer, julle is op die regte pad. Olifante moet ons maar vergeet, hulle gaan hulle self dood maak met oorbevolking.
Geseend Pine.

Oom Pine, ek moet se ek begin al meer met Oom saamstem, gaan my vorige woorde nog sluk lyk dit my 

[Frederik]

Dit mag nou selfsugtig klink maar miskien is dit die begin van goedkoop olifante wat oorkom om kos te soek aan ons kant.
En ek weet baie van julle wil nie Olifante skiet nie maar dit is darem beter as om van die honger te vrek.