An African country has upset animal lovers around the world after announcing the lift of their ban on elephant hunting claiming that the giant mammals have been placing farmers’ livelihoods at risk.
Botswana has banned elephant hunting back in 2014 when conservationist and former president, Ian Khama, fought for the protection and preservation of the endangered animals.
For years, however, Botswana Democratic Party has been working hard to overturn the ruling on the basis of claims that elephant populations have become too large and pose a threat to farmers by taking over their land.
Just months after Mokgweetsi Masisi took over the presidential seat in April last year, reviews were set in place to reevaluate the ban. Amid political frictions between the former and the present presidents, the ban has been lifted.
Following the lift of the ban, Africa’s wildlife and Humane Society International branded the decision “morally questionable” and warned it could damage Botswana in the country’s crucial points such as tourism.
“This horrifying decision by Botswana to lift its ban on elephant hunting will send shock waves throughout the conservation world,” director Audrey Delsink said.
“There are around 415,000 wild elephants in the whole of Africa, where they are relentlessly persecuted by trophy hunters and poachers, and Botswana is home to one third of those elephants who have sought refuge within its borders.
“This population is vital to the overall regional survival of this iconic species.point 175 | Resuming elephant hunting is not only morally questionable and flies in the face of all international efforts to protect these giants, but it will also likely damage Botswana’s hugely valuable tourism industry because visitors will be appalled at the idea that the very elephants they are photographing on eco-safaris could be gunned down by hunters the next day.point 489 |
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