Compiled Sanet van Zijl | Main photo ©Paul van Schalkwyk
Suddenly as dusk was falling
April 20, 2016
At dawn in the Kavango
June 1, 2016Namibia prohibits hunting bans
Namibia has made the decision to oppose hunting bans. Any appeal made on hunting restrictions or the export of wildlife products from the country will be ignored.
The Namibian cabinet has made an official vote in support of hunting in the country. The decision included opposing any and all calls on bans and restrictions in the future. The decision is based on the fact that the government believes that hunting is a crucial part of conservation and sustainable development programs and that it is part of the reason why Namibia is successful in the protection of its natural resources.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has also been instructed to lobby against proposed bans and restrictions. To support the decision made by the government a code of conduct for conservation hunting is being drawn up.
The decisions of the cabinet is a direct result of anti-hunter’s opposition to a judgement made by them in 2013 when five black rhino hunts were sold for trophy hunting. In 2014 a rhino was shot by American Hunter Corey Knowlton which generated $350 000 for this species’ conservation, but in turn the hunter received death threats.
The rhino that was killed by Knowlton was a non-breeding male and was chosen because of its age and its growing aggression. The bull would have been harvested regardless of Knowlton’s hunt in order to avert injury or death to the rest of its herd.
The cabinet decided to avoid future situations like this with the pro-hunting decision, rather than letting anti-hunting campaigns halt necessary conservation attempts and to avoid losing the benefits that hunting can provide.
