- UK’s trophy hunting import ban moves closer to law
- Botswana president labels ban “condescending” and “colonial”
- Ban could harm conservation efforts, Botswana officials warn
A bid by President Mokgweetsi Masisi to prohibit the importation of body parts from hunters that have slain endangered species moved one step closer to becoming law at Westminster.
A proposed prohibition on trophy hunting imports into the United Kingdom, according to the president of Botswana, would be “condescending” and a “resurgence of a colonial conquest.”
President Mokgweetsi Masisi stated that he would be “abhorred, disappointed, and disturbed” if the legislation were to pass, emphasizing the democratic sovereign republic of Botswana’s autonomy.
His remarks were made as a legislative proposal at Westminster to ban the importation of body parts of endangered species slain by hunters approached completion.
Mr. Masisi defended trophy hunting on The World With Yalda Hakim, stating that “you choose which [animal] to hunt,” in contrast to “culling,” which is associated with the sentiment of “ethical abhorrence.”
The president provided clarification that culling differed from hunting in that it involved the “indiscriminate elimination of an entire herd, including the mother, father, and grandfather.”
Previously, Dumezweni Mthimkhulu, the environment and tourism minister of Botswana, stated that “trophy hunting” served as a revenue stream for communities and a method of regulating the population of wild animals in his nation.
Reportedly, African politicians threatened to introduce 10,000 untamed elephants to Hyde Park to demonstrate to the British people what it is like to coexist with them.
When queried about the integrity of his nation’s intentions, Mr. Mthimkhulu responded that it was a “rhetorical offer to the English” intended to help them comprehend the difficulties his people encounter.
According to him, the nearly “tripling” of elephant populations in Botswana from 50,000 in 1984 to 130,000 in 2024 has resulted in “a great deal of chaos” and “constant conflict between the animals and humans.”
He stated that scientists have estimated that 50,000 is the maximum number that can be maintained in the natural habitat.
Mr. Mthimkhulu stated that the law proposed in the United Kingdom would be “irrational” and “discourage those who share these animals’ habitats from conserving and protecting them.”
Further, he was informed that former England footballer Gary Lineker favors a ban and invited British legislators to “come and see” the “destruction” for themselves.
The Match Of The Day host had previously described the practice in a social media post as “completely abhorrent.”
Mr. Mthimkhulu stated, “I propose an invitation for him to visit Botswana so he can understand the country’s elephant situation and the trophy hunting that occurs there.”
The minister expressed his inability to comprehend why specific individuals in foreign nations find the pursuit abhorrent.
He stated that his administration supports recreational hunting because it is “regulated” and “beneficial for our people.”
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He stated that trophy hunting, which involves culling, is a component of the strategy for conserving these animals.
The minister stated that the population of every species in his nation increases daily and annually; there is no decline.
It demonstrates that conservation efforts are proceeding exceptionally well, and he explained that trophy hunting provides income for the communities involved in the conservation effort.
According to him, removing that income would “disincentivize” them from caring for the feral animals and likely result in requests for conservation land to be converted to agricultural or other revenue-generating uses.
Botswana lifted its prohibition on big game hunting in 2019 in response to allegations that elephant populations were endangering the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), certain regions of the country are home to more elephants than human inhabitants.
A backbench effort to prohibit the importation of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern into the United Kingdom successfully surmounted its initial parliamentary obstacle on Friday.
Government support has been secured for the revived Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, which former Labour minister John Spellar sponsored.
A similar measure, which passed the House of Commons, was opposed by a group of peers during the previous parliamentary session.
Mr. Spellar stated that the “vast majority” of individuals advocated for the prohibition of the “vile trade.”
Minister of the Environment Rebecca Pow stated that the government will support the legislation to prevent British trophy hunters from “expending further pressure on already endangered species.”
However, to complete all required parliamentary phases before the next general election, it is in a race against time.
A commitment to implement a prohibition was included in the 2019 Conservative manifesto.
