Gaborone, March 19 — Authorities in Botswana were concerned over the purported United Kingdom Parliamentary Bill that is expected to ban the importation of legally harvested wildlife trophies into Britain, the majority of which are coming from Africa.
A statement released on Saturday by Botswana’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism stated that the list of targeted animals includes all species that are on the Botswana hunting quota.
The statement also said if the bill is passed by Parliament, it will affect Botswana’s wildlife management.
The importation ban of legally harvested wildlife trophies will negatively impact wildlife authorities, including Professional Hunting Associations and Community-Based Support Organizations from across Africa, thereby drastically reducing hunting incentives for Britons to hunt abroad, primarily in Africa, according to the statement.
The statement said trophy hunting is a key component of sustainable use approaches to wildlife conservation in Botswana.
The ministry stated that elephants are an example of species whose number has increased in Botswana as a result of judicious management by the government and its partners, including community-based organizations.
It added that forcing Botswana and other African nations to manage wildlife with reduced funding will negatively impact conservation projects, biodiversity enhancement initiatives, and habitat protection in the region. (Xinhua)
