BOTSWANA TO CONTINUE TROPHY HUNTING AMID CRITICISM FROM ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS

Botswana has reiterated that it will continue allowing trophy hunting despite mounting pressure from both international and local conservation groups calling for a ban.

Speaking at the ongoing CITES conference, Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi said Botswana’s natural resources form a strong foundation for achieving national development objectives.

Mmolotsi emphasized that both consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife utilization should continue to coexist, viewing them as complementary avenues for economic growth and rural empowerment. He urged the Conference of Parties to support legal, traceable, and sustainable wildlife trade, warning against restrictive decisions that ignore the benefits to Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs).

The minister acknowledged that Botswana’s conservation success has come with significant challenges. Human-wildlife conflict, he said, remains a major threat to food security and rural livelihoods.

“Human lives are regularly lost, and destruction of property is on an upward trajectory,” he noted.

Mmolotsi added that global economic pressures have not spared Botswana, making it essential for the country to explore new revenue streams to meet its national goals and safeguard biodiversity for future generations.

He highlighted that Botswana hosts a rich diversity of wildlife, including the continent’s largest African elephant population estimated at more than 131,000 as well as endangered species such as cheetahs and African wild dogs.

“Our government continues to allocate substantial financial resources to protect the country’s biodiversity and to cushion its people against the pernicious effects of climate change, land degradation, and pollution,” he said.

🖋️Solomon Tjinyeka