Botswana in turmoil with NGOs after auctioning first licenses to kill elephants

Botswana has sharply expressed her opposing reaction against the continued criticism by international animal rights groups for its decision to lift the 2014 elephant hunting ban.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, it was prompted to issue a statement after it received letters by anti-hunting non-government organisations and photo-tourism operators claiming that the qualifying criteria for the special elephant quota auction and tenders are exclusive and inappropriate.

"The ministry will like to remind all interested parties, including those who have persisted in telling falsehoods about Botswana's conservation and hunting programme, that the decision to lift the hunting moratorium is the sovereign right and decision of Botswana," the ministry said.

Pointing to the protests by lobby groups, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife said that they represented 'a special interest agenda' and were not in the best interest of community livelihoods and wildlife conservation. It said that the decision was not taken abruptly.

According to the Ministry, the decision was based upon a democratic and extensive consultative process of affected communities and relevant stakeholders including NGOs, conservationists, scientists and leaders of neighbouring countries.

"The decision to lift the hunting moratorium was made in the best interest of aiding rural community livelihoods, stemming the rise of human-elephant conflict and incentivizing local communities to support sustainable-use conservation and tourism," the Ministry explained.

Botswana held its first auction of licenses to hunt elephants recently since President Mokgweetsi Masisi lifted a five-year ban on the controversial practice in May of 2019. The government was prepared to auction off seven hunting packages permitting the killing of ten elephants each.