There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
In Africa there are more areas reserved for hunting than national parks. Photographic tourists visit well-structured areas, with hotels, good roads, nearby airports, etc. In areas where such infrastructures are precarious or almost non-existent the tourist visitation is insipid, fragile or almost non-existent. The trophy hunting is a conservation tool in these areas, since it preserves the most precious good: THE HABITAT! As a practical example, we have the Benoué complex in Cameroon: formed by the three national parks: Faro, Benoué and Bouba Ndjida are all united / connected to about 30 private hunting concessions, forming a contiguous biome with about 2 million hectares. If such concessions are interrupted / closed, these three parks will be isolated, separated. These concessions will be occupied by pastoralists / invaders and livestock, agricultural, poaching, logging, mining, exterminating the fauna and flora of these concessions, making the three parks reservation island, fragmented, reduced. A fundamental point is the "modus operandi" of these game reserves. There are a number of duties on the part of the concessionaire: inspection, fauna counting, elaboration and maintenance of roads, use of local labor, payment of taxes and etc. The WAP complex is also fed by several hunting concessions in Benin and Burkina Faso, bringing the same benefits as the Benoué Complex. Around 50% of the revenues of the Pendjari National Park comes from hunting concessions contiguous to the park. These two areas now have the largest populations of lions in West and Central Africa (the status of the lion in the CAR is totally unknown), among other iconic animals. We also have several hunting concessions that are disastrous, where the public power does not participate, does not supervise, there is no practical counterpart in terms of conservation and the community also does not participate. Most even the biggest disaster are "national parks and protected areas only on paper", whether for observation or hunting tourism. Unmanaged areas, only renamed to enable these countries to align themselves with the UN programs, WORLD BANK, ensuring the receipt of funds for their social and economic programs of "fighting poverty". Tanzania has numerous trophy hunting areas, much of it in areas adjacent to national parks, admittedly having the largest numbers of lions and elephants free wandering from Africa. However due to political disorder, corruption, fragile economy, numbers of animals decline to alarming levels. Poaching and ostentatious ivory hunting are all in the process of smashing the conservation success of this country. Amazingly it seems the lion's share is in the Selous Game Reserve and its numbers are stable for several years. The Ruawa National Park is contiguous to Rungwa Game Reserve, this two contiguous areas, where one attends observation tourism and the other the trophy hunting also has stable numbers of lions, already in Tanzania's best known national parks as: Serengeti, Tarangire, Katavi the lions are having a reduction in their numbers. Tanzania is now a strong link in animal products traffic, only in the last 10/12 years an estimated 100,000 elephants have been poached in this country. It is staggering numbers that there is no way to justify not knowing how 100,000 elephants simply disappear. In Zimbabwe there are two FENCING private areas named Bubye Valley Conservancy (374,000 hectares) and Savé Valley Conservancy (343,000 hectares). These two areas were formerly livestock farms where wild animals were eradicated, degraded land and livestock farming became economically unfeasible. The owners of these farms united and along with investors restored the old biome, reinserting the animals, aiming their exploration in the entertainment of the trophy hunting. Due to the correct handling, both areas hold impressive numbers of lions, elephants, giraffes and antelopes. Bubye Valley Conservancy holds the third largest rhinoceros population in Africa and acts as a trustee for the Zimbabwean government, as it is the country's most well-supervised and managed area, has numerous education and health programs for the neighboring community, and Participates in renowned conservation projects with WILDCRU - OXFORD. In short, an example of successful conservation project in exploring the trophy hunting activity. Due to its geographic location Savé Valley Conservancy may in future be part of the Greater Limpopo project.
The report commissioned by Humane Society International (HSI) in eight African countries - Botswana, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe - the tourism sector accounted for 2.8% to 5.1% Of gross domestic product (GDP) in the eight countries studied, the total economic contribution of trophy hunters represents a maximum of 0.03% of GDP, according to economists' estimates. Foreign hunters account for less than 0.1% of tourists in the region, accounting for only 0.78% or less of the total value spent by tourists and have a "minimal impact" on employment, generating about 0.76% or less Jobs in the tourism sector. That is, in areas whose tourist demand is high, the trophy hunting does not represent economic advantage. However, in terms of maintaining / implementing natural biomes the trophy hunting industry has an unquestionable role. Just look at the map of Africa and see the amount of wilderness still extant, whose justifiable criterion of its existence and maintenance as a formally protected area stems exclusively from the exploration of the trophy hunting.
Namibia is developing very well the two conservation projects (photographic tourism and trophy hunting), offering to their isolated communities the bonus and the burden of developing their conservation projects, are the communal areas of conservation, now around 100 units, In which each meeting the practical criteria will explore its natural biomes commercially, through economic projects that best justify its functionality. Wild animal numbers are growing exponentially, including lions. South Africa is another example of conservation success employing the trophy hunting along with the development of the breeding of wild animals. As a consequence of this success, we have the notorious canned game - clearly a by-product of success in multiplying numbers of animals and finding a regular economic use for such surplus populations. The ethical issue is important, however, it can not be an obstacle to sustainable conservation programs. "Commercially grown animals are not extinct." Kenya banned the trophy hunting in 1977, and from then on the numbers of wild animals have been reduced to about 85%. The trophy hunting itself does not result in success or failure of wildlife conservation. After the 1977 ban, no more formally protected areas were increased. It is easy to see that in the case of Kenya, the lack of private initiative / initiative has led to accommodation to protect wildlife from protected areas, relegating public areas to scarce funding and adequate public policies. With this, the Kenyan system has stagnated and in the last two decades collapsed. Tourism as a whole in Kenya has been reduced. Fifty years ago, Kenya was home to the largest tourist visit in Africa. In the vicinity of Nairobi, many Maasai lands have been leased to large agricultural groups, drought is causing a deep desertification process and poverty is rising to alarming levels. The number of wild animals in common areas (without formal conservation status) is collapsing. The number of cattle multiplied. The internationally known Kora National Park due to the conservation work of Mr. George Adamson is "functionally disabled", there is no working camp to welcome tourists in this park. Trophy hunting is neither a villain nor a solution, it is a powerful tool to be used in remote areas, primarily aimed at maintaining the natural habitat and animal sustainability, removing the problems caused by human invasion. "Every area with a formal conservation status only works with efficient management, broad political support, good community participation, a strong and effective legal system, competent marketing and, above all, a viable economic project by government, community and Private initiative, aiming at sustainable development. There should be no dogmas of conservation, it is necessary to adopt a pragmatic and holistic view making what makes sense and what works. Nothing more convincing than a message linking wildlife conservation to the socioeconomic well-being of the community / society and environmental sustainability. Lack of link between wildlife and work, wildlife and economy, wildlife and ecosystem balance, wildlife and provision of goods and services, is a major hindrance.
Can legalised-hunting help conservation?
