R.O.A.R.: UWA boss responds to questions about hunting

I do not think we are [legally] obliged to publish the internal reviews of all of our management programs.

I do not think we are [legally] obliged to publish the internal reviews of all of our management programs.

As for publicly sharing the findings, we did that at [a] meeting with stakeholders. Of course there are people who are averse to sport hunting and they are entitled to their opinion. It is also true that when you pilot any program there will be the positives and negatives. Overall in this sport-hunting program the positives far outweigh the negatives. We have seen a dramatic increase in the animal populations, impala, zebra, waterbuck, bushbuck because of reduced poaching while at same time realizing additional income. The issue now is how to manage the activity and share the proceeds.

The new areas for partnership management have suffered perennial poaching that we cannot pretend to be able to control. But adding value through sport hunting does enhance control of poaching. Moreover the poachers now get formally employed as trackers and still get the meat with the option of processing it for more value.

The report of course outlined areas of improvement that we are addressing
e.g. quota setting and supervision.

On the law, we have the Wildlife Act 2000 that provides for hunting so how can we still talk about a ban that was imposed [earlier on] by decree. The Wildlife Act was passed by parliament so what other debate in parliament is necessary to lift the ban?

Remember in the 1970s Queen Elizabeth was called Rwenzori and Murchison Kabalega? Why is not anybody demanding that we go to parliament to change the names again or that we call them the 1970 names and the same for L.Edward and L. Albert.

Well, those interested in the report on sport hunting should ask for it and we shall give them. We believe we are on the right track, challenges notwithstanding.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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