'Trophy Hunting escalates Human Wildlife Conflict' - CNRG

AN animal rights group, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance has condemned the Government of Zimbabwe's decision of selling hunting rights of the endangered elephants to fund its conservation efforts.

In a statement, CNRG said "animals do not need to pay with their lives to ensure that their species is protected" and described trophy hunting as an unethical practice that agitates elephants and other animals thereby increasing incidences of human wildlife conflict.

"Elephants are generally peaceful they retaliate if a member of their family is attacked, killed or injured, causing huge emotional stress to the entire herd".

The lobby group urged government to take responsibility to avail funds for biodiversity conservation arguing that 500 elephants have been placed on a hunting quota since 1991 but there is nothing to show for it.

CNRG argued that the placement of 500 elephants every year since 1991 has resulted in a potential killing of 35 000 elephants by trophy hunters to date.

Trophy hunters pay between US$70000 and $100 000 for rights to shoot one elephant.
Zimbabwe currently boasts of a herd of over 85 000 elephants, making it the second largest population in the world after Botswana.

CNRG implored the government of Zimbabwe to rescind its decision to open the country to trophy hunters and encouraged it to rather seek support of international conservation in finding additional resources to improve conservation.

ZIMBABWE Parks and wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo attributed the move to lack of resources and demanded that those opposed to trophy hunting must avail conservation funds.

The African forest elephant (loxodonta cyclotis) is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.