Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HUNTING
In mid-2001 the government initiated a complete ban on all hunting of lions and cheetahs
due to concerns over the increasing gender imbalances in the populations of these two big
cats. At the time, local people were none too happy, saying that the ban would prevent
them from protecting valuable livestock. Hunters, too, were metaphorically speaking up in
arms. The ban was lifted in 2005, only to be reinstated two years later. Over the course of
2011 and 2012, Botswana's government, responding to what it called 'catastrophic' de-
clines in some species, made a series of announcements that seemed to suggest a near-
total ban on hunting was imminent. If these policy pronouncements are fulfilled, hunting
will be almost completely phased out from 2013. Hunting will, for the time being, be re-
stricted to plains wildlife on game ranches and auctions for a few licences to shoot ele-
phants outside of wilderness areas and in areas with high human populations.
POACHING
Poaching is not common in Botswana due to its relatively stable economy, which makes
such a risky and illegal undertaking unnecessary and unattractive. Also, transporting hides
and tusks overland from remote areas of Botswana to ports hundreds of kilometres away
in other countries is well nigh impossible, especially considering Botswana's well-
patrolled borders, which are monitored by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF). What little
poaching there is seems to be 'for the pot' - local people supplementing their diets by
hunting wild animals - rather than large-scale commercial enterprises.
National Parks & Reserves
Around one-third of Botswana's land mass is officially protected, representing one of the
highest proportions of protected areas on earth. According to the United Nations Environ-
ment Program (UNEP), the figure is 30.2%. Government sources put the figure at around
17% of the country protected in national parks or game reserves, with another 20%
vaguely defined as 'wildlife management areas' (WMA). Either way, the figures reinforce
the perception that Botswana is serious about preserving its wildlife and has long pursued
a far-sighted policy of sustainable tourism that is aimed at preserving the country's
pristine natural environment.
Budget travellers may feel excluded by some of the prohibitive costs, but the money
you pay on entering the national parks goes a long way in both contributing to the devel-
opment of local communities and bolstering conservation strategies.
