Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany. This escalation comes in response to Germany’s environment ministry proposing stricter limits on importing trophies from hunting animals earlier this year.
President Masisi, in an interview with German media, expressed his concern that stricter limits on trophy imports would only further impoverish the people of Botswana. He emphasized that the elephant population in Botswana has surged due to successful conservation efforts, and hunting serves as a crucial mechanism to manage their numbers.
“Germans should ‘live together with the animals, in the way you are trying to tell us to’,” Mr. Masisi stated, stressing the seriousness of the situation.
Botswana currently hosts approximately a third of the world’s elephant population, exceeding 130,000 individuals, which surpasses the available space for them. This overpopulation has led to elephants causing damage to property, consuming crops, and posing a threat to residents, according to President Masisi.
In an effort to address the issue, Botswana has previously donated 8,000 elephants to neighboring Angola and offered hundreds more to Mozambique. Now, President Masisi is extending this offer to Germany, insisting that he will not accept a refusal.
Botswana’s Wildlife Minister, Dumezweni Mthimkhulu, recently made a similar threat, suggesting the possibility of sending 10,000 elephants to London’s Hyde Park. This threat highlights the growing frustration over Western nations’ stance on conservation policies.
The debate over hunting trophies has been ongoing, with some arguing that the revenue generated from hunting permits supports conservation efforts and local communities. However, animal rights groups oppose the practice, denouncing it as cruel and advocating for a ban.
While Botswana banned trophy hunting in 2014, restrictions were lifted in 2019 under pressure from local communities. The country now issues annual hunting quotas, asserting that the practice is regulated and controlled.
Germany, as the largest importer of African elephant trophies in the EU, faces pressure to reconsider its stance on trophy imports. Botswana, along with Zimbabwe and Namibia, has also advocated for selling ivory stockpiles to generate revenue, a move opposed by East African countries and animal rights groups.
