Zimbabwe Explores Eastern Markets for Trophy Hunting Amid European Bans

Fulton Mangwanya, director general of Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife (Zimparks), emphasized the need to diversify markets amidst these restrictions.

Livingstone: Zimbabwean wildlife authorities are seeking alternative trophy hunting export markets in the East as several European countries implement bans on trophy imports, an official revealed on Tuesday.

In response to calls from the European Parliament in 2022 to ban trophy imports derived from species listed by CITES, Belgium and the UK have already enacted import bans on hunting trophies, covering thousands of endangered species.

Fulton Mangwanya, director general of Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife (Zimparks), emphasized the need to diversify markets amidst these restrictions. “We can always come up with an alternative market,” Mangwanya stated during the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) summit in Livingstone, Zambia. He emphasized the importance of exploring Eastern markets without specifying particular countries.

Discussions on supporting trophy hunting are underway among the five Southern African countries comprising the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are convening in Livingstone to address sustainable wildlife conservation and the rising human-wildlife conflict in the region.

The growing human-wildlife conflict is particularly acute in Zimbabwe, where 50 people fell victim to elephant attacks in 2023, according to Zimparks. Mangwanya underscored the necessity of trophy hunting as a management tool to mitigate such conflicts and emphasized the importance of support for ivory trade and trophy hunting to address these challenges.

Director of natural resources at the SADC Secretariat, Domingos Gove, echoed the sentiments, emphasizing the role of hunting as a vital source of funding for communities. “Hunting is a source of funding. If you close the market, how will we be able to cater for the basic needs of these communities?,” Gove questioned.

Zimparks has revealed a stockpile of ivory worth $600 million, which remains unsellable due to CITES regulations prohibiting ivory trade.

Recent News

Kabul Raises Alarm Over Forced Repatriation of Afghans in Meeting With Pakistani FM

Kabul/Islamabad: In a rare diplomatic engagement, the Taliban's acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, conveyed “deep concern and sadness” to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq...

Putin Declares Easter Truce as Russia and Ukraine Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War

Moscow/kyiv: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine on Saturday, coinciding with the Easter holiday. The truce,...

India on Musk’s Radar: Tesla CEO Plans Visit After PM Modi Call

New York: Elon Musk announced on Saturday that he plans to visit India later this year, shortly after a conversation with Indian Prime Minister...

Fate of U.S.-Israeli Soldier Edan Alexander Unclear, Says Hamas

Jerusalem: Hamas' armed wing announced on Saturday that the fate of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander is currently unknown, following the death of the guard...