28 Feb 2019

Pointing out that of Africa’s total elephant population of 415 000, about 130 000 were in Botswana, largely concentrated in the northern part of the country, despite the 2001 Elephant Management Plan having recommended that Botswana’s environment could best maintain only 54 000 elephants.

Elephants, he said, also moved out of their designated range into human settlements, at times being found in cities such as when a stray elephant was found in Gaborone’s Phakalane surburb.

Mr Monggae said with rural livelihoods under threat leading to frequent complaints from communities and the state having to spend more funds to address human-wildlife conflict, government under the leadership of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi in 2018 decided to institute social dialogue on the issue. 

Concerning the Report of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban Social Dialogue, which was recently presented to President Masisi, he explained that it was not a document of conclusive and binding decisions, but rather a result of extensive consultations with different stakeholders.

“It is critical to explore every view then arrive at a decision on how best to manage our elephant population.  But it is reckless for anyone to use international media platforms to suggest that Botswana has come up with a “blood law” when we have not yet made any binding decisions, and are following due democratic process to address a serious national challenge,” Mr Monggae said.

Mr Monggae said the consultations involved taking the views of communities in kgotla meetings, district councils, game ranchers, Dr Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders, community trusts, the NGO Council, Botswana Wildlife Producers Association as well as other stakeholders involved in conservation and wildlife management.

“This is a report that developed out of the views expressed in those extensive consultations, not “blood law.” The suggestions presented to the president are to be shared and discussed with his cabinet. Thereafter a white paper could be developed and everyone else will get to make further comments, including a parliamentary debate leading up to final decisions being taken.  Currently from the report we do not have any laws or binding decisions that were made,” Mr Monggae said.

He explained that following a 2014 aerial survey conducted by Dr Chase and presented to government, concern was raised that species such as Tshesebe and springbok were declining and a statutory instrument was then enacted to suspend hunting for a 12-month period, which was then renewed annually between 2014 and 2018.

“As such the correct wording would be there was a ‘hunting suspension,’ and it is also important to note that there was never a concern about a decline in the elephant population.  During the period hunting was suspended, the cases of human-wildlife conflict rose drastically,” explained Mr Monggae.

 He added; “Botswana together with Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa is covered by Appendix II of the CITES regulations on elephants, which means that the species is not threatened with extinction in these countries, but elements of the trade such as ivory sale is controlled.  We can thus decide what course of action to take; as a country we have the right to have social dialogue and decide on how best to address such issues of human-wildlife conflict.”

Mr Monggae said over the years, Botswana had generally had poaching under control, but admitted that it continued to be a concern just like elsewhere in the world.

He said the 2018 removal of weapons of war from his minstry’s Anti Poaching Unit was merely the correction of an earlier misjudgment as there was no legislation allowing the  Department of Wildlife and National Parks to carry such weaponry.

“But for such purposes our wildlife unit is largely deployed in the southern areas of the country, while in the northern parts where poaching is a more serious problem, the Botswana Defence Force, which patrols our borders and is empowered by law to carry weapons of war, is deployed in all areas where poaching is a concern,” he said. ends