Insurrection over Elephant hunt | Hunting
Insurrection over Elephant hunt
Discussion in 'News & Announcements' started by NamStay, Sep 13, 2017.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism describes the international riots against elephant hunting in the North West as "worrying, inaccurate and false reports".
Mr. Ministry ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, in a media statement, commented on international media reports and letters alleging that the government approved the elephant's hunting in this area, which would lead to the extinction of so-called desert elephants.
"Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as desert elephants. All of our elephants are African elephants (Loxodonta africana)," said the statement.
The ministry says they are aware of specific non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals who work towards the sustainable use of wildlife resources by rural communities.
"These specific NGOs and individuals do not have research permits to conduct research in the Kunene and Erongo region or anywhere else in the country and they also have no agreements with the ministry about their activities," said Muyunda.
"Their activities and statements about elephant conservation are apparently not intended to promote cooperation with the ministry and other conservation stakeholders, and we ask them to refrain from this irresponsible behavior. The ministry can not allow confusion among rural communities or the public and Namibia's conservation image. "
The ministry believes that it has negative consequences for the community-based natural resource management program and calls on the Namibian public and the international community to "ignore these inaccurate, false reports and assumptions about our elephants and sustainable practices".
According to the Nature Conservation Act, the Elephant Management Plan, the national policies on community-based natural resource management and human animal conflict management, two elephants were included in the 2017 wildlife quota for the Ohungu and Otjimboyo municipal areas - one for conservation hunt and one for own use.
Another elephant has been identified as a problem in the Sorris Sorris conservation area.
These are the three elephants that are the subject of discussion on social media, media reports and letters received by the ministry.
INCOME FOR COMMUNITIES
"Please note that the Ministry could as well have decided to eliminate these elephants as in other cases and other parts of Namibia have been done over decades as part of normal wildlife practices. However, to make them available for hunting, the preferred strategy, as revenue in the process for the communities concerned can be generated. "
According to the Ministry, the 83 conservation areas have so far included more than N $ 50 million from the use of game, elephant hunting, per year.
In addition, human-animal conflict is rising and in 2016 more than 5,000 cases were reported to the ministry with even people who lost their lives in elephant attacks.
"Conflict between people and elephants in the Kunene and Erongo region is nothing new," said the ministry.
They claim the aggression of these elephants and their new migration routes in the interior are an indication of disorder in the Ugab River, possibly caused by irresponsible ecotourism and vehicles.
The ministry is also opposed to some NGOs and inidividuals who give elephants names to attract tourists.
"Elephants are wild animals and no pets. Reports have also been received that mobs fly too close to elephant troops and disturb them," said the statement.
The ministry warns deliberate disorder of a specially protected species is a criminal offense.
"Namibia is committed to the sustainable use of wildlife that leads to good conservation and wildlife management. It is common knowledge that tourism and trophy hunting are the key industries that contribute strongly to the gross national product."
The ministry says there are more elephants in Namibia than ever - more than 22 000 - today in the Kunene and Erongo region, with a growth rate of 3.3% per annum. According to the Ministry's aerial survey in 2016, there are a total of 1,716 elephants in the Erongo Kunene and Omusatis region, which are as far south as the Ugab and Omaruru River and other stray rivers.
According to aerial surveys, there are 4,627 elephants in the North West, of whom 2 911 are in the Etosha National Park.
"The reason for growth in numbers is that they have a value and communities have the right to manage wildlife, and to get a substantial income from them. To protect wildlife and their habitats, therefore, keep reward for them. , "said Muyunda.
The original version in Afrikaans below:
Oproer oor olifantjag
Die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme beskryf die internasionale oproer teen olifantjag in die Noordweste as "kommerwekkende, onakkurate en vals berigte".
Mnr. Romeo Muyunda, woordvoerder van die ministerie, het in 'n mediaverklaring gereageer op internasionale mediaberigte en briewe waarin beweer word die regering het die jag van drie olifante in dié gebied goedgekeur, wat sal lei tot die uitwissing van die sogenaamde woestynolifante.
"Streng gesproke is daar nie so iets soos woestynolifante nie. Al ons olifante is Afrika-olifante (Loxodonta africana)," sê die verklaring.
Die ministerie sê hulle is bewus van spesifieke nieregeringsorgasnisasies (NGO's) en individue wat werk teen die volhoubare gebruik van wildbronne deur landelike gemeenskappe.
"Hierdie spesifieke NGO's en individue het geen navorsingspermitte om navorsing in die Kunene- en Erongostreek of êrens anders in die land te doen nie en hulle het ook geen ooreenkomste met die ministerie oor hul aktiwiteite nie," sê Muyunda.
"Hul aktiwiteite en uitsprake oor olifantbewaring is skynbaar nie bedoel om samewerking met die ministerie en ander bewaringbelanghebbendes te bevorder nie en ons vra hulle om van hierdie onverantwoordelike gedrag af te sien. Die ministerie kan nie toelaat dat hulle verwarring onder landelike gemeenskappe of die publiek veroorsaak en Namibië se bewaringsbeeld skaad nie."
Die ministerie meen dit het negatiewe gevolge vir die gemeenskapsgebaseerde natuurlike hulpbronbestuurprogam en doen 'n beroep op die Namibiese publiek en die internasionale gemeenskap om "hierdie onakkurate, vals berigte en aannames oor ons olifante en volhoubare gebruikpraktyke te ignoreer".
Volgens die natuurbewaringswet, die olifantbestuurplan, die nasionale beleide oor gemeenskapsgebaseerde natuurlike hulpbronbestuurprogam en mens-dier-konflikbestuur, is twee olifante ingesluit in die wildgebruikkwota vir 2017 vir die Ohungu- en Otjimboyo- kommunale gebiede - een vir bewaringsjag en een vir eie gebruik.
Een ander olifant is as probleemdier in die Sorris Sorris-bewaringsgebied geïdentifiseer.
Dit is hierdie drie olifante wat die onderwerp van bespreking is op sosiale media, in mediaberigte en briewe wat deur die ministerie ontvang is.
INKOMSTE VIR GEMEENSKAPPE
"Let wel dat die ministerie net so wel kon besluit het om hierdie olifante van kant te maak soos in ander gevalle en ander dele van Namibië oor dekades gedoen is as deel van normale wildbestuurpraktyke. Om hulle beskikbaar te maak om gejag te word, is egter die voorkeurstrategie, aangesien inkomste in die proses vir die betrokke gemeenskappe gegenereer kan word."
Volgens die ministerie het die 83 bewaringsgebiede tot dusver meer as N$50 miljoen uit die gebruik van wild, olifantjag ingesluit, per jaar voortgebring.
Voorts styg mens-dier-konflik en in 2016 is meer as 5 000 gevalle by die ministerie aangemeld met selfs mense wat hul lewens in olifantaanvalle verloor het.
"Konflik tussen mense en olifante in die Kunene- en Erongostreek is niks nuuts nie," sê die ministerie.
Hulle meen die aggressie van dié olifante en hul nuwe migrasieroetes in die binneland is 'n "aanduiding van versteuring in die Ugabrivier, moontlik veroorsaak deur onverantwoordelike ekotoerisme en voertuie".
Die ministerie is ook gekant teen sommige NGO's en inidividue wat die olifante name gee om toeriste te lok.
"Olifante is wilde diere en nie troeteldiere nie. Berigte is ook ontvang dat hommeltuie te naby aan olifanttroppe gevlieg word en hulle steur," lui die verklaring.
Die ministerie waarsku opsetlike versteuring van 'n spesiaal beskermde spesie is 'n strafbare oortreding.
"Namibië is verbind tot die volhoubare gebruik van wildbronne wat lei tot goeie bewaring en wildbestuur. Dit is algemene kennis dat toerisme en trofeejag van die belangrikste bedrywe is wat sterk bydra tot die bruto nasionale produk."
Die ministerie sê daar is vandag meer olifante in Namibië as ooit - meer as 22 000 - ook in die Kunene- en Erongostreek, met 'n groeikoers van 3,3% per jaar. Volgens die ministerie se lugopname in 2016 is daar altesaam 1 716 olifante in die Erongo- Kunene- en Omusatistreek wat selfs so ver suid as by die Ugab- en Omarururivier en ander wesvloeiende riviere voorkom.
Volgens lugopnames is daar altesaam 4 627 olifante in die Noordweste, waarvan 2 911 in die Etosha Nasionale Park is.
"Die rede vir die groei in getalle is dat hulle 'n waarde het en gemeenskappe die reg het om wild te bestuur, te gebruik en 'n aansienlike inkomste daaruit te kry. Om wild en hul habitat te beskerm, hou dus beloning vir hulle in," sê Muyunda.
NamStay, Sep 13, 2017
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CAustin, Sep 13, 2017
Thanks for sharing this. NGOs have become far more sophisticated in the last few years. They realize they ware not going to convince hunters to change their misguided ways, nor will they have much of an impact on governments in certain countries. So they have decided to panic local communities, and use that panic to raise funds.
Let's not be under any illusions. The people involved with these NGOs know exactly how many elephants there are in Africa, and that extinction is the least likely outcome of hunting. But by misleading gullible people, both in Africa and in the West, they can manufacture a crisis, or a "burning platform" and use that to raise money.
Press releases like this one will do nothing to stop these people. The law is the only language they will understand, and is should descend on them from a great height with massive force. If they find that the costs of defending themselves outweigh the funds they can raise, or if they have to divert funding from their nice offices and large salaries to pay lawyers, they might begin to get the idea,
Hank2211, Sep 13, 2017
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