It appears that Botswana’s president, in a fit of pique, has suggested that he offloads 20k elephants to Germany because Germany has decided to ban trophy imports which, incidentally is still being debated in the UK’s Parliament.
In the UK, the bill reached committee stage in the House of Lords, but did not proceed further. More than 60 amendments were tabled at committee stage. The usual barrier to treating wild animals humanely from Britains toffs and Lords. No doubt they’ve been successfully lobbied by senior Botswanans. There is no chance of doing the right thing and protecting nature of privileged peers are in charge of legislation as some of them like to trophy hunt.
It is childish behavior by one of Africa’s leaders. I understand his commercial concerns as trophy hunting brings in a lot of money for the president but it is time for the world to become more civilised. And elephants are intelligent, sentient animals. He is advocating shooting them for pleasure. I am sorry but the man is backward in his thinking. There are other more humane and moral ways to make money. I would politely urge him to think of some in which humans work and nature is not abused.
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Here’s the story in brief:
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has made a bold proposition: sending 20,000 elephants to Germany. This intriguing offer comes amid a dispute over the import of hunting trophies. Let’s delve into the details:
- Background:
- Botswana, home to the world’s largest elephant population, has been grappling with the challenge of managing its elephant herds.
- Germany, on the other hand, has expressed concerns about the import of hunting trophies due to poaching issues.
- The Dispute:
- Earlier this year, Germany’s environment ministry hinted at imposing stricter limits on importing hunting trophies.
- President Masisi responded by asserting that such a ban would adversely affect Botswana’s economy and conservation efforts.
- He emphasized that hunting plays a crucial role in controlling the elephant population, which has surged to approximately 130,000 in Botswana.
- The elephants have caused property damage, crop destruction, and posed risks to residents.
- The Proposal:
- President Masisi’s proposal is both audacious and symbolic. He challenges Germany to experience the realities of living with elephants.
- In his words, “It is very easy to sit in Berlin and have an opinion about our affairs in Botswana. We are paying the price for preserving these animals for the world.”
- Botswana has already offered 8,000 elephants to Angola and another 500 to Mozambique as part of its efforts to address elephant “overpopulation.”
- Not stopping there, Botswana even threatened to send 10,000 elephants to London!
- Germany’s Response:
- The German environment ministry remains in dialogue with African countries affected by import rules.
- While acknowledging the need for sustainable and legal practices, Germany faces the challenge of balancing conservation and trophy hunting.
- Discussions within the EU focus on extending the list of protected species for import restrictions.
In this diplomatic tussle, elephants become ambassadors, bridging continents and sparking conversations about conservation, ethics, and coexistence. 🐘🌍.
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