KEETMANSHOOP – The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) recently held a stakeholders consultation meeting in Keetmanshoop regarding the review of regulations on predators, trophy hunting, leopard quota allocation and fees payable in the town. In his presentation, Chief Warden Clerence Kutako explained that their mission is to solicit inputs and proposals from mostly... The post Environment deliberates on trophy hunting appeared first on New Era .
KEETMANSHOOP – The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) recently held a stakeholders consultation meeting in Keetmanshoop regarding the review of regulations on predators, trophy hunting, leopard quota allocation and fees payable in the town.
In his presentation, Chief Warden Clerence Kutako explained that their mission is to solicit inputs and proposals from mostly owners of trophy hunting farms and report such back in Windhoek for consideration to be included it in the said regulations to be gazetted accordingly.
New regulations to be reviewed indicated that leopard hunting tags shall only be issued or handed over to successful applicants upon approval of a hunting application form, a close-up photo required, showing clearly recessions (distance (mm) from the gum tissue to the visible gum line on the upper canine tooth, licenses to keep an animal in captivity like lions, monkeys, and baboons to be proposed to increase from the current N$500 to $1000 for a valid period of one year; amongst others.
“Another proposal is that of an applicant/ hunting area may be allocated a maximum of two successful leopard trophy hunting tags which will be valid for a maximum of 30 days as opposed to a full hunting season in the past’’, the warden explained to stakeholders present. Kutako then warned: ‘’A person who fails to return such unused tags together with the original hunting permit is liable, upon conviction to a fine of N$6000 whilst no leopard trophy hunting tag shall be issued thereafter unless the prescribed requirements have been complied with.’’
In terms of predator trophy hunting permit, it will, according to the presentations, be deemed necessary to first obtain such a permit before the hunt for predators commence. “Female predators (leopards, hyenas and cheetahs) shall not be hunted as a trophy and in addition such animals shall not be shot within a 5km radius from a conservation area, excluding hunting area, unless proclaimed as a problem animal,’’ he emphasised. What also came up as relevant was that only two predators are allowed to be trophy hunted per property (farm) per year.
The presentation went on in stating that a fee (one year valid) of N$1000 will be payable to the line ministry for hunting predators and other animals like lions, elephants and crocodiles; amongst others.
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