Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, has launched a scathing attack on a proposed UK bill that would ban British trophy hunters from bringing animal parts home. Masisi called the bill “condescending” and a “resurgence of colonial conquest,” highlighting Botswana’s autonomy as a sovereign nation.
The proposed legislation comes as the African nation grapples with a booming elephant population, which has tripled from 50,000 in 1984 to a staggering 130,000 in 2024. This surge has created conflict with local communities, with elephants causing significant damage to property and crops.
Botswana’s Environment Minister, Dumezweni Mthimkhulu, defended trophy hunting as a crucial tool for wildlife management and a source of income for communities living alongside these animals. He argued that the controlled hunting of specific animals is far preferable to culling entire herds, which he described as “ethically abhorrent.”
Mthimkhulu invited British politicians, including former footballer Gary Lineker, who has spoken out against trophy hunting, to visit Botswana and witness the challenges firsthand. He emphasized that trophy hunting revenue helps fund conservation efforts and incentivizes communities to coexist with wildlife. Removing this income stream, he warned, could lead to a decline in conservation efforts and increased pressure to convert protected land for other uses.
The proposed UK ban has sparked controversy, with Botswana viewing it as an unwelcome intrusion on their management of wildlife populations.