Botswana Defends 23-Elephant Hunt for Independence Celebrations
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Botswana has defended its decision to authorize the hunting of 23 elephants across eight districts to provide meat for rural communities during celebrations marking 60 years of independence, drawing criticism from conservation groups and former president Ian Khama.
The country marked its diamond jubilee on September 30. Ahead of the celebrations, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism approved complimentary hunting licences covering elephants and other wildlife, with districts allocated portions of the authorized quota.
Authorities have not confirmed that all 23 elephants covered by the licences were ultimately killed. The figure therefore represents the number approved for hunting rather than a confirmed final toll.
Botswana’s wildlife authorities say communities living alongside large animal populations should receive tangible benefits from conservation. Human-elephant conflict remains a significant issue in the country, where elephants can damage crops and property and pose risks to people in rural areas.
Botswana is home to an estimated 130,000 elephants, the largest national elephant population in the world. At the same time, the African savanna elephant is classified as endangered, placing the country’s hunting policy at the centre of a long-running conservation debate.
The Elephant Protection Society has criticized the decision, warning of potential consequences for conservation, while Khama argued that using elephants for national celebrations could create expectations that similar hunts would be repeated in the future
Botswana lifted its elephant-hunting ban in 2019 and has since operated regulated annual quotas, which the government says are intended to help manage wildlife populations and human-animal conflict.
