(Posted 14th October 2024)
Courtesy of African Elephant News and allAfrica
Tanzanian authorities are moving to issue more hunting permits for elephants, despite rising international calls to ban trophy hunting near its border with Kenya. Because of the country’s initiative, the number of legal elephant kills has increased over the past year, alarming conservationists who advocate for protecting the dwindling population, especially since elephants roam freely between the border areas.
These areas have traditionally been protected by a gentleman’s agreement between both countries. While hunting is illegal in Kenya, Tanzania allows it citing human-wildlife conflicts and economic benefits from hunting as justifications. n a recent letter, Tanzanian officials defended their stance, arguing that trophy hunting directly funds conservation efforts and local infrastructure development. They criticized a June letter in Science Magazine by foreign conservationists calling for an end to elephant hunting, claiming it only presented one side of the debate.
