The southern African nation of Botswana has one of the highest elephant populations on the continent at roughly 130,000. Botswana banned trophy hunting in its borders in 2014, but revoked the ban on a limited basis in 2019 due to an increase in human-elephant conflict.
Botswana now allows trophy hunting of elephants on a quota basis. Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana, claims the country does not come close to reaching the quota each year. Some European countries have considered implementing stricter import rules or decreasing the number of trophies they allow across their borders.
In response to the UK’s consideration of a ban on trophy imports, President Masisi stated a ban would amount to a “resurgence of colonial conquests.”
In response to Germany’s consideration of a ban on trophy imports, the president offered to send 20,000 elephants to the country. He has also stated, “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…” (CNN).
Elephants and International Relations
Africa’s geopolitical boundaries were almost completely drawn by non-Africans, meaning colonizers. It is an ongoing theme that leaders from other parts of the world propose to know more about how life should be lived in African countries, communities, and villages, than Africans themselves. President Masisi makes a very good point when he points out the decision-makers here live far from Botswanans both in distance and reality.
Botswanan villagers are suffering as a direct result of human-elephant conflict. Though it is easy to blame humans themselves for the rise in HEC, the culpability for mass deforestation, climate change, and poaching certainly doesn’t lie with the villagers whose crops are being eaten by rogue elephants.
So, what is the solution, here? How are we to take a collaborative approach when there are so many competing interests?
To Each Their Own
There are a few notable points. The first is that Germany and the UK cannot ban hunting in Botswana, they can only ban trophies from being imported over their borders. Germany imported 26 African elephant corpses as trophies in 2023, so the effect a ban would have on Germans’ decisions to hunt elephants in Africa would not be insignificant. But Germany is allowed to legislate in a way that exhibits its values just as Botswana is free to allow trophy hunting to protect its citizens.
Any type of legal hunting should be completely transparent and government regulated. Mary Rice of the Environmental Investigation Agency noted in a recent interview that the hunting industry’s lack of transparency and regulation opened it to “rogue behavior.”
Who Knows Best?
That being said, it is easy for animal rights zealots (like myself) to think we know what should happen in a country on the other side of the world: Don’t kill the elephants! They’re endangered! But many times culling and quota trophy hunting is a last resort that people don’t necessarily want to take. The president of Botswana owes a duty of protection to his citizens that he doesn’t necessarily owe to elephants (though we could debate the ethical duty to protect animals). The point is that it isn’t worth describing the decision as stupid or evil. It’s simply the fastest way to protect villagers’ lives and livelihoods in the immediate term.
Individual and Collective Action
Elephant endangerment goes so much deeper than whether to allow trophy hunting. For example, a factory farmed animal has a pretty horrific existence (objectively) compared to a wild elephant that is eventually killed by a poacher or hunter. Both are really important issues to tackle, but when it comes to taking action for animals, it has to be a lifestyle, not just attention to one specific issue. We have to change the way we think about animals. Are they our property to exploit or are they our neighbors to protect?
We also have to change the way we think about the planet. This isn’t new: climate change is probably the hottest (literally) topic right now. Is the earth ours to exploit, or is it on loan to us to take care of?
If we want to protect elephants from extinction, everything has to change. We have to respect every animal, every life form, and each other. Fighting will only sow division, and won’t accomplish anything on their behalf. Compassion and understanding is the name of the game.
Okay really, how can I help?
All that being said, poaching is illegal hunting that should never occur, anywhere, no matter what. Even a trophy lawfully obtained becomes illegal contraband when one attempts to smuggle it or sell it on the black market. The Environmental Investigation Agency uses intelligence and undercover operations to combat environmental crimes, including illegal trade in wildlife. Choosing to donate to the EIA is always helpful, but they also offer volunteer opportunities and suggestions for how to act as a good steward of the earth as an individual. Collective change starts with individual change, so we can all start by following their tips:
- Don’t eat or use parts of endangered animals
- Don’t visit tourist attractions where you can post with tigers
- Reduce your plastic footprint
- Support responsible whale watching
- Choose high energy efficiency appliances
- Don’t visit tourist attractions where you can ride an elephant (this isn’t on their front page–but just don’t do it)
Thanks for reading!
Elephant Advocate 