Return to big-game hunting

Press, 27 December 1980, Page 12

Return to big-game hunting

Bv

ALASTAIR MATHESON

“Observer,” London

Kenya is to expected to end its four-year-old ban on big-game hunting on the advice of an international team of ecologists: , • . . . In a voluminous report, the ecologists argue that unless Kenya’s wildlife can “pay its way,” most species are doomed to extinction within a few years. The 1000-page study was undertaken for the Kenya Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and financed by the World T3ank. Observers 'believe the report gives the Government ‘-the ; justification needed to end the prohibi- ! tion on hunting elephants, ‘ hippos, rhinos,* and buf- \ falo, thus’ giving in to mounting pressure at *- home and overseas from the very influential hunting lobby. . .. The Kenya authorities • are very sensitive to criticism " front conservationists, especially as the United Nations Envi- ' ronment Programme has its headquarters in Nairobi.; Kenya’s wildlife policy, under which seven per cent ; of its land surface ' provides sanctuary . for wildlife. In 15 national parks and another 23 national . reserves,. has. been widely acclaimed as a rnodel. despite the massive inroads of organised

poaching and the huge illegal traffic in game trophies in which some highly placed Kenyans have been involved. For these reasons, the ban is likely to be lifted in' stages, probably start-, ing with legalised bird shooting and then being extended to the killing of plentiful species and the controlled “cropping” of elephants, buffalo, and hippos. Strict protection will remain for the black rhino, and for other rare

species such as the leopard and-cheetah. ' ' In apparent defiance of existing restrictions, several parties ; of. wealthy Arabs have recently visited Kenya on . unpubliScised hunting .trips. When . the activities of the most recent group, which included a Saudi royal prince, were disclosed, game authorities said that permission had been given by President Daniel arap 1 -Mpu.. ■ >1 y A senior official of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said: "People should noi

complain when a few people from friendly countries are given licences by the President to crop a few animals.” Cropping is the term for killing wild animals whose numbers are considered too large for their habitat. An argument is now taking place within Kenya on whether cropping, normally carried out by game wardens and rangers, should be practised by visiting sportsmen. Some conservationists

say cropping , could be. a convenient cover for sport hunting. What particularly angered critics, including game officials, was the fact that some ~ of the Arabs screened a video recording of their gory ex- . pipits to' other ’ guests of the Kenya Government, apparently, unaware that the killing of : wildlife is an• extremely '.. sensitive . subject in Nairobi. The ecologists’ report has not yet-been officially published; by fc the Govern- r ment, which has set up a screening c<Ynmittee to go

into all aspects of the study. However, one of the report’s key paragraphs states: “The principal conclusion of this study is that the Government, cannot afford to. forego the further revenue for which hunting has a - potential. “Furthermore, the demand for positive protection (against attacks ana damage by wild animals) is growing almost daily. In this respect consumptive utilisation of all widelife, not only, very large herbivores, should be re-introduced.” In other words, killing wild animals, would not only protect farms, but would be a valuable source of meat for the Kenyan people. -Summing up Kenya s dilemma over whether wildlife should be conserved at the ; expense of humans, ;. the report states: _ If. . Kenya. were. to . permit an appreciable number of its citizens to starve to . death, in part perhaps because of the costs entailed in safeguarding the four species (elephants, hippos, rhinos, and buffalo), the matter would attract far more attention from the global community than would safeguard measures in ; support of the four Only if the Kenyan pop-. ulation as a whole-can derive direct financial bene-

fit from the country’s, wildlife, can public opinion be brought around to accepting some land being set aside for animal sanctuaries, the study says. One of the main recqmmendations is the setting up of a ’ Kenya. Wildlife Corporation to supervise all aspects of hunting as a ‘‘primary industry," with secondary industries as spin-offs, such as taxidermy, ' skin curing, and ivory carving. ■ The- ecologists also sug- , gest that if industrialised countries want to prevent the extinction of unique forms of wildlife, they should be asked to contribute toward the costs which Kenya and other “sanctuary" countries have to meet. The costs*; they say, will gp far beyond simply paying* for land.to.be reserved as .game. parks,, but will have to meet the political arid social implications involved*' . ’ If Kenya is to. tackle, the challenge on behalf of the rest of the world, then “in return the community of nations, and especially those nations who can best afford to make these contributions, should consider whether they cannot better share the burden and the responsibility that is so ,far assumed by the Government of Kenya." Copyright — London Ofserver service.' " -