THE Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) says permission to hunt lions and leopards in Zambia will not contribute to the extinction of the animal population.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, ZAWA public relations officer Sakabilo Kalembwe said there was nowhere in the world where legal hunting has contributed to the extinction of lion population.
“Guidelines regulating hunting have been developed. The guidelines prescribe hunting of male lions aged six years and above,” he said.
Mr Kalembwe said the lions being hunted are old and are no longer breeding, thus have a diminished biological function.
He further said since these lions have been pushed out of the prides and have difficulties to hunt wild prey, they pose a danger to human life and domestic animals which usually become easy prey, especially in rural areas.
Mr Kalembwe said it makes conservation and economic sense to harvest such lions so that rural communities living with the wildlife also benefit from these resources.
He said that at the same time, the rural communities need to raise funds to finance conservation programmes.
“It is regrettable that certain sections of the public endeavour to deprive poor local communities of benefitting from wildlife by advocating the ban on trade in trophies.
“Such calls can also frustrate conservation efforts and programmes that seek to protect the very wildlife resources they claim to care about,” Mr Kalembwe said.
He said hunting of big cats contributes to the local and the national economy through tourism, while income that is generated contributes significantly to wildlife conservation.
Mr Kalembwe said ZAWA is working in consultation with local and international experts in monitoring the big cat population and hunting.
If lions to be hunted are six years and older, then that makes some sense…government should be good in releasing information; full detailed information so that we have informed arguments! I still don’t believe that this govt. has the ability to actually control this hunt…they don’t even know the estimated number of beasts in Zambia!! That is says alot about our PF govt.!
The Government sector have no case on this?? it shows stupidity and dullness.
Clearly shows that people in these positions have no reasoning. WHAT A COUNTRY.. I am sure they are copying from South Africa, as they are so doom to do their own initiatives.
PF can only provide hollow arguments like “where in the world…..” “You will frustrate…..” Please articulate how you confirmed the numbers of lions since those opposing the decision have clear indicated how the numbers are wrong! Also articulate the measure in place to ensure the 46 murders won’t have an impact on a sustainable population growth and how they will prevent over cropping! I have no confidence than other than lining their pockets they have any clue what they are doing. FUULLZ SQUaRED
Just don’t hunt the cats as the justification is against common sense. No significant benefits through instituted conservation are accruing to communities living with these animal resources. It has been a contentious issue for where there has been benefit only a selected few have had access and ZAWA has not been up-to-date on delivery. Many payouts are still outstanding or have been swallowed by ZAWA bureaucracy!
By the way are these cats inserted with chips at birth?
To ZAWA’s public relations officer Sakabilo Kalembwe. I take it when you reach a certain age or if your parents are of a certain age, then its fine to kill or get rid of them because they are old and can no longer breed, thus have a diminished biological function? Is this really coming from a person God gave a brain to think? No wonder Zambia is in trouble because non of these people are educated. Are we living in a globalized world where things are moving forward? Killing is like the disco days and those are long gone. In today’s world what’s in is sustainability as we have moved past the old ways of thinking. Among the challenges of sustainable tourism and conservation are increased levels of species extinction and increased levels of species endangerment, which you are guilty of.
ZAWA do you know what “Paradigm Shift” is? It’s moving towards socially and environmentally compatible lifestyles. You’ll find that a majority of human beings, going back to Maslow’s theory of needs, most of us for example ZAWA and Jean Kapata are not honest enough and tend to do or go for short cuts. They don’t care if it is environmentally friendly or not, as long as their needs are satisfied (pocketing bribe $$$), they go for it. That’s the paradigm shift, we have to get out of that comfort which really impacts negatively on our resources. For once listen to the stakeholders before it’s too late. Don’t forget visitors are the one’s helping us to generate the economy within the destination. Don’t kill all in the name of sport. It is very cruel and inhumane to do. Conserve &…
Just google “lionalert.org” and get the facts for yourself
incidentally this sounds like a question of very poor communication from colleagues at tourism ministry. The confusion being loosed exposes a sheer lack of minimum depth at this ministry. Are there no researchers, a PRO or other technocrats to come up with something more comprehensive and logical than these incoherent spurts?Nothing this ministry’s officials are saying is sufficient to allay fears and concerns being raised.