Botswana auctions elephant hunting licences despite opposition

Source: polyfish (Pixabay)

Botswana is scheduled to hold its first major auction on February 7 for the right to hunt elephants since lifting a ban last May.

The move by southern African will likely re-ignite condemnation by conservationists worldwide who opposed the lifting of the hunting ban, which was put in place by former president Ian Khama.

They also warned that tourists may avoid the country as a result. 

Gaborone is said to be offering seven packages of 10 elephants each, according to Bloomberg citing the auction company tasked to operate the sales on behalf of the government. 

Interested bidders will need make a refundable deposit of BWP200,000 ($18,300). 

Botswana has the world’s biggest population of elephants.

Farmers have complained of a growing number of incidents with elephants, which at times destroy crops and trample villagers to death.

Botswana is said to have issued a quota for the killing of 272 of the animals in 2020, of which foreign hunters will be allowed to shoot 202 elephants and export trophies.