News

UK banker David Scholey welcome again, but not for big cats

BAN ON HUNTING IN 19 HUNTING BLOCKS LIFTED

“Minister Of Tourism and Arts Jean Kapata has lifted the ban on hunting in the 19 hunting blocks with immediate effect.
Ms Kapata made the announcement at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Tourism head office in Lusaka this morning.
She however said that the hunting will be conducted under laid down conditions and strict supervision from ZAWA. But that the ban on big Cats still stands.”

This was always going to happen. When LionAid met with the previous Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) Board recently we were told in no uncertain terms that trophy hunting would be quickly reinstated. After all, the finance to operate ZAWA is still largely locked into trophy hunting.

LionAid is disappointed that during the ban on trophy hunting, the Zambian government did not seek alternate and ultimately more sustainable means of conserving Zambia’s wildlife heritage by supporting and promoting the photographic tourism industry.

When we met with the Zambia High Commissioner in London, he expressed concern that not one member of his staff was assigned to promote photographic tourism to Zambia from the UK - that could well be the biggest source of tourists.

Zambia is an incredibly beautiful country. From the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the north to Victoria Falls in the south, from amazing wildlife areas like Luangwa and Zambezi. And LionAid has rarely met more kind and welcoming people in Africa than in Zambia.

Zambia has much to be proud of. LionAid would appeal to President Sata and his government not to sell Zambia’s wildlife heritage to trophy hunters. Please consider diversifying the wildlife industry to reap much greater profits and employment from photographic tourism – it is after all a much more sustainable use of wildlife resources.

Meanwhile, LionAid would like to thank Minister Kapata for keeping big cats off the hunting menu. We do hope that this is not just another domino that will fall with pressure from the trophy hunting lobby in Zambia.

Picture credit:  http://read.bi/1sXHFnx 

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