2012-07-11
Xinhua
Botswana has plans to scale up war on poaching to protect the country's endangered species, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Kitso Mokaila, the minister of environment tourism and wildlife told stakeholders attending the 7th annual Tourism Pitso that government intend to address the country's plummeting wildlife population.

"Over the next six months you will see a major shift, we are working on means to control poaching," said Mokaila.

"We know hunting is a culling tool but they are indications that our wildlife numbers are going down," he added.

Mokaila said government will invest in buying anti-poaching equipment which includes helicopters to patrol areas prone to poaching.

The minister also revealed that government was already conducting a census on the country's wildlife population before taking a decision to ban hunting, despite refuting working on the decision before.

Last year, government allayed reports that a legal process to ban hunting of wildlife in favour of photographic safari was at an advanced stage.

Government said no decision has been made to ban wildlife hunting yet.

"Instead, what is being done is to encourage photographic tourism and gradually limit but not ban wildlife hunting. It must be known that species with declining numbers will be considered for limited hunting while those with increasing numbers like elephants, will continue to be hunted within CITES framework," said Mable Bolele, then permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism.

"Botswana government has no plan to ban hunting in this country and we would like to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continues to benefit from hunting," said Bolele.

However, Mokaila said elephant hunting for trophies in Botswana will be stopped while announcement for other animals will be made soon.