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General News Items
EASTERN CAPE GAME RESERVES HIT BY POACHING SCOURGE POACHING for financial gain is fast becoming a growing problem for game farms on the East Coast. Read more at http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=218746. RURAL POVERTY, FOOD SECURITY AND THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT (Gerhard Damm, African Indaba eNewsletter, Vol 6, Issue No 3, May 2008)
"The public needs to be made aware that sustainable use and long term protection of wildlife do not exclude, but complement each other." "Regulated hunting is recognized internationally as a legitimate and essential part of conservation, but we must not overlook the fact that a small but vociferous faction actively tries to undermine this. They replenish their ammunition from many forms of unsustainable and unethical hunting. Consequently, hunters have a dire necessity to look at and act upon such abuses. Sustainable use of nature is not only a recognized principle which underlines the right to hunt. It is at the same time a binding obligation and livelong commitment for all hunters. If we fail to stand up to this task, our passion will not have a future." "Hunters have to demonstrate that they are conscious of the consequences hunting engenders and that they accept responsibility for the wild resources they are using." "Killing animals to save them seems illogic on the surface, but it takes a healthy productive population to produce a few large trophy lion or elephants." 
PRINCILES, CRITERIA AND INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE TROPHY HUNTING (Gerhard Damm, African Indaba eNewsletter, Vol 6, Issue No 3, May 2008) "The elected representatives from the hunting associations and the community of hunbters exert considerable influence in determining how hunting is practiced and are, to a certain extent, able to influence hunting legislation. They have the opportunity to shape the public image of hunters, both with regard to everyday hunting practice as well as at events and in the media. Moreover, they are role models for their own community. It is therefore essential that they display a high level of knowledge in terms if wildlife ecology, hunting economy and social aspects." 
CONCLUSIONS OF THE 2008 CIC CONGRESS: SUSTAINABLE HUNTING PROMOTES CONSERVATION (CIC Press Release, African Indaba eNewsletter, Vol 6, Issue No 3, May 2008) "The 55th General Assembly of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) - the World Forum for Sustainable Hunting - closed with a positive and cohesive note in Marrakesh on the 25th of April. The meeting ... attracted over 500 participants, a record number, representing 45 countries from around the world." "Central to the discussions was a critical review of trophy hunting. Trophy hunting was identified as a significant factor in the rural development, provided it is carried out in a sustainable manner and with integrity and respect for local conditions. Many positive examples of recreational hunting were documented from around the world, including Africa, Asia and Central America."
 "A scenario emerged in Namibia, where hunting tourism is growing at a rate of 12 percent a year, while conventional agriculture declines. In Namibia, stocks of all indigeneous wildlife species rose by an average of 112 percent from 1972 to 2005. The population increase of the most popular game animals (i.e. hunted animals) like kudu, zebra and springbok - has been especially significant. Hunting tourism already accounts for 2.3 percent of Namibia's gross national product, now just about half of the contribution of the once dominant conventional cattle ranching sector." HUNTING SAFARIS IN NAMIBIA ATTRACT HUNTERS WORLDWIDE (African Indaba eNewsletter, Vol 6, Issue No 3, May 2008) 
"The Namibian Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA) expects about 7,000 international hunters to visit Namibia during the 2008 trophy hunting season, which has started in February and goes through to November. Over the last 10 years, Namibia has seen an increased number of international hunters arriving, most of them from Germany and the United States. Recent statistics from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism indicate that German hunters visiting Namibia over a 10-year period have increased from 1,490 to 1,905, whereas hunters from the United States have increased from 155 to 1,516. During the same period, Spanish hunters increased from 20 to 265. Other international markets that have become significant in the last decade include Austria and France."