Hunting in Botswana

[Richprins]

Not sarcastic? They don't breed anymore much at that age, so the genes have already been passed on. Elephant are not endangered there, rather vastly overpopulated?

[Lisbeth]

We are only discussing the big tuskers at the moment and they are certainly not many by now.

[Lisbeth]

Inside how Botswana’s trophy hunting is making the rich richer and the poor poorer

BY BY KHONANI ONTEBETSE - 12TH MAY 2022 - SUNDAY STANDARD



Botswana’s trophy hunting which was supposed to benefit local communities is instead shifting wealth from them to the country’s big businessmen- Sunday Standard investigations have revealed.

In the latest development, a company owned by business mogul Derek Brink has strong armed an Okavango Delta based community trust to award them an elephant hunting quota at less than a third of the international going rate.

A clutch of documents passed to the Sunday Standard revealed that Brink’s company Old Man’s Pan Propriety Limited bullied Tcheku Community Trust to award them the hunting quota at P200 000 an elephant.

Independent investigations by the Sunday Standard have revealed that international trophy hunters pay more than P600 000 (P1000 = R1292) to kill a single elephant in Botswana.

A professional Trophy hunter Leon Kachelhoffer, reportedly paid $50, 000 ( about P608 000 at the current exchange rate) to kill one of Botswana’s biggest tuskers earlier this year.

Documents passed to the Sunday Standard suggest that Tcheku Community Trust which consists of some villages in Shakawe village cowed under pressure after the company warned it would unleash its financial muscle should it increase hunting fees for elephants from P200 000 to P400 000.

Documents gleaned from the Companies Intellectual and Property Authority show that Brink, together with hunter Leon Kachelhoffer are shareholders and the only directors in Old Man’s Pan Propriety Limited.

THE RICH ROBBING THE POOR

This is not an isolated incident, but part of a pattern showing how hunting quotas are shifting a massive amount of wealth from poor communities in the Okavango Delta and the Chobe enclave to super rich investors, some with suspected political connections. Besides Brink, other moneyed investors who are rubbing their hands gleefully in anticipation of outsize returns from their investments in the 2022 hunting quotas at the expense of Chobe enclave poor communities is Tlou Safari Lodge owned by the Kader family.

Suspicions of the Kader family’s political connections first made newspaper headlines after it emerged that the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) was dispatched to construct a landing airstrip at Nogatshaa inside the Chobe National Park for Hollyhock (PTY) Ltd, a private company owned by businessman Karrim Kader and his wife Banoo Kader. Estimates have put the total cost of the airstrip at P6 million – excluding labour, fuel, mobilization and demobilization by the BDF.

Another beneficiary of the government’s 2022 hunting quota is Shameer Variawa of SV Safaris. It is estimated that between them, the two safari companies will shift in excess of P50 million from poor Chobe enclave communities represented by two community trusts.

Community Trust hunting quotas are sustained by the illusion that they benefit communities. Indications, however are that they are a slight of hand to take from poor and give to the rich.

Sunday Standard investigations have revealed that while Tlou Safari Lodge and SV Safaris stand to make a return of more than 500%, the two community trusts representing Chobe enclave poor residents will share a little over P 8 million, barely enough to break even.

BRINK DRIVES A STRONG BARGAIN

Brink’s apparent exploitation of poor Okavango communities is all part of a growing trend. In a letter dated 25 January 2022 titled “Offer for an NG 13 Quota,”, Tcheku Community Trust General Manager Kerapetse Bantu Peter wrote to Brink’s Old Man’s Pan indicating that the hunting fee for each elephant was P400 000.00.

The letter states that “With reference made from the attached documents, the Trust leadership is pleased to inform you that you have been awarded with an offer for the 2022 hunting quota for NG 13 with the terms of condition of sale.”

“You are therefore advised to have fully paid the Trust in fourteen days the said amount into their Trust coffers, which failure to abide by the conditions of sale, then the Trust will re-advertise the quota for an open tendering process.”

By the attached documents, Keorapetse was making reference to among others, a letter from the Okavango Sub District Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which had been addressed to Tcheku Community Trust.

Peter had promised to respond to Sunday Standard’s request for comment but was not available at the time of going to press.

According to the letter from TAC, some of the conditions of sale included among others that, “the Trust will in conjunction with TAC set the price for the animals.”

The letter authored by one M. Keakile on behalf of the TAC-Secretariat further states that another condition was that the reserved price for each elephant was P400 000. 00.

Keakile stated that, “As there is no time to go through the normal process of advertising and tendering, the Trust is advised to get into an agreement with Safari operator interested and meet the conditions of sale.”

Keakile’s letter also states that the animals will be sold to the Safari operator identified by the Trust.

Sunday Standard has obtained information suggesting that Tcheku Community Trust which has a contract with Old Man Pan sought to ‘stick’ to the hunting fees set by the TAC. The information also indicates that the contract signed by the Trust and Old Man’s Pan was found to be defective as it did not have a timeframe. It was also said to be flawed as it was signed without input and advice from TAC.

In a letter dated 9th March 2022, titled, “Counter offer to Tcheku Community Trust for 2022 hunting quota” Kachelhoffer informed the Trust that, “we write to you that you consider that we remain with the original terms and fees of our original agreement.”

He added that, “By so doing, will prevent a lot of unnecessary and costly actions which will disrupt our working relations, the business and reputations of all parties.”

He further indicated that adhering to the original terms of the agreement, “Will allow the Company to fulfill its commitments to the community by collaborating with the Trust in development projects.” Among the projects that he mentioned were purchase of a suitable 4×4 vehicle suitable for transport and emergency’s, assist the trust to construct some roads with the aid of a machine if necessary.

In his attempt to justify why the Trust should consider not increasing the hunting fee from P200 000 per an elephant to P400 000 as proposed by TAC, Kachelhoffer stated that, “I have engaged clients on the possibility of an significant price increase, this has met with resistance.”

Kachelhoffer would not respond to Sunday Standard queries stating that, “I’m in Tuli Block at the moment I’ll be back Sunday night.”

Asked to comment on the apparent short changing of community trusts by big business, the director of Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Dr Kabelo Senyatso referred this publication to the Ngamiland District Commissioner.

“That is the relevant authority to address your enquiry to,” he said.

In a press statement dated 12 January 2022, Senyatso had indicated that his department would reserve the right to terminate, amend or cancel disposal of quotas should it be established that the agreements between local communities and private operators disadvantaged communities.

“The DWNP reserves the right to review all Agreements proposed after the publication of this quota.” The quota was published on the same month.

Sunday Standard sought to establish among others if the department was aware of allegations that that the contract between Tcheku and Old Man’s Pan was allegedly signed without advice from technical advisory committee (TAC) and that the company had threatened the Trust with legal action if did not issue it with hunting quota for 2022.

For his part, Ngamiland District Commissioner Boamaruri Otlhogile said he was not aware of the “said contract (between the trust and the company) and anything related to it.”

He added that, “Since they fall within Okavango Sub District, please check with Mr Dintwe. He is my supervisee based in Gumare and also chairman of TAC and are supposed to advise the Trust-Community in good faith.”

Dintwe said he was not authorised to speak to the media and referred this publication back to Otlhogile.

Upon being informed that his supervisor had given him the green light to comment, Dintwe referred further queries to Senyatso.

Documents show that as the heated discussions between the Trust and the company boiled over it emerged that the Trust had initially withheld quota instead of issuing it to Old Man’s Pan as it sought to initiate fresh talks on the new quota with a view to increase hunting fees.

In a letter dated 25 March, addressed to the Trust, Kachelhoffer accused the Trust of being in breach of the contract as “we have not been furnished with the quota.”

He warned the Trust to adhere to “recent Community meetings and resolutions of the three Tcheku Trust villages regarding Community consensus to remain in the agreement with Old Man’s Pan (Pty) Ltd (sic).”

He stated that “Our first client has already paid and secured flights, taken two weeks leave from work and incurred other expenses to arrive on the 4th April in Maun.

“Please send us the quota by 12:00h/Midday 28thth of March 2022, failing which we will have no option but to pursue a claim for all costs which we paid to the Trust including but not limited to costs of setting up the secretariat, quota payments for the years 2021 and 2022, reputational damage, loss of income and other ancillaries,” Kachelhoffer warned.

Prior to this letter, Kachelhoffer had also written another letter to the Trust that “we wish to record that there has been back and forth meetings and informal communication regarding the alteration of our standing MoA and the said Addendum (authored by Keakile).

Falling short of advising the Trust to throw out Keakile’s letter, Kachelhoffer stated that, “Third parties such as the Molaodi (District Commissioner) and TAC play purely advisory role-the buck stops with the Trust.”

He said the core responsibility of the Trust as per the agreement or contract, amongst others, is to secure the hunting quota.

“In breach of this, the Trust failed or neglected to secure the quota by 31 2022 as provided for in the agreement,” he said.

Kachelhoffer also indicated that, “Following our meeting with the Molaodi, consultations with the other directors of the company ensued together with engagements with prospective clients (as the proposed prices directly affects the fees payable by them).”

He said, “The conclusion is, any upward changes in the pricing that deviates from fair market value, which your proposed hike from P1, 346,000.00 to P1, 668,000.00 does, would prove unfeasible for the company.”

He further stated that, “ The onus to prove that our agreed price is not fair market value lies on the TAC Board, taking into account that any developments in NG 13have been put in place exclusively at our company’s expenses.”

“Our position is, the company is being extorted as it has already paid over P2 million to the Trust to date not withstanding that no revenue has been realised by the company,”

Kachelhoffer told the Trust to “please uphold your end of the contract and let us proceed with the agreed price of P200, 000.00 per elephant for this season’s quota.”

The reserved price for each leopard was P150 000.

Regarding that he stated that, “We can settle the agreed price for the recently added two leopards and plain’s game in due course.

Kachelhoffer warned that, “In the event that the Trust pursues termination of our MoA then the company reserves its rights in seeking redress in the courts of law to claim all funds invested to date, loss of business and reputational loss to the brand as marketing had taken place.”

He instructed the Trust to, “Urgently convene and respond to this letter on or before 11th March 2022. If we do not hear from you by this date, then we will have no option but to hand this matter over to our lawyers.”

The documents suggest that, weary of the looming legal action, the Trust eventually yielded to the company’s demands by ensuring that it settles for P200 000 per an elephant instead of P400 000 as proposed by TAC.

This is revealed in a letter dated 14 March 2022, Tcheku Community Trust Keorapetse Bantu Peter in which he informed Old Man’s Pan directors that the, “Trust on behalf of the Community has entered into an agreement with yourselves as Old Man’s Pan Pty Ltd to utilise the hunting quota for NG13 as agreed.”

Conceding Peter stated that, “We cede to the market value of BW200 000.00 (two hundred thousand pula only) per an elephant and additional payment for two leopards and game plains to total amount of P1 346 000.00. (One million three hundred and forty six thousand pula only).”

He added that, “We hereby commit to obtaining the hunting quota for NG13 to issue to Old Man’s Pan Pty Ltd on or before the 21st March 2022.”

original article: https://www.sundaystandard.info/inside- ... or-poorer/

[Lisbeth]

How much to kill a woolly mammoth?

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Simon Espley in the OPINION EDITORIAL post series.



The debate after we broke the story on the trophy hunting of two of Africa’s largest tuskers in Botswana has focussed on the ethical issues surrounding trophy hunting, and rightfully so. Should humans be permitted to kill animals for fun? And then there is the potential threat to big-tusker genes of selectively removing these giants from the breeding pool.

But for this post, I focus on three other issues that go to the core of trophy hunting, and hunting elephants, as a conservation tool:

1. FAIR VALUE

The trophy hunter paid at least US$80,000 for the ‘pleasure’ of killing this giant elephant*. Is this ‘fair value’ for one of a diminishing population of large-tusked elephants (tuskers)?

The questioning of fair value is essential. For example, what would the modern-day trophy hunter pay TODAY to kill a woolly mammoth – how many millions of USD? Because in 20 years, that will be a relevant comparison – these giant elephants are the woolly mammoth of today, and their slide into oblivion is surely a concern.

2. ADEQUATE COMPENSATION – RURAL COMMUNITIES

We have been advised that the Tcheku Community Trust, on whose land (NG13) this tusker was killed, was paid BWP200,000 (about US$16,285) for this elephant hunt – by a company called Old Man’s Pan Propriety Limited.

The company is owned by professional hunter Leon Kachelhoffer and Derek Brink – one of Botswana’s wealthiest men. So let’s be clear about this. Two wealthy individuals generate a massive 500% return on this giant elephant – and an entire community has to survive on the scraps.

Obviously I do not speak for this community (based in an area where protein sources are likely scarce) – who may appreciate an estimated minimum 600kg of elephant meat that such a hunt could produce. However, of concern is that our request to BWPA (see below) and Kachelhoffer for evidence – photos – that the meat was given to community members was refused. Also, suggesting that the supposed meat provision is a substitute for the cash they should have earned is insulting – the ultimate slap in the face for these desperate people. Do they know what this elephant was really worth?

The community trust’s total elephant allocation for the year is five elephants – all purchased in advance by Kachelhoffer and Brink. Seeing how little the community benefited from the killing of one of Africa’s largest tuskers, I would imagine that their revenue expectations for the remainder of the year are pretty grim.

This is nothing more and nothing less than the syphoning off of rural community wealth by hardened wealthy businessmen.

Is this the true face of Botswana’s much-acclaimed ‘sustainable’ trophy hunting strategy? In May 2019, Botswana’s President Masisi justified the decision to recommence trophy hunting by emphasising that local communities will be guaranteed far more than just menial jobs and will enjoy the economic benefits of sustainable wildlife management. I have no conceptual issue with controlled, sustainable hunting in areas where photo tourism fears to tread – because Africa’s people HAVE to be incentivised to have wild animals in their midst. Otherwise, we will end up like much of the ‘developed’ world – devoid of free-roaming wildlife. But is this how President Masisi envisaged involving impoverished, marginalised communities in the wildlife industry? Is this particular scenario fair to the good people of Botswana, or even sustainable – surely not!

3. MIGRATING ELEPHANTS

And what about the rural people in neighbouring countries – how do they benefit from this once-off event?

After all, this giant elephant was an international wanderer who would undoubtedly have paid his way via many photographic appearances over the years in the nearby (in roaming bull elephant terms) popular tourist areas of the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Caprivi, Victoria Falls and Hwange – to name a few.

On the topic of international elephant migration routes, we approached Nyambe Nyambe, executive director of Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), for feedback about trophy hunting elephants in elephant migration routes and the possibility of this creating ‘fear zones’ which hinder migration away from human-elephant conflict areas. One of KAZA’s aims is to enable elephant migration away from human-elephant conflict zones.

Nyambe pointed out that KAZA partner states consider trophy hunting a component of the wildlife economy. But he also said, “Partner States have imposed moratoriums on trophy hunting in particular areas of KAZA for purposes of rebuilding the populations alongside strengthening other conservation measures…”

Why then does Botswana create a new controlled trophy hunting area out of NG13 – which is slap bang in the elephant-migration corridor? On the face of it, this seems contrary to the underlying KAZA strategy to create safe migration corridors and alleviate human-elephant conflict.

Nyambe pointed out that KAZA cannot prevent partner states from going against the spirit of the partnership: “Any potential negative effects that could arise from efforts towards sustainable use (not just from hunting) will be duly investigated to mitigate any unplanned or negative impacts,” but KAZA does not take up issues with partner states, and rather relies on partner states to “engage with other or a particular partner state in the event of a concern.”

On the subject of fear zones, Nyambe suggested that my concerns are noted but probably overstated because trophy hunting does not occur across the entire wildlife dispersal area.

PARTING THOUGHTS

Botswana, and any other country, has the sovereign right to decide their own way forward when it comes to conservation issues such as these. And their focus on local people as beneficiaries of the wildlife industries is justified and necessary.

But surely Botswana can do better than this? Permitting a few privileged individuals to benefit at the expense of desperate rural communities is going to end badly – for Botswana and for their wildlife and ecosystems.

The trophy hunting industry is incapable of self-regulation and has never been transparent about its dealings. The authorities need to step in and enforce better transparency and accountability. They need to ensure a better distribution of wealth for Botswana’s rural people, better mitigation of human-wildlife conflict and a more sustainable offtake of genetically gifted animals that are now so popular as mantelpiece adornments.


The 100-pounder tusker recently hunted in NG13, northern Botswana. Faces have been obscured for legal reasons – in accordance with privacy and defamation laws

* Notes

a) Three separate sources advised us that the minimum price for this sized elephant was US$80,000 to US$100,000

b) Our request to professional hunter Leon Kachelhoffer for information about the hunt proceeds, NG13 environmental management plan, license tender process and other specifics was initially met with assurances of cooperation, but he suspended discussions shortly after that. We were subsequently sent a letter by Kachelhoffer’s fellow Botswana Wildlife Producers Association committee members. The letter provided generic notes about elephant hunting and how the elephant was located in the vast NG13 but did not provide the requested information mentioned above. This lack of transparency is, unfortunately, par for the course. In a bitter, strongly worded follow-up letter, the BWPA advised us that they would not be responding to future requests for information.