I used published scientific articles by various authors, and reports from aerial surveys done by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) in 2010 (before the ban), 2014 (soon after the ban was enacted) and 2018 (after four years of no trophy hunting). I have therefore sought to cut through the politics of the debate, focus on the actual research results and draw some conclusions, which I want to share with you. These figures, especially the numbers of living and poached elephants, are hotly debated and contested, with some even questioning the motives behind the research.Īs a conservation scientist, I am wary of questioning the results of conservation research, especially when it is clear that the researchers are ultimately interested in conserving wildlife.
The debate surrounding Botswana’s recent decision to lift the hunting ban is highly polarised, and both sides have marshalled various facts and figures to argue their case. © Gail Potgieter Opinion post from Gail Potgieter – Human-wildlife conflict specialist
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