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. Hunting in the said blocks was suspended in 2013 due to inability to select outfitters in these blocks arising from a flawed process in the tender.
Hunting of Lions and other cats was banned on understanding that their populations were depleted to such low levels that it was not sustainable to hunt them.
She has also appealed to everyone to assist government and ZAWA in the conservation of the wildlife and its habitat in Zambia. She said that Zambia prides itself in having arguably the richest bio-diversity on the continent, which we all should guard against depletion..
Article by: The Zambia Wildlife Authority
Please note that we are not the Zambia Tourism Board and don’t make these policy decisions. We are a private organization dedicated to providing information about travel and tourism in Zambia.
UPDATE: Here is ZAWA’s response to this press release: https://www.zambiatourism.com/zawa-explains-hunting-ban-lift
Shame on Zambia. I have been to Africa several times, and I am now crossing Zambia off my list. Will spent my money in countries trying to protect wildlife, not sell out to a rich hunters who feel good shooting peaceful animals minding their own business, in their OWN environment. You don’t own them. They are not YOURS to sell to hunters.
Once again, humanity falls short.
you have the most diverse and beautiful country – why would you let the white devil shoot your most precious gifts? money is the root of all evil – shoot with a camera not with a gun. you have the power and the whole world is watching! be a true leader – not a greedy one!
HORRORS OF INHUMAN ACTS BRING HORRORS INTO THE WORLD OF HUMANS
It is a travesty the you have lifted the ban on murdering elephants for sport. What a horrible legacy for you Madam. I urge you to rethink this decision, and allow elephants to be shot – only with cameras.
What is wrong with you people!? Lifting bans on killing elephants. Allowing the hunting of lions elephants and rhinos is just wrong! You people are the reason species are going extinct. There is no bringing back these animals once killed. It\\\\\\’s people like you that make the human race the stupidest most disgraceful species alive. But keep destroying the planet one animal at a time. Shame on you!
Reference the recent decision to lift the ban on hunting elephants, does the Hon Minister not appreciate the fact that the elephant population of the world is in decline. May I refer the minister to the following article:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140818-elephants-africa-poaching-cites-census/
I sincerely hope that the Hon Minister will see sense and reverse what is, I believe, to be an incredibly bad decision.
Sincerely
Andrew
Please do not let these beautiful majestic animals go extinct. Please stop this. Do the right thing.
Another corrupted politician ! Go to hell
Zambia are you proud to have blood stain on your hand as guy allow the trophy hunters to kill mercilessly the wonderful & peaceful Elephants! The short term profit in which you make will be far worse when you realise that peaceful tourists that once came to your country to see these wonderful majestic sentient beings will no longer come back… Your country will suffer from tourism and your economy will be worse off. When you realise the trophy hunters wiped your wildlife they will continue with the captive animals then the poachers will get in the game to destroy that once was the pride of your nation.. I hope there is a chance that you revoke your decision until it’s too late.
Very sad indeed to see that Jean Kapata:- Minister Of Tourism and Arts no longer care for these wonderful animals and they are no longer protected. Even though they are in endangered (10 years until extinction) how much money has the hunting industry, offered I wonder? Once these keystone species are gone NO AMOUNT OF MONEY can bring them back …
KEEP THE BAN IN PLACE SAVE LIVES DON’T DESTROY THEM :’0(
I grew up in Zambia and was looking at bringing my family to see where I lived and went to school. Since I saw your announcement about re-introducing hunting, all our plans are cancelled.
This is a TERRIBLE decision and will seriously affect all other forms of tourism. When I lived in Zambia, you looked after your wildlife – you didn’t invite people to come and kill it.
have the desert elephants numbers magically stabilized? did a witch doctor cast a spell and increase the herds!!! Hello Zamibia Elephants are in extinction red zone. you must really hate them but the rest of the world wants them alive. shame on you this is a terrible tragic descision.
1 – your comments will not change anything; the Zambian government does not care much for public approval.
2 – you boycotting tourism makes it a hell of a lot harder for Zambians and their government to see how much money a live animal can really generate.
3 – it is actually necessary to hunt so we can keep the wildlife populations within carrying capacity for the National Parks that seek to fence wildlife in as opposed to promoting harmonious integration of man and wildlife – a legacy left by the white man (and I’m white, so don’t start that with me)
4 – because you lovely tourists all want the “African safari”, you get annoyed when you get anything less than the Big 5 on your 5-day trip to Luangwa or Chobe. Sorry to break it to you, THAT’S NOT A SAFARI, that’s a petting zoo; you want to see wildlife, you have to work for it, spend months in the bush.
REMEMBER that Zambia, it’s people, it’s wildlife and it’s bush are NOTHING like that of Botswana, or any other country. It is rather unique in it’s Miombo belt, so STOP comparing it to other locations, conservation decisions need to be site-specific. In other words, stop thinking Sub-Saharan Africa is a country!!
Jean Kapata – I still think your decision is unwise and do hope that ZAWA elects people with knowledge and experience when it comes to wildlife and not the people I’ve heard in the rumours. You need to have an ecologist in charge of ZAWA so they know how to best make these sorts of decisions, you shouldn’t be tasked with this, it’s not your area of expertise.
Sincerely,
Concerned Zambian
Jean Kapata is an idiot if she lifts the ban on hunting. Disgusted by this. She obviously doe not know how to do her job. Tourists come to see the animals. Hunting is not s sport it is plain and simply greed.
Lifting the ban on hunting of elephants is just WRONG. They are highly intelligent animals – with long memories, have family ties & KNOW when one of them is killed. How can we, as supposedly a \’more intelligent\’ race, murder these animals for no good reason? BAN ALL ELEPHANT HUNTING PLEASE.
This is shocking news. Elephants are becoming extinct – it is, on the contrary to what you are doing, your duty to preserve them. They are magnificent animals, created at the dawn of time to live free and safe from harm. I beg you to reverse this shameful decision PLEASE.
You are destroying the wild life in Africa.You do not have right to authorize killing of innocent animals.This is not hunting.Around 100000 elephants were killed in Africa between 2010&2013.They were killed by hunters&pochers.Cancel your decision immidiately.You are a shame to Africa.
You have amazing wildlife I would love to see with my child one day. Please don\’t allow your future tourism prospects disappear! Set an example of what can be achieved without killing. Please!
Well, I like hundreds of \\\”NORMAL\\\” sensitive humane kind people are more than disgusted at hearing this! What will it take to convince cruel politicians like her that these beautiful animals are far far more important than money from tourism! They have the same rights to be safe & live a normal life as humans have so who & what gives her or any humans to take animals lives for money & tourism? I am so pleased that I am not like her & many more greedy beings! How UTTERLY disgraceful she is. If there is a hell all of us hope that she & others like her rot there for what they do.x
How can you defend your country’s bio-diversity and supposed sustainability when you are supporting the continued eradication of wildlife? Your country needs to protect the dwindling populations of wildlife. This reeks of profit and greed!
We were going to visit your country but after hearing about the decision to lift hunting bans now we are NOT coming.