BEWARE IFAW BEARING GIFTS
Oshinka Tsiang
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) gave two vehicles to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks last week in support of wildlife protection and human-wildlife conflict. The gift was presented to the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Charles Mojalemotho, in Kasane by IFAW President and CEO Azzedine Downes. The gift will go a long way in easing resource shortages bedeviling the rest of government and specifically the DWNP in its struggle to take care of our animals. There’s therefore a case for gratitude towards IFAW. IFAW has been instrumental around the globe for impressive conservation successes. In some cases where wildlife was under threat of extinction due to overharvesting, IFAW has enabled impressive recovery.
But there’s also a reason to exercise extreme caution because of what IFAW stands for in the context of Botswana’s conservation policy and the current status of the elephant populations in the country. IFAW is a global giant when it comes to animal rights advocacy, and their position on hunting is very clear-they oppose it. In the words of their CEO, “we believe in the intrinsic value of individual animals.” They don’t apologize for their distaste, especially for elephant hunting. They are well aware of the position of Botswana, and it is very clear that they are intent on changing it. It will be done with a strong push for mindset change against hunting. While Botswana maintains that elephant numbers are not only unsustainable, but pose environmental risks and a danger to human lives, IFAW wants to ensure a further increase in the numbers. There will inevitably be running battles between the two sides, both publicly and behind the scenes. The kind of scuffles similar to the recent stir caused by the decision to allocate 23 elephants for independence celebrations. It will not be the last.
They have steadfastly backed Kenya’s torching of ivory and rhino horns in 2016. They, with other major conservation groups such as Born Free, Humane Society International, and the World Wildlife Fund, campaigned heavily alongside coalitions like the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting to push the UK government and Parliament to pass comprehensive legislation banning imports of hunting trophies. They are also pushing for more space for elephant habitat through their Room to Roam initiative, which seeks to eliminate barriers to elephant movement both across and within borders. This means they support a policy that allows elephants to spread into areas that have not previously hosted elephants in our country. They are quite adept at literally taking over a country’s wildlife conservation operation and transforming policy towards animal welfare.
For years, Botswana has been one place where they have not been as active, because the country has been able for a long time to rely very little on international donors to run its wildlife management activities. That has enabled Botswana to have sufficient room to maneuver in the exercise of its independence in conservation. That is why, faced with growing hostility against its sovereign right to use its animals as it sees appropriate to benefit its communities, the country has been able to stand and, in some cases, push back. But such independence is likely to be tested as IFAW sinks its roots firmly into our conservation space.
The engagement with IFAW by Botswana authorities is the second publicized this year, following a courtesy call on the DWNP by IFAW officials earlier this year. The optics matter. There are undoubtedly other engagements behind the scenes between the two parties. The fact that the gift to Botswana was presented by the very top of IFAW is not just a matter of convenience. It is a statement of intent. IFAW is ramping up its presence in Botswana, and things may be about to take a different turn. The fact that a Deputy Permanent Secretary received the donation is partly Botswana’s way of softening the significance of the occasion. Ordinarily, a Permanent Secretary, or even a Minister, would be the recipient. Regardless, clearly the organisation is accelerating its Botswana operation. What we are likely to see are projects that strongly and consistently nudge the country away from hunting and a ramping up of projects that drive communities towards green operations. Such activities and projects will be done in collaboration with like-minded players in the public and private domains. While we need to brace ourselves for a long presence of IFAW in Botswana, it is critical to ensure our conservation policy is not captured to our detriment.
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