WILD-BW: WHEN ELAPHANTS LIVES MATTER MORE THAN HUMANS

Two separate, but related incidents occurred during the recent independence holidays that brought into sharp focus the continuous but deadly tango dance between humans and elephants in some parts of our country. One was the issue of permits to kill 21 elephants by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to provide meat to communities that live near elephants. The other was an incident where tourists being transported on Mekoro (wooden boats) had encounters with some aggressive elephants while enjoying their canoes near Shorobe. With the first incident it is worth noting that the DWNP didn’t just issue permits for the killing of elephants, but also for other species such as Kudus. This is a perfectly normal procedure that has endured for decades. Some of us grew up having game meat during independence celebrations. In fact it has always been a highlight of the celebrations. But alas we live in different times. We are now told by the so called conservationists, that we will upset their “majesties “the elephants. We are told that they are so smart that they will now begin to literally hunt us down and cause more mayhem than they have been causing with the many unreported attacks that have been happening. All this because government, in an attempt to provide meat to the custodians of these creatures dared to allow them an infinitesimal proportion of the stock. Already CITES, (Convention on Trade in Endangered Species) has allowed Botswana to put down 400 of the roughly 130 thousand and counting of the beasts. What we also know is that this figure is never really realized. Now we are told by the conservationists that killing 21 of them for Independence Day meat is a bad idea.  The hypocrisy of this outrage is ridiculously obvious because it seems to care for the welfare of the people when it is not. In addition it seems to claim that wildlife experts who authorized the permits are not conservationists themselves. I am truly speechless.

As for the second incident, we do not see any sympathy for the poor folks who were attacked by the elephants. Instead we are subjected to vitriol that the incident is a result of the killing of the old male elephants which provide guidance to the young bulls. They even claim that 2000 old males have been killed in the past six years since the ban on hunting was lifted. That maybe the case. We simply do not know. The outrage is obviously aimed at putting pressure on the government to reintroduce a moratorium on hunting. It is externally motivated. What is clear also is that these are wild animals. Wild animals will always be dangerous. They are not our cousins. I maybe a Motloung, but I would do very well to stay clear of it. It is also very clear that the numbers are growing every year and the rise in conflicts will occur.

These two incidents reminded me of the outrage that occurred last year when the Namibian government announced it would kill some wild animals, including elephants to feed starving communities in that country because of the drought. It was your animal rights activists who again trumpeted their disgust at a legitimate decision by a state caring for its people. It is not the first time and it certainly will not end. What is worth repeating is that sustainable use of the natural resources is a legitimate and well proven strategy for conservation. Demonizing hunting is always going to be an exhibition of disrespect for human life. It is not a balanced approach to conservation. It is a one sided approach that relies on stoking emotional reactions to achieve its goals.