Foreign hunters spend over R1 billion a year in SA

Foreign trophy hunters spent R1.24 billion in South Africa in 2012, according to a new study by North West University.

This is R400 million more than estimated by the Department of Environmental Affairs, according to a report commissioned by the Professional Hunter’s Association of South Africa.

Around 9 000 regular hunters visit South Africa a year, according to association CE Adri Kitshoff, with the majority (88%) coming from the United States. Other hunters came from Denmark, Germany, France, Mexico and Russia, Business Day reports.

In comparison, South Africa is estimated to have 250 000 domestic hunters. The entire industry is worth R6.5 billion, according to the association.

"The biggest benefit of trophy hunting is the conservation of…species…it is also a big economic contributor to local communities in the mostly rural areas where it takes place," said Prof Piers van der Merwe, one of the researchers for the report. Trophy hunting and private game ownership has seen private game reserves grow from four to around 10 000 over fifty years and game headcount grow from 500 000 to 16 million in the same period, according to the association.

Wildlife poaching under the microscope

Rhino poaching is “grave concern” – Minister Molewa

Thai man pleads guilty to South African rhino smuggling

South Africa fights surging rhino killings in remote Kruger

The report said the average hunter’s daily fees were more than $3 300. They spent on average $7 891 on game and more than $17 000 on the full experience. A total of 214 springbok netting $101,436 and nearly 100 impala for $39,867 were hunted in 2012, making them the two most-hunted species in South Africa. Lion and kudu are the biggest income generators with a lion costing over $18 000 each. Most of the lions shot are bred in captivity.

Driving the hunting industry in South Africa was the fact that some African countries like Botswana and Zambia had banned hunting due to corrupt hunting practices that negatively affected species. Namibia and Tanzania are two countries that rank along with South Africa as major hunting destinations on the continent. Namibia was in the spotlight earlier this year after a permit to hunt a black rhino in Namibia sold for $350 000 at an auction in Dallas with proceeds going to protect the endangered animals despite protests from animal rights groups that saw the sale as immoral conservation.

The license allows for the killing of a single, post-breeding bull, with Namibian wildlife officials on hand for the hunt to make sure an appropriate animal is selected. The hunt will help in managing the population and provide an underfunded Namibian government hard cash in the expensive battle to thwart poachers.

There are about 25,000 rhinos in Africa - 20,000 white rhinos and 5,000 black rhinos - with the majority in South Africa. Namibia is one of the leading habitats after that.

Both countries allow for a few, carefully regulated hunts under internationally approved guidelines each year with proceeds going to fund conservation.

Rhino protection has grown more expensive in the last few years due to a surge in poaching fuelled by international crime syndicates to feed demand in places such as Vietnam, where horn is used as a traditional medicine and sold at prices higher than gold.

Nearly 950 rhino were killed by poachers in South Africa in 2013, its environment ministry said.

In Namibia, little poaching has occurred over the past decade, with only 10 animals killed since 2006 - half of which were last year, wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC said.

For more reading please visit: 
http://guidesandrangers.blogspot.co.uk/