World
Botswana authorises hunt of 23 elephants
BBC News··30 Sept
Animal rights activists criticised Botswana for authorising the killing of 23 elephants for meat at 60th independence celebrations on Wednesday. A Ministry of Environment and Tourism licence seen by local media allows hunting of 23 elephants and other wild animals for complimentary purposes. The Elephant Protection Society warned the decision could undermine conservation. The BBC sought government comment.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Game meat from the quota is expected at Independence Day feasts across districts.
- Some residents raised foot-and-mouth disease concerns about eating the meat.
- Local images showed people gathering around carcasses in several areas.
What's Happening
- The 23 elephants were allocated across eight districts, the BBC reported.
- It was unclear how many animals had been killed by Wednesday morning.
- Society chairman Oaitse Nawa said sanctioned kills could encourage poaching.
Hunting policy backdrop
- Botswana has more than 130,000 elephants, the world's largest population.
- Trophy hunting was banned in 2014, then resumed five years later under Masisi.
- Minister Wynter Mmolotsi said special elephant quotas raised 15.6m pula in 2025.
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