The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) announced a plan last month to create five “mega living conservation landscapes” and consequently conserve an area equal to seven Kruger National Parks. Surely this is desirable?
The debate polarises around the means by which this will be achieved. This extension of conserved land is planned to be funded by biodiversity businesses, such as hunting, bioprospecting, and plant trade. Opponents of this strategy argue that there will be a large increase in the numbers of “big game hunters” and prey. They point out that 1.8 billion rand (89 million euros) was paid by 6,242 international clients who killed 36,500 animals in 2022. They estimate that the new plan will require an increase of 155% more international hunters to 15,900, killing 93,000 animals. This at a time when sporting trophy hunting is in rapid and significant decline.
In the opponents Daily Maverick article, “Government trying to slam through plan…
