By Francis Lungu | Updated: 31 May,2015
THE Zambia Wildlife Authority has released lion and
leopard population statistics which are contrary to the estimates
announced by tourism minister Jean Kapata.
Lifting the ban on hunting of the big cats, Kapata last week said her ministry had done an aerial survey and established that the country had more than 4,000 lions and leopards were in excess of 8,000.
Kapata’s decision was, however, heavily opposed by conservationists, who said Zambia currently did not have proper data on wildlife statistics.
According to a statement released on Friday by ZAWA public relations officer Sakabilo Kalembwe, the authority indicated it was conscious of the fact that Zambia only had three big cat clusters in the Luangwa Valley, Kafue and Lower Zambezi ecological systems. “ZAWA is taking a cautionary approach to the lion population. It is currently estimated that in all the three clusters there are between 1,500 to 2,500 lions and about 4,000 leopards as the worst case scenario,” Kalembwe stated.
He stated that big cats were never counted in the same manner as antelope or other larger mammals. “Cats by nature are secretive and are not usually found in very large numbers like impalas or Zebras,” Kalembwe stated.
The authority stated that the estimates of the big cats were based on long term monitoring, and that different conservationists had given varying lion population estimates in Zambia depending on the extent of their observations.
ZAWA noted that Zambia was currently ranked highly in terms of its big cat population in the sub-region after Tanzania, South Africa and Botswana.
Kalembwe further stated that the African Cats Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (CSG IUCN) considered Zambia’s lion population to be medium with a stable population status trend.
According to ZAWA, from a global perspective, Zambia’s lion population could be hunted and trophies exported.
The authority stated that proceeds from the hunting would generate reasonable income for the country. “Hunting of big cats contributes to the local and the national economy through job creation, tourism, and ultimately income generated contributes significantly to conservation of wildlife resources,” Kalembwe stated.
He stated that only selected lions would be hunted. “Guidelines regulating lion hunting have been developed. These guidelines prescribe hunting of male lions aged six years and above and these lions should not be associated with any pride. This implies that these cats being hunted are old and are no longer breeding, thus have a diminished biological function,” said Kalembwe.
source
Kalifungwa cautions govt on lifting big cats hunting ban
By Gift Chanda | Updated: 30 May,2015
THE government is creating problems by lifting the ban
on the hunting of lions and leopards without conducting a census, says
former tourism minister Professor Patrick Kalifungwa.
Last week, tourism minister Jean Kapata lifted the ban on hunting lions and leopards, which was imposed following allegations of corruption in the awarding of government hunting concessions as well as depletion of prides and leaps.
Kapata said the move was based on fresh field assessments that estimated that there are 4,000 lions and 8,000 leopards in the country although sources within ZAWA say no census had been conducted in recent years.
Conservationists, who have condemned the lifting of the ban, revealed that the government’s figures were wrong as no census had been conducted. “A census has to be done. When you do the census, you will know how to control what is available but if the census hasn’t been done, then it will be a problem for them,” Prof Kalifungwa said. “I don’t know if they have done any aerial surveys to see what the numbers are. If they haven’t, then it is a problem they are creating for themselves.”
Some of the problems that led to the ban included declining lion populations in some areas due to over-harvesting, hunting of underage lions and depletion of the lion habitats.
Prof Kalifungwa, the Vice-Chancellor of Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM), said it was also important that the allocation of the hunting concessions be properly reviewed. “There has to be a proper allocation because some people hunt for sport; others hunt for trophies,” he said. “I don’t know what the ministry has done in terms of allocation; whether they are allocating these licences based on the information which they have gotten from the field or just allocating.” He called for transparency in the awarding of the government hunting concessions.
Prof Kalifungwa said the government must make sure that there are no complaints of corruption and only people that meet the required standards are given the concessions. “If there is no transparency in the licensing of the hunting blocs, then that is another problem,” he said. He said the best way to root out corruption in the awarding of the government hunting concessions was by involving all the stakeholders. “It cannot be done by a few people. We need to involve a lot of people,” said Prof Kalifungwa. “The people from ZAWA, tourism and even stakeholders in tourism, the communities; they all have to be incorporated so that the process is transparent. It shouldn’t be done just within the ministry. The outsiders need to be incorporated so that they have a voice and see what is being done.
source
Lifting the ban on hunting of the big cats, Kapata last week said her ministry had done an aerial survey and established that the country had more than 4,000 lions and leopards were in excess of 8,000.
Kapata’s decision was, however, heavily opposed by conservationists, who said Zambia currently did not have proper data on wildlife statistics.
According to a statement released on Friday by ZAWA public relations officer Sakabilo Kalembwe, the authority indicated it was conscious of the fact that Zambia only had three big cat clusters in the Luangwa Valley, Kafue and Lower Zambezi ecological systems. “ZAWA is taking a cautionary approach to the lion population. It is currently estimated that in all the three clusters there are between 1,500 to 2,500 lions and about 4,000 leopards as the worst case scenario,” Kalembwe stated.
He stated that big cats were never counted in the same manner as antelope or other larger mammals. “Cats by nature are secretive and are not usually found in very large numbers like impalas or Zebras,” Kalembwe stated.
The authority stated that the estimates of the big cats were based on long term monitoring, and that different conservationists had given varying lion population estimates in Zambia depending on the extent of their observations.
ZAWA noted that Zambia was currently ranked highly in terms of its big cat population in the sub-region after Tanzania, South Africa and Botswana.
Kalembwe further stated that the African Cats Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (CSG IUCN) considered Zambia’s lion population to be medium with a stable population status trend.
According to ZAWA, from a global perspective, Zambia’s lion population could be hunted and trophies exported.
The authority stated that proceeds from the hunting would generate reasonable income for the country. “Hunting of big cats contributes to the local and the national economy through job creation, tourism, and ultimately income generated contributes significantly to conservation of wildlife resources,” Kalembwe stated.
He stated that only selected lions would be hunted. “Guidelines regulating lion hunting have been developed. These guidelines prescribe hunting of male lions aged six years and above and these lions should not be associated with any pride. This implies that these cats being hunted are old and are no longer breeding, thus have a diminished biological function,” said Kalembwe.
source
***
y Gift Chanda
|
Updated: 30 May,2015
By Gift Chanda | Updated: 30 May,2015
Last week, tourism minister Jean Kapata lifted the ban on hunting lions and leopards, which was imposed following allegations of corruption in the awarding of government hunting concessions as well as depletion of prides and leaps.
Kapata said the move was based on fresh field assessments that estimated that there are 4,000 lions and 8,000 leopards in the country although sources within ZAWA say no census had been conducted in recent years.
Conservationists, who have condemned the lifting of the ban, revealed that the government’s figures were wrong as no census had been conducted. “A census has to be done. When you do the census, you will know how to control what is available but if the census hasn’t been done, then it will be a problem for them,” Prof Kalifungwa said. “I don’t know if they have done any aerial surveys to see what the numbers are. If they haven’t, then it is a problem they are creating for themselves.”
Some of the problems that led to the ban included declining lion populations in some areas due to over-harvesting, hunting of underage lions and depletion of the lion habitats.
Prof Kalifungwa, the Vice-Chancellor of Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM), said it was also important that the allocation of the hunting concessions be properly reviewed. “There has to be a proper allocation because some people hunt for sport; others hunt for trophies,” he said. “I don’t know what the ministry has done in terms of allocation; whether they are allocating these licences based on the information which they have gotten from the field or just allocating.” He called for transparency in the awarding of the government hunting concessions.
Prof Kalifungwa said the government must make sure that there are no complaints of corruption and only people that meet the required standards are given the concessions. “If there is no transparency in the licensing of the hunting blocs, then that is another problem,” he said. He said the best way to root out corruption in the awarding of the government hunting concessions was by involving all the stakeholders. “It cannot be done by a few people. We need to involve a lot of people,” said Prof Kalifungwa. “The people from ZAWA, tourism and even stakeholders in tourism, the communities; they all have to be incorporated so that the process is transparent. It shouldn’t be done just within the ministry. The outsiders need to be incorporated so that they have a voice and see what is being done.
source
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