Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, has voiced criticism against proposed legislation in Britain aimed at prohibiting the import of trophies from hunted endangered animals, including elephant tusks.
While the British government asserts that the ban will play a crucial role in safeguarding threatened wildlife, Mr. Masisi has defended trophy hunting as a method of managing the elephant population.
In an interview with the BBC, he lamented the lack of efforts to comprehend the potential impact of the ban on his country, describing it as a “sad tragedy.”
Mr. Masisi labeled the move as “hypocritical,” pointing out that Britain permits the hunting of stags and the export of their antlers.
Botswana lifted a moratorium on hunting in 2019, citing an elephant population of over 130,000 and a rise in instances of human-wildlife conflict in the southern African nation.