Minister Of Tourism and Arts Jean Kapata has lifted the ban on hunting in the 19 hunting blocks with immediate effect. Ms Kapata made the announcement at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Tourism head office in Lusaka this morning.
She however said that the hunting will be conducted under laid down conditions and strict supervision from ZAWA. But that the ban on big Cats still stands. Hunting in the said blocks was suspended in 2013 due to inability to select outfitters in these blocks arising from a flawed process in the tender.
Hunting of Lions and other cats was banned on understanding that their populations were depleted to such low levels that it was not sustainable to hunt them.
She has also appealed to everyone to assist government and ZAWA in the conservation of the wildlife and its habitat in Zambia. She said that Zambia prides itself in having arguably the richest bio-diversity on the continent, which we all should guard against depletion..
Article by: The Zambia Wildlife Authority
Please note that we are not the Zambia Tourism Board and don’t make these policy decisions. We are a private organization dedicated to providing information about travel and tourism in Zambia.
UPDATE: Here is ZAWA’s response to this press release: https://www.zambiatourism.com/zawa-explains-hunting-ban-lift
If the ban on hunting elephants is lifted in Zambia I will do my utmost, through many influential organisations operating worldwide, to inform the tourism public that Zambia is NOT an animal-friendly country ! Your tourism potential for the future lies not in the quick-fix money to be gained from hunting, but in the care of your wildlife heritage. Permit hunting and see the destruction of your tourist industry. My years in Zambia showed me the wealth of your wildlife and the many jobs that non-hunting tourism generated. It would be the greatest folly to imperil that industry in favour of licences to kill. It goes against all current world opinion to do so.
obviously thinking about their own pension fund and not their country.