Botswana´S President to Send Elephants to Germany

Botswana's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, has threatened Germany to send 20,000 elephants due to dispute over the import of hunting trophies.

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The African leader criticised the German government – particularly the environment ministry – for seeking to ban the import of trophies despite Botswana’s” overpopulation” of elephants.

The German Environment Ministry, from the Green Party, raised the possibility of imposing stricter limits on the import of hunting trophies over concerns about poaching few months ago. But a ban on the import of hunting trophies would only impoverish Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi told the German newspaper Bild.

Masisi told the newspaper that Germany’s Green party could learn to cohabitate with elephants without hunting them.

The African leader argued that conservation efforts have led to an explosion in elephant numbers and that hunting is an important means of keeping them under control. Botswana banned trophy hunting in 2014 but lifted restrictions in 2019 under pressure from local communities. The country now grants annual hunting quotas.

In his declaration the president of Botswana said ”It is very easy to sit in Berlin and have an opinion about our affairs in Botswana. We are paying the price for preserving these animals for the world – and even for Lemke’s party.”

He added “Herds of elephants were causing property damage, eating crops and running over residents.”

“This is not a joke,” said Masisi, whose country has seen its elephant population grow to about 130,000.

Botswana, which is home to the largest population of elephants in the world, has already offered 8,000 to Angola and another 500 to Mozambique to address what Masisi called “overpopulation.” In March, authorities also threatened to send 10,000 elephants to London.

“We would like to offer such a gift to Germany,” Masisi declared, adding that he “wouldn't take no for an answer.”

A spokesman for the Environment Ministry in Berlin said Botswana had not raised any issues with Germany.

For his part, a spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry said that Botswana has not raised any concerns with the German government on this matter.

On the other hand, the German environment ministry spokeswoman Iris Throm said that the ministry remained in talks with African countries affected by import rules, including Botswana.

Germany is one of the largest importers of hunting trophies in the European Union.

African elephant hunting trophies already require import authorization under current regulations, he added.

Discussions within the European Union on more severe import restrictions focus on expanding the list of protected species.