Botswana's Elephant Hunt Threatens Mature Bulls: Report

The Impact of Trophy Hunting on Botswana’s Elephant Population

The reintroduction of elephant trophy hunting in Botswana in 2019, after a five-year ban, has raised significant concerns among researchers and conservationists. A recent report suggests that this practice is likely causing a severe decline in the number of large, older bulls within the population. This shift not only threatens the survival of these majestic animals but also alters their behavior, according to experts.

Since 2019, Botswana has allowed approximately 400 elephants to be hunted annually, which represents about 0.3% of the country’s total elephant population. Trophy hunters typically target tuskers—elephants with large tusks—which are often mature bulls over the age of 30. According to a report by Elephants Without Borders (EWB), a Botswana-based nonprofit organization, this preference for mature bulls has significant implications for the overall population structure.

To understand the effects of the hunting quota and other factors on bull populations, EWB researchers conducted simulation models. These models indicated that as the hunting quota increases, the number of mature bulls in the population decreases. At the current level of 0.3%, trophy hunting could reduce the number of bulls older than 30 years by a quarter and those older than 50 by half compared to populations without hunting.

Older bulls, although a small percentage of the elephant population, play a crucial role in the social dynamics of elephant herds. They contribute to breeding, teach younger bulls essential social behaviors, and retain cultural memories that are vital for the survival of the herd. Their absence can have long-term consequences for the stability and resilience of elephant populations.

In addition to trophy hunting, elephant bulls face threats from poaching, droughts, diseases, and human-elephant conflicts. However, the report highlights that Botswana’s wildlife department does not consider these additional factors when setting its hunting quotas. This oversight may lead to an inaccurate assessment of the true impact of hunting on the population.

Leon Kachelhoffer, deputy chair of the Botswana Wildlife Producers Association, which represents professional hunters, expressed concerns about the current annual elephant hunting quota. He stated that the quota is too high and that it needs to be reduced. “Government won’t admit, but we need to reduce the annual hunting quota and allocate some bulls for population management,” Kachelhoffer said. He added that he has 10 bulls on quota but is willing to hunt only five because he needs the other five for breeding. “At its current offtake rate, bull hunting is unsustainable.”

Mark Chase, director of EWB, shared observations that the current level of hunting has already led to noticeable behavioral changes among elephants. “Since the hunting reopened in 2019, elephants are more alert, more unpredictable, move at night to avoid people, and shift entirely out of areas where they are being targeted,” he explained.

“Elephants are highly intelligent and quickly distinguish safe from unsafe landscapes,” he added. “As a result, fewer animals use hunting blocks now.” This displacement creates what scientists refer to as “landscapes of fear,” which can disrupt natural movement routes, weaken habitat connectivity, and increase the likelihood of human-elephant conflict.

During the recent CITES summit on global wildlife trade, Wynter Molotsi, Botswana’s minister of wildlife and national parks, emphasized that both consumptive and nonconsumptive wildlife utilization continue to coexist. She noted that the country views these practices as complementary, aiming to grow its economy and empower rural communities.