Kgosi Khama IV of Bagammangwato has challenged the government to explain the scientific basis of Botswana’s 2026 hunting quotas for elephants, lions and leopards, raising concerns that wildlife policy may be influenced by external hunting interests.
He has asked the Minister of Environment and Tourism during the ongoing sitting of Ntlo ya Dikgosi, how Botswana’s hunting quotas were determined, what proportion of each population would be removed, and on what evidence this was considered sustainable.
He questioned whether Conservation Force, a foreign pro-trophy hunting organisation, assisted in drafting Botswana’s elephant and leopard management plans, and why external lobby groups would shape national wildlife policy instead of independent Batswana scientists and institutions.
Khama also queried whether the Department of Wildlife and National Parks has up-to-date population and age-structure data for lions and leopards in hunting areas.
On elephants, he noted that Non-Detriment Findings recommend quotas not exceed 0.5 percent of the population in hunting blocks, about 135 animals, yet the 2025 quota was about 410 elephants, nearly 0.9 percent. He asked how the ministry justified exceeding this limit, and how elephant numbers were said to be increasing while carcass ratios have risen across northern Botswana.
The response to the question is expected this week.