Justicia Shipena
Environment, Forestry and Tourism minister Indileni Daniel says Namibia will continue to oppose international pressure from anti-hunting groups calling for a ban on trophy hunting.
Daniel said such campaigns threaten the country’s conservation model and communal conservancy programme.
Daniel made the remarks in Parliament while responding to questions from Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Diederick Vries on the role of trophy hunting in Namibia’s economy and conservation system.
Daniel said the pressure from international groups conflicts with Namibia’s philosophy of sustainable use of wildlife and could undermine conservation efforts if not addressed.
The international hunting community has faced growing criticism from anti-hunting groups in recent years, as debates around trophy hunting continue worldwide.
Trophy hunting refers to the killing of wild animals for sport, where hunters keep parts of the animal as trophies. These trophies may include the head, horns, antlers, teeth, hide or sometimes the entire body. In Namibia, animals commonly hunted include kudu, black wildebeest and gemsbok.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism regulates the practice by issuing permits based on quotas determined through scientific studies and wildlife population data. Each hunting client must also be accompanied by a registered professional hunter.
Clients may export part of the hunted animal as a trophy, while most of the animal enters the local food chain.
According to Daniel, trophy hunting removes less than 1% of Namibia’s wildlife population each year.
She said wildlife populations typically grow between 25% and 35% annually, adding that for slower-breeding species such as elephants, which reproduce at around 3% to 5% per year, hunting offtake is far lower at about 0.2%.
Daniel said international hunting clients from Europe, the United States and other regions contribute to Namibia’s wildlife economy and support conservation programmes aimed at restoring wildlife populations.
Data from communal conservancies between 2013 and 2024 shows that trophy hunting generated more revenue than joint venture tourism in those areas.
During that period, communal conservancies earned about N$166.3 million from tourism joint ventures, while trophy hunting generated about N$292.5 million.
Earlier this year, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) reported that trophy hunting generates about N$400 million annually for the country. Many hunters travel from Texas in the United States to take part in hunting activities.
According to NTB, trophy hunting contributes about 14% to Namibia’s tourism sector and accounts for roughly 2.3% of the country’s gross domestic product.
Daniel said both sectors support employment, training and community development. She added that hunting also provides protein in the form of meat for rural communities.
Revenue from hunting also supports other businesses such as taxidermists, lodges, fuel stations, curio shops and restaurants.
She said wildlife off-take quotas are determined using the best available data, including population estimates, age and sex structure, population trends and environmental conditions.
“Annual quotas are issued in three-year cycles to allow conservancies, national parks and farmers to enter contracts with hunting operators. The quota-setting process was reviewed in 2018 to strengthen oversight and ensure quotas are based on scientific data.”
The process is overseen by the Quota Setting Coordinating Committee, which includes ministry technical staff and conservation organisations. Communal conservancies and national parks also participate before final quotas are approved by the ministry.
Daniel said the income generated by hunting helps fund anti-poaching patrols, habitat management and community development programmes.
She said these incentives help sustain a wildlife-based economy and discourage land from being converted to other uses that could harm biodiversity and conservation goals.
Two months ago, the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) said trophy hunting is not allowed in Namibia during December and January. The association explained that the break is a deliberate decision based on wildlife management science to protect animals during a vulnerable period.
In 2020, dozens of members of the European Parliament and several conservation groups called for a global ban on trophy hunting of endangered species such as rhinos and elephants.
Global wildlife trade is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The treaty bans commercial trade in more than 1 000 animal and plant species that are considered endangered and listed under its Appendix I category.
