The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Business Correspondent
THE safari hunting business is poised for a major growth following the recent lifting of the buffalo hunting ban by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
In a statement last week, ZimParks announced that buffalo hunting was now permissible with hunters partaking on the sport expected to use specific hunter’s bow and arrows.
The lifting of the ban is expected to play a part in boosting the country’s tourism sector as bow and arrow hunting is one of the major tourist attractions.
“ZimParks has relaxed conditions relating to the hunting of buffaloes by allowing the use of specific bows and arrows as part of efforts to diversify options for professional hunters and boost revenue from the sport,” read part of the statement.
According to the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe (SOAZ), a series of hunting trials at various wildlife sanctuaries, which proved the use of the bow and arrow, was sustainable.
In an interview with media, SOAZ president Mr Emmanuel Fundira, however, said those intending to conduct buffalo hunts had to acquire licences from the requisite authorities.
“It is not a case of turning up and saying, ‘Look I want to go on a buffalo hunt now.’ They would need a special permit for that,” he said.
The bow and arrow method has long been a tradition in hunting expedition across Africa and safari operators concur that tourists are increasingly interested in the technique.
Mr Langton Masunda, a wildlife conservation and hunting safari operator said bow and arrow hunts were essential in wildlife conservation and tend to lure tourists with a knack for traditional hunting.
“The lifting of the buffalo hunt ban by bow and arrow is commendable. This means master hunters who prefer the bow and arrow will start to do safari trips once again. It is in essence a boost to our tourism and soon, communities will also reap the gains from such activities,” he said.
Mr Masunda said the bow and arrow hunts do not disturb the tranquil environment at both national and private parks, a characteristic that is highly commendable to conservation.
“We have noted that bow and arrow hunts help maintain the silence in the wild as compared to guns. This method is popular with hunters as they would want to gain experience on the old age African tradition. Most importantly, bows and arrows have a higher success rate for hunters,” he said.
Mr Masunda said there was a need for hunting to be regulated to enable rural communities to benefit from it.
Through the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire), communities share in the proceeds from tourism activities, thereby involving individuals in the sustainable conservation of wildlife and forests.
Although the contribution of wildlife hunting is still debatable in most countries, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in its 2013 position paper on wildlife tourism noted that there are benefits to communities driven by the practice.
UNWTO said most hunting missions in Zimbabwe’s communal lands are done by hunters from the United States of America.
