“Trophy hunting in African countries does not contribute to wildlife conservation.”

However, legal, well regulated trophy hunting programmes can, and do, play an important role in delivering benefits for both wildlife conservation and for the livelihoods and wellbeing of indigenous and local communities living with wildlife.

The African rhino case studies suggest that appropriately managed and regulated legal hunting (with trophy exports) can reinforce (rather than compromise) species and habitat conservation.

We further claim that trophy hunting contributes directly to wildlife habitat preservation by deploying constant surveillance and preventing illegal grazing. We propose maintaining trophy hunting as an essential ecological tool in wildlife conservation.

The major threats faced by lion populations included human-wildlife conflict, bushmeat poaching, and habitat loss and fragmentation (primarily associated with livestock expansion and increased demand for land for agricultural purposes), while trophy hunting was not mentioned as a key threat by a single range State. … Despite how it is often perceived in the Global North, trophy hunting was reported by multiple range States as being important for generating revenue, helping maintain wildlife areas, recognizing the value of land for wildlife relative to competing land uses, and for local communities, but this varies between sites.

We determined that sustainable trophy hunting only returns \~30% of the value of crops lost to the community and cannot alone offset the current costs of coexistence with elephants. … Given current levels of crop depredation, the estimated sustainable offtake rate, and the current value gained per-elephant, the value of crops lost in Mashi exceeds the value gained by the conservancy from hunting elephants by US$ 111,000 or \~ US$ 329 for each of the estimated 337 households impacted by elephant crop depredation in Mashi.

The preferences of hunting clients highlight the potential for trophy hunting to create incentives for wildlife conservation and community development in Africa, in multiple countries, including those where ecotourism may not be viable, and in areas within well-visited countries that are off the tourist circuit.

Our review suggests that trophy hunting can provide conservation benefits for lions where well managed, or alternatively constitute a significant threat where governance of the industry is poor.

Under the baseline of trophy hunting with poaching, populations of white rhino on private land continue to increase until around 2040–2045, and then decline to almost zero by around 2050–2055. … The argument that trophy hunting is required to pay for high security costs therefore is not supported by the outputs of the present model. … This paper furthermore finds that there is evidence for the so called “trading on extinction” outcome in the trophy hunting scenario, with high trophy hunting prices resulting in profitability, but driving white rhino ultimately to extinction.

Given that the benefits generated from hunting and tourism typically begin at different times in a conservancy's life-span (earlier vs. later, respectively) and flow to different segments of local communities, these 2 activities together may provide the greatest incentives for conservation on communal lands in Namibia. … A singular focus on either hunting or tourism would reduce the value of wildlife as a competitive land-use option and have grave repercussions for the viability of community-based conservation efforts in Namibia, and possibly other parts of Africa.

On the contrary, this research revealed that conservation activities were the least funded by trophy hunting revenue; ecological monitoring (0.33%), anti-pouching (6.66%), problem animal control (1.98%), and conservation awareness training (0.73%). Most patrols in 2022 were donor-funded, even though trophy hunting yielded a positive net benefit. This implies that conservation is not a priority in trophy hunting expenditures and is possible even without trophy hunting.

The IUCN at the 2004 WCC adopted Recommendation 3.093 stating that it “Supports the philosophy and practice that on state, communal and privately-owned land in southern Africa the sustainable and well-managed consumptive use of wildlife makes a contribution to biodiversity conservation” and further, that it “accepts that well-managed recreational hunting has a role in the managed sustainable consumptive use of wildlife populations”. … Trophy hunting is a form of wildlife use that, when well managed, may assist in furthering conservation objectives by creating the revenue and economic incentives for the management and conservation of the target species and its habitat, as well as supporting local livelihoods. … Trophy hunting has been a central driver of this transformation. It is by far the largest generator of benefits from sustainable consumptive wildlife use, with 41 Conservancies hosting 40 trophy hunting concessions during 2011.

Large herbivores generally thrived as well, or even better, in the hunting areas than in the national park. … When rigorously managed, trophy hunting areas may be relevant conservation areas for large herbivores, particularly under the current global decline of wildlife abundance across Africa.

Trophy hunting provides the economic incentive required to justify wildlife conservation as a form of land use. … In southern Africa, hunting played an important role in the shift from pastoralism to wildlife conservation as a form of land use (Barnes and deJager, 1996; Child and Child, 2015; Cloete et al., 2007), with some benefit to wildlife abundance. … There is evidence of the positive role played by hunting in wildlife conservation in Africa (Lindsey et al., 2013; Strampelli et al., 2022)

Despite claims by trophy hunting organizations that hunting promotes wildlife conversation in Africa, there is evidence that trophy hunting causes populations of African lions to decline. … There are too many uncertainties to justify trophy hunting by pointing to benefits for wildlife conservations. … Trophy hunting is not consistent with “sustainable use”.

However, limited, well regulated quotas may be compatible with large carnivore conservation. … However, limiting harvests to older males has been shown to be sustainable (Creel et al., 2016, Whitman et al., 2004) and there is evidence that trophy hunting incentivises conservation of wild habitats and provides revenues for conservation (Lindsey et al., 2012).

There are significant financial benefits associated with lion hunting in that it is one of the most lucrative trophy species and can provide revenue to government and communities to incentivize protection of lion habitat and populations [14]. … On the other hand, hunting of lions can disrupt social organization and cause superadditive effects on cub survival, and policies regulating hunting for lions and other large carnivores often fail to avoid negative population growth [15, 18]. … Studies continue to demonstrate strong population impacts on lions from trophy hunting, ranging from male depletion, skewed sex ratios, elevated levels of infanticide, and population decline [12,15,20–28], but isolating the effects of trophy hunting from other sources of mortality, particularly in lion populations traversing gradients of protection has been difficult [13].

In southern Africa, where many PLCAs rely on trophy hunting as an income‐generating strategy, a potential ban on trophy hunting locally or abroad holds unknown consequences for the future conservation of these lands. … The majority of interviewees believed that both the economic viability of their PLCA and biodiversity would be lost following a hunting ban. … Our results suggest that a trophy hunting ban may have many unintended consequences for biodiversity conservation, national economies, and the livelihoods of PLCA owners and employees.

Hunting, including trophy hunting, is a tradition which contributes significantly to conservation and national economies (Aiyadurai 2011). … In sub-Saharan Africa, 23 countries have legalized trophy hunting and practice it as both an economic and conservation tool (Baker 1997; Lindsey et al. 2007) and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, trophy hunting generated at least US$201 million annually from approximately 18,500 international hunting clients (Lindsey 2008).

Legal, regulated tourist hunting of African leopard (Panthera pardus) benefits the species through mitigation of the primary threats: habitat loss and fragmentation; increased human populations leading to higher incidence of human-wildlife conflict; poaching and illegal wildlife trade; and prey base declines.

However, legal, well regulated trophy hunting programmes can, and do, play an important role in delivering benefits for both wildlife conservation and for the livelihoods and wellbeing of indigenous and local communities living with wildlife. … Well managed trophy hunting, which takes place in many parts of the world, can and does generate critically needed incentives and revenue for government, private and community landowners to maintain and restore wildlife as a land use and to carry out conservation actions (including anti-poaching interventions). … Trophy hunting programmes have contributed to the recovery of African White and Black Rhinos

RECOGNIZING that well-managed and sustainable trophy hunting is consistent with and contributes to species conservation, as it provides both livelihood opportunities for rural communities and incentives for habitat conservation, and generates benefits which can be invested for conservation purposes;

Our results show that biodiversity exerts a positive effect on the economic benefits generated from these two ecosystem services produced on communal lands in Namibia. The richness of large wildlife species is positively related to income derived from ecotourism and trophy hunting after statistically controlling for potentially confounding variables such as a conservancy's geographic characteristics and human population size. … Biodiversity, as represented by large wildlife species, appears to play a dominant role in the generation of benefits from trophy hunting, relative to other contributing factors. … The conservation of biodiversity in Namibia is not only of aesthetic or ethical significance, but yields tangible economic benefits that enhance the well-being of rural communities in one of the world's poorest regions.

Hunting and photographic tourism provide ecosystem services that can facilitate conservation.

In places where hunting is poorly managed, as is the case in some parts of Africa, the claim that trophy hunting provides conservation benefits is much harder to prove, especially for species with populations that have already been depleted. … On the whole, though, the evidence shows that trophy hunting is having negative impacts across sub-Saharan Africa. According to scientists, unsustainably high rates of trophy hunting have caused population declines in African lions and possibly African leopards.

These ecological systems cannot be ignored not least because of their importance as sources of government revenues but because of their role in biodiversity conservation.

It is argued that trophy hunting of large, charismatic mammal species can have consider able conservation benefits but only if undertaken sustainably.

However, legal, well regulated trophy hunting programmes can – and do – play an important role in delivering benefits for both wildlife conservation and for the livelihoods and wellbeing of indigenous and local communities living with wildlife.

missing-the-mark-african-trophy-hunting-fails-to-show-consistent-conservation-benefits-

### Ensuring that leopard trophy hunting is not detrimental to the survival of the species ### (CITES 17.9.… should produce conservation benefits for the species)

Arguments used to support bans often mischaracterize trophy hunting and its impacts and fail to recognize the benefits it can, and does, have for wildlife and people.

Trophy hunting has potential to support conservation financing and contribute towards rural development. … trophy hunting providing incentives for wildlife conservation (e.g., law enforcement and habitat protection) and rural communities’ development. … We conclude that trophy hunting is still relevant in wildlife conservation and rural communities’ development especially in developing economies where conservation financing is inadequate due to fiscal constraints.

Here we explain how trophy hunting, if well managed, can play a positive role in supporting conservation as well as local community rights and livelihoods, and we provide examples from various parts of the world.

In the decades since many African states won their independence, trophy hunting has proven to be an effective, market-based tool to raise revenue and create economic incentives for wildlife conservation and sustainable development. … The principal conservation benefits of trophy hunting in Africa are the creation of economic incentives to conserve wildlife habitat and healthy wildlife populations.

The authors conclude: “In the context of trophy hunting, our work provides a vital counterpoint to previous studies, by showing that not only are attitudes and willingness-to-pay among international visitors to South Africa sufficient to replace the revenue from trophy hunting, but that attitudes to wildlife and willingness to accept novel income sources among the local populations are sufficient to permit such revenue to enact animal welfare and species conservation goals in areas adjacent to lion habitats.”

As of 2017, more than a fifth of conservancies had higher estimated costs than economic returns from hunting and tourism.

There is substantial evidence that the controversial practice of trophy hunting can produce positive outcomes for wildlife conservation and local people.

Addressing parliament, Daniel says conservation hunting forms a key component of Namibia’s integrated strategy for sustainable development and wildlife conservation.

Mammal population densities were lower outside protected areas, particularly because of commercial hunting.

However, legal, well regulated trophy hunting programmes can – and do – play an important role in delivering benefits for both wildlife conservation and for the livelihoods and wellbeing of indigenous and local communities living with wildlife.

Although the contribution of trophy hunting as a conservation tool is widely recognised, there is perpetual debate and polarization on its sustainability. … Though it provides financial resources need for conservation in some countries, trophy hunting works well in areas where animal populations are healthy and not threatened by illegal harvesting and other disturbances. … In cases where off-takerates arelow and conservativeand rigorously managed, trophy hunting areas maybe valuable conservation zones wildlife species (Crosmary et al., 2015a).

The trophy hunting industry plays a small but vital role in shaping the conservation policy in Tanzania, especially in remote rural areas. While the importance of photographic tourism to the country is well-documented, the role of tourism (or trophy) hunting is underemphasized and poorly understood in terms of its economic importance and contribution to conserving the vast wilderness areas outside of the national parks and game reserves.

In the scientific conservation literature, researchers are generally supportive of or sympathetic to its usage as a source of monetary support for con servation. … Brought to bear on this conversation are the various ways trophy hunting may (or may not) support conservation goals, for example, by generating funds or reducing poaching (Di Minin et al., 2016; but see Ripple, Newsome, & Kerley, 2016 for a discussion of trophy hunting's potentially adverse effects on biodiversity). … And yet, the proposition that trophy hunting is imperative to the future of conservation has so far largely been advanced and accepted without compelling empirical support (Peterson & Nelson, 2017; Van de Pitte, 2003).

Although hunting is managed differently on these different land types, the overall goal is to provide a tangible value for wildlife to those living on the land as this motivates land-holders to conserve wild animals and their natural habitat. … It is especially important that Namibian hunting outfitters and professional hunters introduce their foreign clients to the precepts of conservation hunting and how well managed hunting contributes to Namibian people and wildlife.

This policy briefing challenges this approach, arguing that trophy hunting, particularly of endangered species, should be removed from the national biodiversity strategy due to overstated economic benefits and high ecological costs. … Trophy hunting as a biodiversity conservation strategy is questionable on economic and ecological grounds.

Where enforcement and governance are strong, regulated hunting helps finance habitat protection, expand species range, and bolster anti-poaching capacity (Naidoo et al., 2016; Lindsey et al., 2007).

Trophy hunting is an important contributor to development. More research on the economics of the industry is needed. … The conclusion can be made that the trophy hunting industry in Namibia is significant economically. All economic activities in the industry generate N$134 million (US$19.6 million) in gross output, and N$63 million (US$9.2 million) in gross value added.

The social and economic benefits derived from sustainable use, including revenues from trophy hunting, provide valuable incentives for local people to conserve wildlife. … Trophy hunting finances the conservation of threatened species, such as the Black Rhino in southern Africa. … A minimum of 1.3 million km2 is protected with revenue from trophy hunting in sub Saharan Africa, which exceeds the area encompassed by national parks.

The IUCN at the 2004 WCC adopted Recommendation 3.093 stating that it “Supports the philosophy and practice that on state, communal and privately-owned land in southern Africa the sustainable and well-managed consumptive use of wildlife makes a contribution to biodiversity conservation” and further, that it “accepts that well-managed recreational hunting has a role in the managed sustainable consumptive use of wildlife populations”. … Trophy hunting is a form of wildlife use that, when well managed, may assist in furthering conservation objectives by creating the revenue and economic incentives for the management and conservation of the target species and its habitat, as well as supporting local livelihoods. … Trophy hunting has been a central driver of this transformation. It is by far the largest generator of benefits from sustainable consumptive wildlife use, with 41 Conservancies hosting 40 trophy hunting concessions during 2011.

Evidence is lacking to give an answer to the conservation value of trophy hunting.

What will happen to biodiversity and rural communities if hunting is consigned to the dustbin of history?