GABORONE, June 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi said he will lead a delegation to Angola in a bid to seek ways to reduce the growing elephant population.
“We are seeking ways and means of reducing our elephant population due to the growing conflict between people and wildlife,” said Masisi.
According to the president, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Kitso Mokaila and Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Unity Dow will be included in the delegation.
Botswana, home to almost one-third of Africa’s 450,000 elephants, has seen its number of elephants triple to an estimated 160,000 since 1991, according to statistics provided by the government.
Last month, Botswana lifted the hunting ban that was put in place in 2014 and announced plans to implement controlled hunting.
“Hunting will not meaningfully reduce the number of elephants, hence coming up with plans to seek ideas from Angola on how to manage wildlife,” said Mokaila in a telephone interview with Xinhua. — NNN-XINHUA
