Botswana President threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in a dispute over conservation

Botswana's President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, has issued a warning to relocate 20,000 elephants to Germany amidst a disagreement regarding conservation efforts.

Following proposals in Berlin to restrict the import of hunting trophies, the President of Botswana stated on Wednesday, April 3, that Germans should consider living among elephants.

He expressed concern over the increasing number of elephants in his country, referring to it as a "plague". Germany, being one of the largest importers of hunting trophies in the EU, had discussed the possibility of stricter limits on imports due to poaching issues. 

The President argued that banning the import of hunting trophies would negatively impact the people of Botswana. He emphasized that conservation efforts have led to a rise in the elephant population and hunting is necessary to maintain their numbers.

Despite Botswana banning trophy hunting in 2014, the restrictions were lifted in 2019 due to the damage caused by herds of elephants to property, crops, and residents, as mentioned in the German paper.