Tanzanian wildlife authorities are due to decide this month whether to issue more super-tusker hunting permits for the coming year amid opposition from conservationists,
The move is likely to endanger the biological, economic and social value of super tusker elephants.
Hunting permits are regulated by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) and the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). The process involves permits issued to sport and professional hunters, notably tourists in specific hunting blocks, for a specified time aligned with the hunting season.
The permits are specific to the species being hunted, with strict quotas and limits set to ensure sustainable wildlife management, according to the government.
Future of elephants
The permits come with strict guidelines on hunting methods, areas and times to ensure compliance with conservation goals and local laws.
With only eight super tuskers remaining in Tanzania, activists warn that killing them threatens the genetic diversity and future of the elephant population.
They dismiss the notion that older bulls no longer add value to the gene pool, arguing that super tuskers play a vital social role within their herds, keeping rowdy young males in check and controlling aggression.
Alfan Rija, a professor of ecology and wildlife management at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, said super tuskers are keystone species to balance the ecosystem.
Rija termed the controversial proposals to authorize the hunting of cross-border elephant bulls in northern Tanzania as a short-term gain at the expense of long-term ecological stability.
“It’s a gamble with our natural heritage. Killing these large, old bulls means losing a critical gene pool and destabilizing the social structure of the herds,” he said.
Endangered species
At a time when elephants are increasingly threatened by climate change, habitat loss, and demand for their ivory, experts argue the government needs to protect endangered species.
“It doesn’t make sense to kill old male elephants that form part of a transboundary population in a shared ecosystem without considering the perspectives of stakeholders from the other country,” said Rija.
The debate about trophy hunting in Tanzania is contentious. While supporters argue it can generate revenue and provide incentives for habitat conservation, critics say such moves endanger rare species, like super tuskers, whose ecological roles outweigh the monetary value.
Globally, wildlife activists stress the significance of protecting Africa’s super tuskers, and fighting biodiversity loss and wildlife trafficking. Conservationists argue that eliminating super tuskers would usher in genetic scarcity given that there are few remaining.
'Morally wrong'
While the trophy fee to hunt a large elephant in Tanzania fetches approximately $20,000, conservationists say the lifetime value of an average elephant from tourism is estimated at $1,607,625.
“Killing the giant elephants for trophy hunting is morally wrong. We should protect them, not exploit them,” said said Simon Lugandu, a conservationist at Tanzania’s Wildlife Conservation Society. .
Protecting each super tusker costs approximately $50,000 annually, covering anti-poaching measures, veterinary care and habitat preservation, according to TANAPA.
“There are only eight super tuskers left in Tanzania,” said Deodath Assey, a wildlife biologist at TANAPA. If earmarked for trophy hunting, their economic value rises to a whopping $200,000 each. However, studies show that the economic value of living elephants to local economies is substantial.
Long-term survival
A series of super-tusker killings in Tanzania has triggered an international battle about trophy hunting and its controversial role in conservation.
Some conservationists believe killing these extraordinary animals should not be allowed. Others say controlled, regulated hunting can contribute to elephants’ long-term survival by providing jobs for locals and incentives for habitats to be preserved.
“The targeted elephants were among the largest, oldest bulls,” a group of conservationists wrote in a letter decrying their loss, published in the journal Science in June.
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