Is sport hunting a breakthrough wildlife conservation strategy for Africa?

Abstract

Sport hunting is one of the oldest known recreational activities using wildlife. Some researchers have suggested that sport hunting can benefit the development and economy of local communities, thereby promoting the protection of wildlife resources as well as both ecological and economic sustainability. However, important debates remain regarding the social impacts of conservation and tourism on local communities near protected areas. This study using a case study from northern Cameroon aimed to 1) analyze the social impacts of sport hunting on local people and 2) discuss sustainability of sport hunting. Approximately two years of fieldwork, mainly based on interviews and observations in two villages, showed that sport hunting generated tax revenues of approximately US$1.2 million in one season as well as provided profit sharing and employment opportunities for local communities. However, the local people were affected by regulations of their rights to use natural resources. Moreover, some villages experienced forced migration for the beginning of sport hunting. Many officers and hunting operators insist that sport hunting entails ecological and economic sustainability because it is operated under strict regulations and generates enormous tax revenues. This is in contrast to hunting by local people, who do not consider the hunting regulation nor pay taxes. The question remains, however, whether the term “sustainability” should only encompass ecological and economic factors. Even if sport hunting plays an important role in community conservation, the social impacts on local communities should be considered before the activity is considered as a viable tactic for wildlife conservation.