The political ecology of wildlife conservation and trophy hunting in human-dominated landscapes of southern Africa: a review

Never Muboko

doi:10.2458/jpe.3016

Abstract

Drawing from a historical conservation perspective and political ecology, this review mediates the growing debate on wildlife conservation and hunting, especially inhuman-dominated landscapes of Africa. The focus is to 1) trace how socio-political changes during and after colonization transformed the hunting and wildlife conservation discourse in southern Africa, and 2) to address how previous conservation injustices were addressed through benefit-based approaches like CAMPFIRE, adopted in Zimbabwe after colonization. Some 144 published journal articles, books and other source materials were consulted. The review indicates that political changes in southern Africa profoundly transformed the conservation and trophy hunting narrative. This narrative had varied impacts and outcomes for different groups of people. Although a number of benefit-based approaches, like CAMPFIRE reflected a complete departure from past conservation policies, they continue to attract praise and criticisms since opinions differ among stakeholders, especially over extractive activities like trophy hunting and its associated benefits. I conclude that political developments impacted on conservation and trophy hunting in a profound way and that although post-colonial, pro-community conservation programs have inherent weaknesses, to a greater extent they addressed past conservation-based injustices. Continuous monitoring and area-specific adaptive management of wildlife and its sustainable management is recommended for long-term conservation benefits and community livelihoods.

Highlights

Hunting is a livelihood strategy dating back to the dawn of humanity in Africa, with complex spatial and temporal patterns of evolution and change (Fitzwater 1970; Lindsey et al 2007)
Focusing on Southern Africa, this review attempts to address the following objectives; 1) to trace how socio-political changes during and after colonization transformed the hunting and wildlife conservation landscape in the region and, 2) to understand post-colonial legislative reforms and how the associated benefit-based approaches addressed past conservation injustices in southern Africa, taking CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe as a case
The disbursement of dividends was structured based on the CAMPFIRE revenue distribution model, revised in 2002, which stated that no less than 55% of gross revenue should go to the producer communities, 4% goes to the CAMPFIRE Association, 15% goes to the responsible rural district councils (RDCs) and 26% is allocated for wildlife management (CAMPFIRE Association, 2003)

Summary

Introduction

Hunting is a livelihood strategy dating back to the dawn of humanity in Africa, with complex spatial and temporal patterns of evolution and change (Fitzwater 1970; Lindsey et al 2007). Conservation is the wise use of a country's resources, especially of land, water and wildlife (Usher 1986), while Holt and Talbot (1978) acknowledge a variety of meanings but signal "...keeping for future use." The reference to wise use in defining conservation is cross-cutting, and supports Aldo Leopold, an early American conservationist, who advanced similar concepts and ideas in his book, Game management (1987[1933]). In Africa, the history of trophy hunting and conservation has involved controversial legal and institutional frameworks, inequitable economic development opportunities, and an unequal politics of race and of access to resources. Focusing on Southern Africa, this review attempts to address the following objectives; 1) to trace how socio-political changes during and after colonization transformed the hunting and wildlife conservation landscape in the region and, 2) to understand post-colonial legislative reforms and how the associated benefit-based approaches addressed past conservation injustices in southern Africa, taking CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe as a case

Literature review process

Trophy hunting and benefit-based approaches

Review findings and discussion

Findings

Conclusions and recommendations