Trophy Hunting and Possible Source-Sink Dynamics in Protected Areas: Insights from Trophy Size and Offtake Patterns in Southeast Zimbabwe

Augustine Jeke,Victor K. Muposhi,Daphine Madhlamoto,Edson Gandiwa,Admire Chanyandura

doi:10.1155/2019/1313927

Augustine Jeke, Victor K. Muposhi + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/1313927

Copy DOI

Abstract

Developing harvest management strategies in designated hunting areas requires systematic and robust monitoring. We assessed the trophy size, quota utilization, and distribution of kill sites of African elephant, Cape buffalo, greater kudu, and leopard for the period 2007-2014 in Malapati Safari Area, southeast Zimbabwe. Trophy sizes for African elephant significantly increased over time albeit being below the expected minimum Safari Club International (SCI) score. Cape buffalo trophy sizes declined significantly over time but were not different from the SCI minimum score. However, greater kudu trophy sizes were higher than the SCI minimum score despite being constant over time. Leopard trophy sizes were higher than the SCI minimum score and increased with time. Quota utilization for African elephant and Cape buffalo increased while that of greater kudu and leopard did not change between 2007 and 2014. Some kill sites, in particular, for the African elephant and Cape buffalo, were within the buffer area with the state protected area, i.e., Gonarezhou National Park. Increased hunting pressure likely leads to poor trophy quality and hunting within the protected buffer areas. In contrast, effective adherence to hunting ethics and scientifically and conservatively set quotas largely does not compromise the trophy quality of harvested species. The observed trophy size patterns and kill sites distribution suggest the possible existence of source and sink dynamics of trophy species occurring in a protected area complex within the Zimbabwe’s component of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park. To ensure sustainable trophy hunting in the study area and similar ecosystems the following are recommended: (i) scientifically robust, adaptable, and participatory quota setting process, (ii) enhanced adherence to good practice in terms of ethical hunting conduct, and (iii) development of a robust hunting monitoring system covering all elements of hunting for adaptive wildlife management.

Highlights

One of the most widespread and well-practiced wildlife sustainable use option in Sub-Saharan Africa is trophy hunting [1, 2]
Trophy quality is a function of dimensions and the aesthetic appearance of the trophy depending on the species [13]
We considered Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), which forms part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA), as a source habitat that is a net exporter of trophy individuals to the sink habitat, Malapati Safari Area

Summary

Introduction

One of the most widespread and well-practiced wildlife sustainable use option in Sub-Saharan Africa is trophy hunting [1, 2]. If not carefully managed, the selective nature of trophy hunting may cause loss of heritable desirable traits over time [9, 10]. The resultant phenotypic plasticity and/or evolutional change from trophy hunting induced artificial selection affect the trophy quality of preferred wildlife species by hunters [11]. The competitiveness of a trophy hunting destination may be indirectly affected by the trophy quality of the favoured wildlife species [8, 12]. Some negative effects of trophy hunting on the desirable phenotypic traits of selected wildlife species seem to be evident [14]. Loss of desirable phenotypic traits (i.e., horn or tusk size) with increasing trophy hunting pressure has been reported in some wildlife species [15].

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion