Botswana to review compensation policies for human-wildlife conflict victims

Botswana is set to review its compensation policies for victims of human-wildlife conflict to better address their needs, a senior official has said.  

GABORONE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Botswana is set to review its compensation policies for victims of human-wildlife conflict to better address their needs, a senior official has said. 

Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi said Tuesday during a meeting in the town of Kasane in northeastern Botswana that while the current compensation framework has provided some relief, it falls short of adequately addressing the challenges faced by those directly affected by wildlife interactions.

He called for a more comprehensive approach to developing effective legal mechanisms that ensure compensation policies would accurately reflect the impact of human-wildlife incidents on affected communities.

Currently, compensation is governed by government-approved guidelines. However, it only covers 35 percent of the market value for damages caused by leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, rhinoceros, buffalos, crocodiles, and hippopotamuses. In contrast, damages involving elephants and lions are compensated at 100 percent of their value, according to the minister.

Mmolotsi said that the government is working on strategies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

Botswana, home to about 131,000 elephants, allocated around 148 million pula (about 10.7 million U.S. dollars) to a compensation scheme between 2018 and 2023. During this period, 46,132 conflicts were reported across all districts, with elephants accounting for most incidents, including injuries and fatalities, according to data from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.■