"The Hunting Report has just learned that an increasing number of safaris to Zimbabwe, particularly southern Zimbabwe, are being conducted illegally by South African professional hunters. Anyone head- ed to Zimbabwe on a safari conducted by a South African professional hunter needs to be aware of this and take immediate steps to determine if his hunt is legal. The best way to do that is by contacting Sally Bown of ZATSO, the Zimbabwe Association of Tourist and Safari Operators.
"The illegal hunts we have heard about are being conducted on lands that have been occupied by so-called war veterans who don't in fact own those lands or possess the rights to wildlife on them. The South African PH's are simply capitalizing on the lawlessness and disorder in Zimbabwe. In the process, they are putting their clients in legal jeopardy, if not outright danger.
"The tricky part of this problem is the apparent deception that is being carried out. One group of hunters we just heard about thought they were hunting in Matetsi, when they were actually on illegally occupied lands. Shooting an animal on such a property and taking the trophy home is tantamount to 'receiving stolen property,' Mrs. Bown tells us. On top of that, it is anyone's guess what kind of illegal activity has to occur to get the trophy out of the country. And there is still more at stake here! There is good reason to believe that some of the funds the above hunters paid their operator wound up in the pocket of an individual on the so-called Banned........(continued)
