There is an additional wrinkle in all this you need to be aware of. The sudden release of so many trophies by the government of Tanzania created a temporary shortage of cargo space on airlines this spring. Fortunately, that backlog has now been cleared and shipments are no longer being delayed by the airlines. However, some shipments are still going out late, and that poses a risk to hunters who collected CITES species in Tanzania last year. If you are among those, check the expiration date on your import permit from the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Do that right away. Make sure it is not about to expire. If it is, you must contact your safari operator immediately to arrange for him to hold your shipment until you can secure a new CITES permit. Your shipment could be returned or confiscated if it arrives with an expired permit.
The 2007 season in Tanzania was one that clients and operators alike would prefer to forget. That last-minute increase in fees followed by extended negotiations and uncertainty apparently took its toll on client confidence, as some operators are telling us bookings are way off. Some operators say they have had clients postpone safaris or simply cancel them outright. Others say they just aren't filling slots as usual. The problem may not be entirely attributable to the turmoil last year (after all, the US and European economies........(continued)
