Feedback On Hunting In Ethiopia And Those Increased Trophy Fees

My October report on hunting in Ethiopia and the increased trophy fees (see Article ID 2333) has prompted some feedback from several booking agents and hunters. The first is from Fred Duckworth of Duckworth Safaris International, who believes I completely overlooked an important issue, namely the mandatory advance and non-refundable purchase of trophy fees for each species a hunter plans to hunt. This policy, Duckworth says, is all the more abhorrent with the planned increase that will take effect this coming July. That's when mountain nyala and Menelik's bushbuck will go up, as planned, to $15,000 and $6,000 respectively, a 300 percent increase. "You failed to point out the reason why hunters contemplating a hunt in Ethiopia are no longer willing to gamble substantial amounts of dollars in a game of `Ethiopian-roulette,' and are understandably not enthusiastic about committing to future Ethiopian hunting safaris," Duckworth wrote. He says that the increases have caused widespread cancellations and an almost blanket refusal by hunters to commit to future Ethiopian hunting safaris.

It's true that a number of hunters contacted me to say they were either canceling their hunts or cutting back on the species they were hunting. Ken Wilson of Sportsmen on Film says he did just that on his hunt this past November when the fees were doubled. He booked a hunt through Bert Klineburger International Hunting Consultant with Col. Negussie Eshete of Rocky Valley Safaris. Specifically, he cut Menelik's bushbuck and lesser kudu due to the price increase and had these thoughts to offer: "The current trophy fees are worth it if the government gives the local communities a significant portion of the fees (85 percent has been promised). According to Daniel Negussie, Col. Neguissie's son and PH, the reinvestment is not happening and is causing some ill will. With the Ethiopian population expanding in the mountains and desert along with livestock and farming, I could see that animal habitat is tenuous. Without government reinvestment of hunting fees among the mountain and desert people, their willingness to protect the wild animal population and habitat will disappear."

The other comment I........(continued)