Sources at the African Hunting Show in Atlanta this January told me there has been slow progress since. First, Angolan officials have been de-mining parts of the country in the south, using former South African army advisors. Also, a wildlife management model has been accepted by the council of administers but is yet to be signed by the president. I am told that the Angolans are beginning to understand the concept of foreigners coming into the country for tourism and they are interested in reopening hunting. That's the good news.
The bad news is that there are still no game laws, no quota systems and no concession laws. Also, there are no laws allowing hunters or safari operators to temporarily import firearms. And there is still no way to clear customs in Angola without flying into the capitol of Luanda. Luanda is on the coast in northern Angola, while all the hunting areas would be in southwestern Angola along the borders of Namibia and Zambia. The trip from Luanda to the hunting areas adds another 3,000 miles of extra travel, making it very costly for operators to fly in materials and clients.
Will Angola ever reopen to hunting? There is real hope that it will, but not any time soon. In the meantime, I hear the game is there lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and more.
........(continued)
