A spatio-temporal analysis of important hunting species’ trophy size in north-eastern Namibia

Contents

Table of figures ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Table of tables ........................................................................................................................................ 9

List of acronyms .................................................................................................................................... 10

Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................. 11

Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 12

Chapter 1: Introduction and literature study ...................................................................................... 13

1.1 Hunting as sustainable land use and conservation benefit ...................................................... 13

1.2 Background of the study ............................................................................................................ 16

1.3 Ecological impact of hunting ...................................................................................................... 19

1.3.1 On populations .................................................................................................................... 19

1.3.2 On genetic traits of huntable species ................................................................................. 20

1.4 Population health, conservation status, and economic value of the species selected for this study .................................................................................................................................................. 21

1.5 Problem statement ..................................................................................................................... 22

1.6 Aims and objectives .................................................................................................................... 24

Chapter 2: Methodology and study area ............................................................................................. 25

2.1 Description of the study area ..................................................................................................... 25

2.2 Study species .............................................................................................................................. 26

2.3 Methods and description of data collection .............................................................................. 27

2.4 Descriptions of the analysis ....................................................................................................... 30

Chapter 3: Results ................................................................................................................................. 31

3.1 Numbers, areas, and years in which trophies of species were hunted .................................... 31

3.1.1 Buffalo .................................................................................................................................. 33

3.1.2 Roan ..................................................................................................................................... 38

3.1.3 Sable ..................................................................................................................................... 42

3.1.4 Kudu ..................................................................................................................................... 47

3.2 Trophy measurement trends over time .................................................................................... 54

3.2.1 Buffalo .................................................................................................................................. 54

3.2.2 Roan ..................................................................................................................................... 55

3.2.3 Sable ..................................................................................................................................... 57

3.2.4 Kudu ..................................................................................................................................... 58

3.3 Comparative trophy measurement trends per geographic area .............................................. 60

3.4 Trophy measurement trends per geographic area and land-use type ..................................... 63

3.4.1 Buffalo .................................................................................................................................. 63

3.4.2 Roan ..................................................................................................................................... 67

3.4.3 Sable ..................................................................................................................................... 71

5

3.4.4 Kudu ..................................................................................................................................... 74

3.5 Hunter’s perceptions .................................................................................................................. 79

Chapter 4: Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 82

4.1 Numbers hunted and the areas where they were hunted ....................................................... 82

4.1.1 Species popularity ............................................................................................................... 82

4.1.2 Geographic distribution of hunts ........................................................................................ 85

4.1.3 Trends over time.................................................................................................................. 88

4.2 Trophy measurement trends ..................................................................................................... 89

4.2.1 Buffalo .................................................................................................................................. 89

4.2.2 Roan ..................................................................................................................................... 91

4.2.3 Sable ..................................................................................................................................... 91

4.2.4 Kudu ..................................................................................................................................... 92

4.3 Sustainability of trophy hunting ................................................................................................ 93

4.4 Perception within the trophy hunting industry ........................................................................ 93

4.5 Critique of official trophy measurement data ........................................................................... 95

Chapter 5: Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 98

Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 98

Reference List ..................................................................................................................................... 100

Appendix A .......................................................................................................................................... 110

Appendix B .......................................................................................................................................... 115

Appendix C .......................................................................................................................................... 118

Appendix D ...............................................................................................................................