Protest against law

Botswana wants to give Germany 20,000 elephants

Germany's Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) wants to ban the import of hunting trophies. This is now causing trouble for Botswana's government, as it would promote poverty and poaching. In protest, the African state wants to donate 20,000 elephants to Germany.

Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi told Bild that his country now has more than 130,000 elephants thanks to successful species conservation. That is more than any other African country has. Due to the overpopulation, 8,000 elephants have already been given to neighboring Angola. Mozambique has yet to collect its quota. "And that is exactly how we would like to offer such a gift to the Federal Republic of Germany. We won't take no for an answer," said Masisi.

Must be collected
However, the animals would have to be collected and live in the wild in Germany. He wanted to "find out how Mrs. Lemke is doing with this", said the President. The Germans should "live together with the animals in the way you are trying to tell us to", i.e. without hunting. After all, the weather there is "bad enough for them."

Minister invited
In Botswana, elephants attack and trample people to death, destroy crops and devastate villages. Hunting is an important and sustainable means of regulating the population. There is also talk of "racist tendencies".

Botswana makes 40 percent of its land available for wildlife. "It is very easy to sit in Berlin and have an opinion on our affairs in Botswana," said President Masisi. He therefore also invited Lemke to take a look at wildlife conservation on site.