CIC Magazine 2019/1 – English version

CIC – Conservation through the sustainable use of wildlife

CIC MAGAZINE 2019/1

Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier Internationaler Rat zur Erhaltung des Wildes und der Jagd International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Publisher: CIC Headquarters H-2092 Budakeszi P.O. BOX 82, Hungary Phone: +36 23 453 830 Fax: +36 23 453 832 E-mail: office@cic-wildlife.org www.cic-wildlife.org

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Layout and typesetting: AlĂ­z Ertler, a.ertler@cic-wildlife.org 2

Editorial

Click on any of the photos to jump to the article!

Focus

CROSSROADS Leading the Way for Wildlife Conservation

Visions for Wildlife Conservation in North America

Visions for Wildlife Conservation in Latin America

Visions for Wildlife Conservation in Europe

Visions for Wildlife Conservation in Asia Pacific

State of Wildlife Conservation in Africa

The Importance of Women in Conservation

CIC Prizes and Awards

Hunting for Treasure 2019

Wildlife Watch

Trophy Evaluation System Update #12

In the Spotlight: Imrich Ĺ uba

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Regional and Country News

Namibia: a year-in-review

NAPHA Position Paper

Botswana – Suspension on Hunting Lifted

Romania’s Rural Landscape is no Longer Safe

Background paper on hunting abroad

New Chairman of the Polish Hunting Association

Jagd & Hund 2019

Hunting by muzzleloaders became fully legal in Hungary

Developing countries lead by example in mainstreaming biodiversity

There are several links in the magazine to videos, audio files and photo albums.

A South African’s View

Look for the video or audio link sign once you move over a picture. The photo albums are highlighed too.

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International Relations

Migratory Birds

6th Meeting of EU Large Carnivore Platform

Budapest 2021

CIC Director General on DSC’s Conservation Advisory Board

Michel Mantheakis Safaris: DSC’s 2019 Outfitter of the Year

Tanzania: How Hunting Saves Wildlife

Prepare Your Elevator Speech

Defending European hunting: FACE

World Wildlife Day

Hunting as a fire preventing tool in Spain

Video or audio link

Photo album 5

Media and Publications

Social media – Friend or Enemy of Conservation?

International Journalism Symposium

Into the Wilderness

by Byron Pace

Podcasts by Cara Santa Maria

Modern Huntsman

NAPHA Social Media Guide

Announcements

Hungary and Liechtenstein joins the 1 Euro per Hunter Initiative

New Items in the CIC Shop

Loyalty to the CIC József Váry turned 95!

In Memoriam

Introducing the CIC Headquarters

New Head of the UK Delegation

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EDITORIAL

George Aman President of the CIC

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Windhoek, Namibia 2-4 may 2019

Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia

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FOCUS CIC’s 66th General Assembly International Conference: “Crossroads – Leading the Way for Wildlife Conservation.”

The 66th General Assembly, which took place in Windhoek, Namibia, was held on 2-4 May 2019, under the overarching theme “Crossroads – Leading the Way for Wildlife Conservation.” The conference, which was hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia, served as a platform for workshop style discussions and presentations on wildlife conservation successes, challenges, and best practices from Namibia, Africa and across the world. At a time when wildlife conservation appears to be at a crossroads, this conference brought together various stakeholders to discuss related issues from African, European, and Global perspectives, as well as taking a unique look at the important roles youth and women will play in the future success of conservation efforts.

President of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation, George Aman, gave his welcome speech, and stressed how hunters are prime conservationists, as hunting is inherently dependent on a healthy wildlife and nature. He also underlined the conference title ‘Crossroads’, which refers to the sustainable use community and our need to change our paradigm

Pohamba Penomwenyo Shifeta

At the opening ceremony, Honourable Pohamba Penomwenyo Shifeta, Minister of Environment and Tourism of Namibia started off the conference by giving his thanks along with a welcome address.

He spoke of conservation and deriving benefits from wildlife, and how the sustainable use of wildlife is the future for conservation in Namibia. Minister Shifeta also talked of tackling issues such as the illegal use of wildlife, which can diminish the value of a nation’s critical resource.

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and to put conservation first. Building new alliances, communicating our message and being present in the media were mentioned as key factors in achieving this goal.

Danene van der Westhuyzen represented the CIC Namibian Delegation, and called for responsibility in conservation, and asked hunters to take responsibility when it comes to matters relating to conservation, as it is the rightful role of humans to participate in nature.

CIC President, George Aman Danene van der Westhuyzen

Dr. Holly Dublin mentioned how polarity and vision are hampering the conservation process and its subsequent success. Objectives were presented, which are to think and examine ongoing confrontations in the field of conservation and hunting – looking for alliances with the most unexpected partners, as working together will be essential going forward. 2020 and the IUCN World conservation congress was referred to as a big step in conservation, with this being a critical point in bringing in new expertise and conducting significant changes.

Tim Wittig gave a keynote speech on Illegal Wildlife Trade and how anticorruption initiatives can be used to strengthen efforts against it. Illegal Wildlife Trade was described as a key threat to the survival of species, and can be regarded as a globalized professional criminal enterprise. These international criminal networks often converge with other threats, such as drug and human trafficking, corruption and terrorists groups. A case study involving a

Dr. Holly Dublin

Photo Album of the Opening Ceremony and Members’ Assembly

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shipment of ivory to Tanzania was given to highlight the influence of corruption which hides beneath the industrial scale of IWT, with permit fraud, bribes and the misuse of conservation funds being common occurrences.

Tim Wittig

In Shane Mahoney’s keynote speech, entitled ‘Putting Conservation First,’ he defined conservation as an ethic and a program of resource use allocation and protection. Namibia was given as a successful example of linking sustainable use and protection. He also spoke of the perceptions of the hunting community, and argued that the general public does not believe that hunters put conservation first. It was proposed that the community should focus on a holistic support of nature and conservation, not simply the species that are hunted. Communication was also stressed as a key point of discussion – as social trends will not be reversed, our points and arguments should be framed in a favourable way within this narrative.

Shane Mahoney

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“Visions for Wildlife Conservation in North America�

Prof. Dr. L Scott Mills (Associate Vice President of Research for Global Change and Sustainability at the University of Montana) opened this session and gave a brief overview of the North American model, which was first introduced due to the extinction crisis that the region was facing in the late 1800s/early 1900s as a result of unregulated killings and market hunting. This model was an approach that converged conservation and sustainable use with scientific research, and ensured that funding from hunting was distributed towards habitat management and conservation that benefited many different species, not simply those that were being hunted. The principles of success behind the North American model were presented, which include benefits offsetting the burdens for those involved in conservation, embracing the power of modern wildlife science and the importance of partnerships.

Prof. Dr. L Scott Mills

Ronald Regan, Executive Director of the US Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, then spoke of the importance of fostering the relevancy of conservation and conservation constitution to all. This would involve putting forward a clearer value proposition to governmental entities in North America regarding conservation and the benefits that it would bring to all citizens in any jurisdiction. The need for more funding was also highlighted of; it is anticipated that a further 1 billion USD will be needed to manage species in the future. Embracing new audiences was mentioned as a key driver conservation, with a need to shift towards an outdoor centric ethic, and embracing the youth, women and millennials.

The Executive Director of Dallas Safari Club, Corey Mason, talked of the opposition that the North American model has received, despite its

Ronald Regan

Corey Mason and Shane Mahoney

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successes. This can be attributed to citizens being less engaged with the natural world around them, with less than 10% of Americans participating in hunting. As the majority of citizens have no first-hand knowledge of wildlife conservation, and receive most of their information from second and third hand sources, the main challenge going forward will be to re-establish relevancy and identify as a community – engage with those with differing views and find common ground.

reach out to new people and to have an inclusive view of wildlife – to treat wildlife as a community of different species, and to not single out the species that are hunted. The need to accept major challenges and a need to do things in a different way was stressed, with a particular mention of deferring to the knowledge of those that depend on wildlife for survival.

Shane Mahoney described wildlife as being a global gift to humanity, suggesting that the one hope for wildlife in this planet is if we can manage to convince people that wildlife and its preservation is an act of citizenship. He argued that the solution would be to

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“Visions for Wildlife Conservation in Latin America�

Left: Diego Fernando Amorocho Llanos Above: Dr. Ramon Perez Gil-Salcido

Session II was moderated by Dr. Ramon Perez Gil-Salcido (President of FAUNAM) who gave a short overview of the sustainable use of wildlife in Central and South America. Wildlife is used in 27 countries of the region, and there is a spectrum of different models of use. However, heterogeneous law enforcement, insufficient regulations, lack of monitoring mechanisms, and a deficiency of scientific information, can lead to hunters being targeted as one of the main drivers of biodiversity depletion.

this, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, he believes it is crucial to have cross-sectoral cooperation.

Based on many given examples from the region, panellists agreed that the value of wildlife to people and their use has to be considered in conservation. Hunting can be an important conservation tool that brings benefits to the people of the region, whether it’s done for subsistence, sport or population management. It is important to engage the private sector, particularly members of the hunting community who inherently have interest in conserving wildlife and its habitat, as well as to educate media and use it to change public perception on hunting.

Lastly, they agreed that communities need to be involved and local development issues have to be taken into account.

Mr. Diego Fernando Amorocho Llanos noted that WWF in Latin America is trying to conserve wildlife populations by trying to keep their habitat healthy and well connected, in order to maintain benefits to people of the region. To achieve 16

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Visit all the albums of the 66th CIC General Assembly and CROSSROADS – Leading the Way for Wildlife Conservation International Conference, Windhoek, Namibia, 1-4 May 2019 (password required, only for CIC members)

For all readers:

Photo Album of all sessions 17

“Visions for Wildlife Conservation in Europe” Third Session of the ‘Crossroads’ International Conference, moderated by Dr. John D. C. Linnell of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, focused on visions for wildlife conservation in Europe.

The discussion panel consisted of Torbjörn Larsson, President of European Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE), and Karl-Heinz Florenz, Member of European Parliament.

Dr. Linnel opened the discussion by giving a brief overview of hunting in Europe. He looked back at hunting in the 19th century, when harvest was poorly regulated and wildlife was severely depleted and noted that we need to understand our past in order to make better decisions for the future. Today, thanks to active replanting of forests, and reintroduction and recovery of large herbivores and carnivores, game populations are striving across Europe. He also underlined the diversity of European hunting systems, unlike the unified North American model, which is reflected among others in different management institutions, social contexts and hunting rights. While there are a lot of contrasting opinions and conflicts about the use of wildlife, he believes that Europe is a good role model for co-habitation with animals and that it has an incredible potential for conservation of wildlife in the Anthropocene.

Torbjörn Larsson and Karl-Heinz Florenz

is currently facing. In the region, only 60% of European protected habitats have favourable conservation status. He also stressed the importance of protecting small game species, with particular reference to birds. Of the 450 bird species in Europe, 50% are seeing a drop in numbers; 40% of huntable bird species are also decreasing in population. In reference to this, he argued that addressing the issues that have come about as a result of modern farming practices is of significant importance.

Karl-Heinz Florenz (member of EU parliament) gave his insight on how to get influence in Brussels. He stated that it is important to have groups that protect you and your ideals, and that the only

Torbjörn Larsson (President of FACE) then spoke of the biodiversity crisis that Europe 18

Dr. John D. C. Linnell

way to get things done, and get your views across, is to work together. This is why an Intergroup in Brussels would go far in the way of protecting the interest of hunters – however this would only possible with the support of other EU Parliament Members.

Mr. Florenz concurred and added that education is also essential in order to provide the general public with a complete view of hunting and its benefits to wildlife conservation. He also spoke of the importance of talking with members of the Parliament, particularly with the increasing number of NGOs who have anti-hunting agendas – in Brussels, there are 30 NGOs that are opposed to hunting for every hunting NGO.

Following a number of questions from the moderator, Mr. Larsson highlighted the need for the hunting community to make strategic partnerships and work closer with those who use the nature, like the WWF. He also stressed that greater financial support should be ensured as it now presents serious obstacles to implementing activities.

Panellists agreed that the hunting community has to effectively communicate its points of view, but also be accepting of multiple perspectives about nature and hunting from non-hunters.

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“Visions for Wildlife Conservation in Asia Pacific”

From left to right: Dr. Ahmad, Keiya Nakajima, Don Hammond, Dr. Hiromasa Igota and Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes (moderator) In his introductory remarks, Dr. Hiromasa Igota (Rakuno Gakuen University) gave his thoughts on wildlife conservation in the region. Known for having a diverse range of habitats, the wide variation in landscapes contributes to the richness of the mammal fauna. Despite this, countries in this region have seen a decline in the abundance of species since the early 20th century, which is largely attributed

to human causes. In recent years, some governments have moved to support wildlife conservation by introducing “protected areas”; this accounts for 20% of the land in China and 5% in Japan.

A further concern in this region is the issue of overabundance, where wildlife numbers have risen above the carrying capacity. From wild boar and water deer in South Korea, to the Sika deer in Japan, 20

Keiya Nakajima, Vice-President of the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey, Asia, gave his thoughts on falconry and its association with conservation. Falcons are listed as an endangered species on IUCN, and their conservation, under international agreement, is essential in order to keep balance within ecosystems. Some raptors are at the top of their foods chain; ensuring their continued survival will be vital in maintaining balance within the natural environment.

Mr. Don Hammond, Chair of the New Zealand Game Animal Council, drew parallels between New Zealand’s wildlife and the New Zealand of 1000 years prior to today (they had no mammals except for bats). There are currently many nonnative species in the country, and it is illegal to hunt native species. With the influx of invasive species to New Zealand, hunting is an essential practice to protect indigenous wildlife. Despite this, the urban population struggles to connect with these issues, and it will be hunters that need to be part of the solution.

overabundance can lead to serious damages to agriculture and forestry.

Dr. Ahmad spoke of the wildlife issues that Pakistan is currently facing; this includes the endangered snow leopard (which is also the source of humanconflict as they prey on domestic livestock) and the conservation of reptiles in parts of Pakistan. Illegal trade is another growing problem within the country, with some aphrodisiac plants being smuggled in and out of the border.

Wildlife based conservation and hunting was proposed as a potential solution to these issues, as it would provide much needed funds to protect the country’s wildlife.

Panellists agreed on the importance of social media going forward; this could be regarded as both a threat and a tool for reaching new audiences. While the current narrative on social media may be one-sided against conservation activities, more should be done to share our side of the conversation.

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“State of Wildlife Conservation in Africa�

Julian Blanc (Senior Wildlife Programme Manager, Global Wildlife Unit, UNEP) started the session by outlining key elements for conservation in Africa.

Landscapes and wildlife habitats were noted as the biggest combination of threats to wildlife species, specifically changes in land use. While continued changes in land usage are difficult to monitor, as both gains and losses are observed in areas such as forests, grasslands and wetlands, many of the losses were attributed to urban expansion and overharvesting.

in Africa was brought up – the variety of dangerous species, population densities and limited access to health facilities are issues that have to be addressed.

Rose Mandisodza-Chikerema (Chief Ecologist, Zimbabwe National Parks, Zimbabwe) gave her opening remarks regarding her vision for rural communities in Africa. As these individuals are the primary stakeholders when it comes to wildlife conservation, they can have a significant impact if more work is done to involve them in wildlife related matters.

The significance of people and their relationship with wildlife was also stressed; people depend on agriculture for survival, and those living in rural communities bear the cost of living in these areas when dealing with humanwildlife conflict. The relationship between wildlife and the health sector

Johnson Ndokosho (Deputy Director Central Regions, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia) gave a statement on the Namibian perspective, and whilst they wish to see nature being conserved, it is important to see that natural resources are not depleted

below: Johnson Ndokosho, middle: Julian Blanc right: Rose Mandisodza-Chikerema

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From left to right: Danene van der Westhuyzen, Dr Taye Taferi, Kirsty Watermeier (moderator), Angus Middleton (moderator), Lizanne Nel

“Vision for the future of wildlife and broader solutions to wildlife challenges in Africa,�

when implementing sustainable use.

Conservation and wildlife use has seen a massive increase, and with it comes the need for progressive policies to address human-wildlife conflict. In addition, strategies will need to be implemented to address concerns such as feed shortages in the event of droughts.

Session VI was moderated by Lizanne Nel (Manager Conservation, South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association, South Africa) who suggested that many wildlife and conservation issues can be reconsidered as opportunities – converting the value of wildlife resources into positive land use outcomes, which would contribute to both biodiversity, conservation and socioeconomic development. Land use planning processes should also be influenced to proactively reduce land use conflicts and identify areas with high potential for biodiversity economy enterprises. In addition, alternative, innovative financing / incentive options, such as wildlife credits, national geographic taxes, financial incentives and green certification should be considered.

Speakers discussed the different approaches to wildlife use across Africa.

The vastly differing attitudes of Southern Africa, which promotes sustainable use, and Northern Africa, which do not touch or use wildlife, was highlighted. The results of these differing approaches speak for themselves, as Northern areas have seen the loss of much wildlife.

CBRNM though conservancies, and the model for deriving benefits from wildlife in Namibia, was given as an example of a working, successful model for sustainable use.

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“Solutions to wildlife challenges at a community level,”

Danene van der Westhuyzen, a female professional hunter, called on hunters to act more responsibly and to find the best solutions going forward. It should be the aim to only hunt animals beyond their prime, and to prioritise the protection of the genetic pool. It was also mentioned that 80% of Namibian wildlife now lies outside of national parks, with the government taking 0% from land owners.

This leads to the suggestion that more policies are needed to regulate hunting, as most of the practice occurs outside of government owned areas.

In his opening statement, Prof. Joseph Mbaiwa (Professor of Tourism, Director, Okavango Research Institute, Botswana) gave a summary of wildlife challenges that communities are facing. Human wildlife conflict, poaching, uncontrolled bush fires, the militarisation of conservation, growing poverty and the North/South divide were all listed as issues that must be addressed.

Wildlife based tourism was presented as tool that can be used as a tool for promoting conservation, job generation and economic growth. Community based natural resource management (CBNRM) was suggested as a further solution, with Namibia being a prime example of the correct implementation of CBNRM. This model has been applied in other areas; Uganda and gorillas, India and tigers, etc.

Dr Taye Taferi (Coordinator, Policy and Partnership – Africa, TRAFFIC) introduced us to the concept of the 3 Fs; find, fence and fight. These are important principles when trying to progress conservation work, the design of which contributes significantly to the national economy.

Furthermore, the importance of the younger generation was highlighted (those under 24 represent 60% of the population); reaching and educating these people will be necessary when defining the future, especially when trying to influence governments.

The other speakers for the panel discussions then gave their opening statements; Angus Middleton spoke of his experiences with the conservation of black rhino, and the issues they have had with poaching. Ishmael Chahukura (CAMPFIRE program, Zimbabwe) outlined the use of CBNRM in Zimbabwe, and Daniel Mwinga (Chairperson, Slambala Conservancy, Namibia) shared his knowledge working as a professional hunting guide.

Panellists then gave suggestions of what other continents may learn from Africa.

The knock one effect of removing one species out of an ecosystem was noted, as well as the practice of quota saving.

Most importantly, lessons can be learned from Africa’s approach to land ownership – this is a major contributing factor to the success of wildlife use in Namibia.

Despite differing opinions across regions in Africa, they share the ability to manage what is theirs.

Speakers moved on to discussing the topic of foreign nations imposing changes upon Africa. It was suggested that this approach cannot work for 24

From left to right: Daniel Mwinga, Ishmael Chahukura, Francis Simiren Nkoitoi (Community Representative, Kenya), Prof. Joseph Mbaiwa, Kirsty Watermeier (moderator), Angus Middleton (moderator),

conservation in Africa – if you take the rights out of communities, there is no way in which they can support conservation, and their perception towards conservation becomes negative.

There is a need to work together and look for approaches that integrate views. Furthermore, it was stated that the global north has the resources to train the ecologists and rangers on conservation work, and that conservation is a stakeholder approach where we work together.

Prof. Joseph Mbaiwa

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The Importance of Women in Conservation Soňa Chovanová Supeková, President of the CIC Artemis Working Group, shared her views and thoughts on the role of women in conservation.

She summarised the recent activities at Artemis WG, which included the 4th Women and Sustainable Hunting Conference, which was attended by more than 100 women from 14 countries. Artemis WG has also produced 3 episodes on sustainable hunting management and women for conservation in Namibia, which has been broadcasted on Fishing and Hunting TV channel in 10 countries in Europe.

Soňa Chovanová Supeková

In addition, an outline of her personal work in conservation was provided, which involves a dedicated wildlife area of almost 80sq.m, with no interior fences or domestic stock. Selective ethical and sustainable trophy hunting is allowed, with only 2% of the population taken annually as trophies. With land owners shifting to the use of wildlife, this has led to the development of wildlife enterprises and has resulted 3 times more game, and twice as much wildlife on commercial farm and conservancies than in NP.

Adriana Sojáková, a Young Opinion member/ student from Slovakia, gave her experiences investigating ungulates in a pine and mixed forest in the west part of Slovakia.

The aim was to find out more about ungulate numbers and activity, and to inform students at her school on the findings.

She also conducted a study within her local town to find out how much people knew about ungulates and hunting; the results showed that knowledge about ungulates appeared to be limited, and that most people saw hunters

Adriana Sojáková and Maxi Louis (moderator, Director of the Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management)

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as killers and did not like them. People changed their views after sharing information on hunting, although the utility of hunters in controlling population numbers was an issue that had contrasting opinions.

Marina Lamprecht Panelist Pauline Hurt (Robin Hurt Safari Company) then talked about her involvement in the habitat for rhino project, which has 14 employees and eight rhinos in their care. Recent droughts in Namibia have caused rhino owners to have to import feed from South Africa, and the food shortages appear to be

Pauline Hurt

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an issue that will persist in the near future. It was also suggested that rhino owners feel that the sale of rhino horn should be legalized; this would provide much needed financial help and would only be taken off 4-5 times in the life of a rhino.

Marina Lamprecht, owner of the Hunters Namibia Safaris, then addressed a question on how to attract more women into conservation. Engaging women in education for children was stressed as a key driver, as well as introducing hunting into official education programs in schools.

Edmond Blanc Prize Awarded to the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Stakeholders The Edmond Blanc Prize awards outstanding efforts in wildlife conservation and game management that are based on the principles of sustainable wildlife use. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) has been awarding game reserves, conservation associations and organizations, choosing one area every second year, honoring those that have

had outstanding success in their work to conserve the natural environment, to protect free-roaming animals in the wild and to manage game according to principles of sustainability.

During the closing ceremony of this year’s 66th General Assembly, the Edmond Blanc Prize was given to the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Stakeholders, and was awarded to Stephan Jacobs for their work as professional hunters within the conservancy. Chief Tsamkxao ≠Oma of the Nyae Nyae conservancy gave his thoughts as the Chief Bobo; he spoke of the positive changes since the creation of the conservancy. Stephan Jacobs

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Stephan and his team have done in the creation of new boreholes that provide water to elephants – water can be considered a limiting factor to elephant population growth in this arid area.

Their approach to community involvement in conservation was also commended. The model, which incorporates ideas of community based natural resource management, shifted the majority of revenues to the local San people. Nyae Nyae’s community led approach gave local community members a reason to care about wildlife, and provided the San people with employment opportunities.

Stephen works closely with the San on hunts, making good use of their tracking abilities. In addition, the San’s involvement in anti-poaching measures has led to the control of general poaching within the conservancy.

then took the stage to give a statement on his experiences as a professional hunter at the Nyae Nyae conservancy, with particular mentions to his work with elphants, the benefits of trophy hunting and the importance of the local San people.

Their dedication to conducting responsible hunting was recognized as a further achievement by the CIC. Nyae Nyae has consistently elected professional hunters, acting as leaseholders for a five year period in the conservancy, that have shown their ability to successfully manage the conservational and socio-economic responsibilities associated with the role.

In regards to their methodology when it comes to hunting, much care goes into choosing animals with the suitable characteristics. For the case of elephants, only older, post-productive elephant bulls are selected for this purpose. The hunting results of recent years are also impressive; the average weights of the tusks of all trophies were consistently

Achievements of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy

Nyae Nyae was considered for this prize on the basis of their outstanding achievements in conservation, fulfilling multiple criteria set out by the CIC. Their work in the sustainable use of wildlife has yielded clear and measurable results through an increase in the number of wildlife, particularly in the restoration of elephant numbers in the conservancy.

Aggregating data from aerial surveys, moonlight waterhole and foot transect counts, it was found that elephant numbers have increased at an average rate of 3.0% per year between 1998 and 2015. Much of this is due to the work that 29

well over 70 lbs with a positive, upwards trend – this is unmatched in Africa today.

from 500,000 in 1960 to 3 million in 2015. The other side of this story is that cattle, sheep and goat numbers have seen a sharp decline of 45% in a similar time frame. It is clear then that since the transferal of game ownership rights to land owners, there has been a distinct shift away from cattle ranching to wildlife farming.

The CIC would like to congratulate Mr and Mrs. Jacobs, as well as the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and stakeholders, on this achievement and we hope that their work can inspire others in the sustainable wildlife use community to work towards even greater successes going forward.

Part of the reason for this is Namibia’s climate; a large majority of private land and farms in Namibia are in areas that see very little rainfall throughout the year. The lack of rainfall and the resulting landscape, referred to as arid and semiarid conditions, means that only a few species of cattle are suitable to be reared on these lands, whereas 45 species of game are able to live comfortably in the same areas. The dependency on rainfall also means that cattle ranching is fairly unstable, as even small deviations in the climate would result in losses as well as impact numbers for following years. The

Why Namibia Moved Away from Cattle Ranching to Hunting In 1960, Namibia introduced legislation that gave private land owners and farms ownership rights over the game and wildlife on their lands. Much has changed since then, and Namibia’s approach to hunting and conservation has since been widely praised as both a conservation success story and a positive economic driver. In that time, wildlife numbers have increased dramatically,

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effect of a draught would be even more substantial.

Namibia - it therefore makes sense for most of these communities to prioritise hunting.

In contrast to this, wildlife farming is a more versatile, efficient and profitable way for farmers to make a living. It can be considered versatile due to the number of ways that income can be generated through its usage, with meat production, the sale of live animals, eco-tourism and trophy hunting being some examples.

Even just the acquisition of meat through hunting is a significant improvement over cattle ranching, as meat from hunts are often distributed at no cost to local communities. Furthermore, it creates job opportunities in other employment sectors other than farming, such as service jobs at hunting camps. Another benefit of wildlife farming is that money from foreign nations is introduced into these communities, either directly through trophy hunting programs or through an overall increase in tourism.

The change in legislation in 1960 finally gave land owners in Namibia an incentive to care about game; this slowly developed into the change in land usage that we see today. This example shows how context is important when a nation determines their approach to land usage and demonstrates Western countries, which do not have issues such as arid land conditions, may be ignorant to the necessities of conservancy hunting in countries with differing geographies and climates.

Source: GAUP Conference Proceedings

Wildlife and game are also much less dependent on rainfall and more resilient to extreme weather conditions such as draughts. This is in part due to the difference in diet between cattle and game; cattle feed exclusively on short grass, whereas game are able to eat �the shortest grass from little forbs on the ground, up to five meters high vegetation from the big trees, and everything in between.� Rain shortages would result in a lack of food for cattle, but game have a diet that is considerably more flexible to the surrounding vegetation. Although domestic cattle ranching can be more profitable than wildlife farming when rainfall is above 800mm per annum, this is not the case for the vast majority of 31

CIC Wildlife Photo Prize 2019 The CIC Wildlife Photo Prize aims to stimulate observations in the field and an awareness of the aesthetic value of wildlife and hunting. Another aim is to suggest that the passion for hunting can find an expression in different ways – photography being another facet of a passion for wildlife. The competition links hunters and non-hunting lovers of wildlife. The theme of the 2019 photo prize was “Wildlife up close”.

1ST PRIZE Tetiana Lavrina, Ukraine “Come to play with me!”

International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation

CIC Wildlife Photo Prize 2019

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International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation

CIC Wildlife Photo Prize 2019

2ND PRIZE Partha Chakraborty India International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation

CIC Wildlife Photo Prize

Please Save Me – Last Call

2019

3RD PRIZE Tapas Biswas India Affection 33

CIC Working Group Young Opinion – Thesis Award 2019 As in previous years, YO has awarded young scientists around the globe who contribute to wildlife conservation through their thesis.

The award was handed over and presented at the closing ceremony of the 66th General Assembly in Windhoek, Namibia.

The award was presented to Florian Kunz from Austria for his thesis: “Genetic diversity and habitat connectivity of Alpine Black Grouse – providing knowledge for successful preservation.

Mr. Kunz’s presentation can be downloaded here.

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Hunting for Treasure 2019 The Hunting Auction in Windhoek was a great success, in spite of the lower number of attendees that were present at the Windhoek conference compared to previous years. Therefore, I would like to start this summary with a big THANK YOU! Of course, our thanks are due first and foremost to the many donors, which have been listed at the end of this short report.

The Hunting Auction would not be possible without the many hunts and donations that were generously contributed.

We would like to give particular mention to Patrick Vernet, who was acting as the auctioneer during the event. He was brilliant; both entertaining and very effective. Together with Benedict Hammer, who was assisting during the auction, the two helped in achieving an excellent result on the evening.

Many Thanks!!!

After all: never change a winning team.

We sincerely hope that we can enlist the help of this duo for next auction.

And last but not least, thanks to the Hunting Auction Team, who put 36

a lot of time and energy into the preparations and will hopefully continue to assist us with their valuable support.

Abdelmalek Laraichi Alejandro Allende Andreas Dippel Anne & George Aman Anne & Torsten Mörner Árpád Sárkány Bernard Lozé Branislav Živković Bundesforsten Grafenwöhr / Ulrich Maushake Carl Zeiss AG Carlo Alberto & Giovanni Pejrone Cordelia & Rudolf Kräling Danene van der Westhuyzen Diethelm & Katja Metzger Dirk Brockhaus Dr. Jens-Jürgen Böckel Dr. Michl Ebner Dr. Rolf Roosen Dr. Wilhelm von Trott zu Solz Eberhard Freiherr von Gemmingen-Hornberg

Hunting Donors2019 for Treasure

Francois Labet Franz Reinthaler Gemenc Zrt / Tibor Csonka Gyulaj Zrt. / Péter Gőbölös Hans-Werner Blöcker Hugo Kotzé Jan Mohr Jaroslaw Kuczaj Jukka Bisi & Mikko Rautiainen Matthias Eisele Max Wrede Michael Lüke Michel Mantheakis Mikael Antell Monika Michael Nicolas Perruchot Norbert Vossen Oliver Dorn

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Olivier Rolin Jacquemyns & André Swenden Olivier Sarrasin & Francesco Bertazzoni Pablo Monjardín Pilisi Parkerdö Zrt / Gábor Reinitz Prinz Dimitri Sturdza Ralf Müller Ralf Salzmann & Jan Riedel Ramiro Gonzales Allende Robin Hurt Soňa Chovanová Supeková & Vladimír Chovan Swarovski Optik AG Young Opinion / Benedict Hammer

WILDLIFE WATCH Trophy Evaluation System Update #12 Our Network The first half of this year has been busy for the CIC Trophy Evaluation System.

At the beginning of the year, Croatia held their first official CIC training near Zagreb, which led to the addition of 28

Croatian Certified Measurers (CCMs) to the TES network! This was followed by a CIC training in Tirol, Austria, in March where another 26 participants were certified as CCMs. The CIC TES would like to

Croatian training CCMs

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congratulate everyone that successfully completed their certification!

In addition to the trainings, two outstanding evaluation events were held: the 4th Annual CIC International Evaluation in February, and the ‘Camp Vilmark’ International Exhibition in Lillestrøm, Norway, in April.

The CIC TES would like to thank the STJs who were involved with these events for their commitment to TES and for taking the time to mentor new measurers, evaluate trophies and their efforts in the organization of the event!

International Gold Medal Evaluation at the Croatian training

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Austrian training CCMs

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Lecture during the Austrian training

Tirol training leaders (Left to right: Larry Taaffe (UK), Norbert Bleier (HU) and Josef Feuereisel (CZ)

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Finally, the CIC HQ has a new member of staff – Luna Milatović, who succeeded Caroline Sorensen as the CIC Conservation Officer. The CIC TES would like to congratulate Caroline on her new job, and hope that she attains all the success that she deserves. Her commitment and dedication to trophy evaluation has been an inspiration to the whole network!

Luna is a biologist by training, and she pursued a career in conservation after completing her MSc in Environmental Sciences and Policy. Prior to joining the CIC, she worked as a consultant in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, on issues related to protected area and wildlife management.

It’s worth noting that Luna is not entirely new to the CIC – she has previous experience working within the TES as an intern two years ago! Should you wish to say hi, or welcome her to the network, please contact her at l.milatovic@cicwildlife.org .

Measurers at the 4th Annual CIC International Evaluation (Left to right: Imrich Šuba (SK), Nicolò Amosso (IT), Iain Watson (UK), Norbert Bleier (HU) and Enzo Berzieri (IT))

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Imrich Å uba Slovakia 2018-STJ-010

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In the Spotlight Why did you become involved with trophy evaluation?

My motivation comes from experiences with my family. I grew up around hunting and evaluation - mainly through the estimation of game, following my father step by step.

He taught me that trophies are the final result of the hunt and a way to educate yourself on hunting best practices, and way to hold onto fond memories from your life and from hunting. My motivation for being involved in CIC trophy activities is simple: I believe that the hunting practices cannot be improved without evaluation and estimation of hunted game.

What role does trophy evaluation play in the management of wildlife in Slovakia?

This is the end of your second threeyear term as a co-chair in the Trophy Evaluation Board (TEB) of TES. How much do you think TES has changed over years and do you think it has been improving?

It plays a very important role. Since 1962, our legislation requires the mandatory estimation of all game, as well as educating hunters on trophy quality and age. This is important, not just for hunters but also for the general public, as it shows that hunters are not just killing wildlife, but using nature sustainably.

Everything is about human capacity. I can remember times when some people in TES were putting their egos first, before our common interests, which unfortunately is just a reflection of today’s society in general.

Trophy evaluation was close to crashing after the incident with the Bulgarian ‘world record deer’. Even within the CIC, trophy activities decreased, but if it wasn’t for trophies and trophy evaluation, we would only be able to refer to ourselves as meat producers. I hope for and I believe in the success of the Trophy Evaluation System.

Especially now that we have a system in place with clear rules, which I see as the first step in the creation of a system that acts as a service for hunters. The system 45

should promote the sharing of information, argue for protection of hunters, assist in the management of PR and last but not the least, act as a source of income for the CIC.

We have to educate everyone within the network and explain how important it is to abide by the rules. There is still a lot of work to be done, which should be done soon – so I ask all of my colleagues for their understanding and increased international cooperation. In these times, it’s not enough to work only at a national level.

There are still examples of misuse of the CIC TES by some delegations and individuals.

I trust and hope that the reason for this is a limited knowledge about our system.

Do you know a member of the STJ/CCM network who should be in the spotlight? Would you like your event highlighted in our events section? Please send STJ/CCM nominations/event details to l.milatovic@cic-wildlife.org If you have any questions about the above information, or the CIC TES in general, please contact Luna Milatović, CIC Conservation Officer, at l.milatovic@cic-wildlife.org.

Upcoming Events August 6–7

TEB Meeting

Hungary

August 17–18

CIC Training

Serbia

September 5–6

CIC Training

France

*Events are subject to change without notice 46

Did you know?

Total of 4656 trophy evaluations were entered into the TED in 2018. This is 2,5 times more evaluations than in 2017!!

The TES in numbers: Active CCMs/STJs: 668 Countries in the TES: 30 Measurements in the TED: 13754

The TEB strongly encourages all hunters to have their trophies evaluated by a Certified CIC Measurer in order to enhance research possibilities and encourage a more wholesome approach to the evaluation, regardless of the trophy’s potential to reach47a medal limit.

REGIONAL AND COUNTRY NEWS Namibia: a year-in-review Conservancy Hunting in Namibia and the Lost Voices of Local Communities

For years now, there appears to be a growing opposition to conservancy hunting, particularly in foreign nations where hunting is not common practice.

Evidence has shown that trophy hunting plays a key role in conservation, but much of the resistance towards conservancy hunting has been based on a contrast of worldviews; a difference in ideology surrounding animal welfare.

What is often ignored by those in the anti-hunting camp is the perspective of the local communities that are involved in the day to day work relating to hunting and conservation. Policymakers residing in wealthy nations know little about the reality of these individuals, and too often the thoughts and opinions of these communities are not considered in any discussions regarding hunting legislation.

In 2018, the peer reviewed journal “Biological Conservation” released a paper entitled “Local perceptions of trophy hunting on communal lands in Namibia” (Angula et al, 2018). This paper sought to get the opinions of those living and working in various conservancies across Namibia in order to gain some insight into trophy hunting and the impact that it has on their lives. In total, 48

Why is the Local Perspective Significant?

The introduction of conservancy hunting has lifted many Namibian people out of poverty, leading to the creation of jobs and income in areas where employment is a scarce commodity.

Research has suggested that Namibia’s attitude towards trophy hunting has had a significant positive impact on their economy, leading to greater stability and growth (Batavia et al, 2018). Ultimately, this can be at attributed to job generation and wealth creation at the local level in conservancies across Namibia.

Local residents in conservancies can also be considered the frontline workers when it comes to conservation; in terms of knowledge and the practical application of ideas related to this field, it is these individuals that can be considered the leading experts.

Therefore, the thoughts of these local communities should be considered when conducting research and political debate around trophy hunting.

160 rural residents across 32 communal conservancies were participants in this this study, answering questions through both interviews and surveys.

The Benefits of Conservation Hunting to Locals

Here, we will detail the key points and themes that were found as part of this study, and the reason why the local perspective is significant when assessing the holistic benefits of conservancy hunting and the possible implications of a hunting ban.

The results of the study found that an overwhelming majority of 90% of respondents considered hunting to have provided benefits to the local community.

Most people attributed jobs and the income that it provides community

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members as a major contributing factor in this response. It should be noted that the economic benefits are not only limited to those directly managing these conservancies, but also includes jobs at local hunting camps and from ecotourism.

before imposing such a drastic decision on these individuals.

It is also suggested that a ban on trophy hunting may have an adverse effect on wildlife. Not only would this result in the loss of vital funding for conservation programs, the study shows that only 11% of participants would continue to support wildlife on communal lands if a ban was enacted. Removing the motivation for locals to care for wildlife would be counter-intuitive when the intent of a hunting ban would be to protect the animals in the first place.

Further examples of how locals think it may impact wildlife include an increase in poaching and the retaliatory killing of animals.

The boost in eco-tourism as a result of trophy hunting demonstrates the positive knock on effect that it can have on other industries, and serves as an indicator of successful wildlife management practices through sustainable wildlife use. Other benefits that were mentioned included the distribution of meat to local communities following hunts. In an area such as Namibia where the amount of arable land and land available for animal husbandry can be limited, protein can be expensive and difficult to access. Conservation hunting provides a unique and ethical solution to this issue, and ensures that locals can maintain a balanced diet for little to no cost.

The removal of problem animals was cited as a further boon of conservancy hunting. One respondent mentioned that elephants were often the cause of issues by destroying crops, another stating that aggressive hippos can lead to conflict with humans.

Social factors that were mentioned in the study were an increase in human-wildlife conflict and the loss of meat. What is interesting to note is that even though 13% of people were in favor of a hunting ban, all participants with this viewpoint suggested that there was no other alternative to trophy hunting that would be able to replace all of its benefits.

This reveals how locals that are against hunting still accept it as necessary for both people and the environment.

Summary and Wider Implications of the Local Perspective

What Would be the Effect of a Hunting Ban?

What is clear from the results of this study is that trophy hunting has far reaching implications to the local conservancies and its residents across Namibia. The common themes that were found are often not discussed by those that oppose the practice of hunting. Arguably, it is the economic

Participants in the study were asked how a potential trophy ban would impact their lives. 65% of respondents stated that “This would be depriving them of income or employment that is critical for their livelihoods.� Those proposing a ban on hunting must offer other solutions 50

repercussions that a hunting ban would have on people that is the most significant finding. It is also important to remember the role that human incentives play in conservation. The same wildlife and animals will continue to exist even after a ban; the only difference will be that there will be no funding to operate a conservation program.

Much of the conflict around hunting appears to stem from a difference in ideologies surrounding animal welfare.

Even though less than 1/5 participants in the survey were in favor of a hunting ban, none of them cited animal welfare as a reason for doing so. This suggests that individuals pushing for a ban in foreign countries lack an in depth understanding of the subject, with personal opinions preventing them from taking a more holistic view.

SOURCES Angula et al. (2018). Local perceptions of trophy hunting on communal lands in Namibia. Biological Conservation, 218, p26-31.

Batavia et al. (2018). The elephant (head) in the room: A critical look at trophy hunting. Conservation Letters, 12(1), p1-6

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NAPHA Position paper The Importance of Hunting towards Conservation

The executive committee of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA EXCO) believes that some sober analysis is urgently needed in the best interest of practical nature conservation and it is time to address some issues.

They prepared some essays on topics identified by the NAPHA EXCO and dealt with by various members of the EXCO, namely General aspects of hunting Emotions of hunting Involvement of local communities in remote rural African regions Economic benefits of hunting Education on hunting Collaring and naming of wild animals Conclusion Some background on the Namibian Professional Hunting Association

It is their hope that stakeholders and interested persons will read and consider this discourse and that a rational debate in the best interest of wildlife and its habitats can take place.

Download the position paper 52

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The People of Botswana have Decided – Suspension on Hunting Lifted On 22 May 2019, the Government of Botswana announced that they will be lifting the moratorium on hunting, overturning legislation implemented by former President Ian Khama in 2014. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE), and the Dallas Safari Club (DSC) welcomed the decision to reintroduce controlled hunting as a component of the conservation strategy of this wildlife rich and biodiverse country.

This decision, based on the findings of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban and Social Dialogue, followed an inclusive year-long consultation process, including dialogue with affected communities,

local authorities, conservationists, NGOs, tourism businesses, researchers and other stakeholders and is an outstanding example of representative democracy-in-action for which Botswana should be congratulated.

The subcommittee made their recommendations in a White Paper, released in February 2019; humanwildlife conflict, the loss of livestock and the effect on rural communities were among the reasons for their suggestions.

Communities in the heart of the Okavango Delta lost 200 jobs and millions after the hunting ban, and despite the attempt to shift towards an ecotourism based economy, many found their only source of income to be threatened.

The supply of meat from the hunting industry was 54

In the official press release regarding the decision to lift the ban on hunting, the Government of Botswana cited several reasons for this momentous change: • The high level of human-wildlife conflict and the increasingly negative impact on livelihoods; • An increase in predators and corresponding increase in livestock deaths; • The hunting suspension has a negative impact on rural people who had previously received revenue and other benefits from consumptive utilisation; • Lack of capacity within the Department of Wildlife and National Parks lead to long response times to problem animal control reports; • The general consensus from those consulted was that the hunting suspension should be lifted.

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also their only reliable source of protein, as livestock farming is all but impossible in areas teeming with predators, and these villages are hours from the nearest towns where meat is available for purchase.

Whilst the communities in the Delta retained some income through ecotourism, the impacts of the hunting ban were even more severe among the indigenous San communities.

The Namibian Chamber of Environment, representing 44 conservation groups, issued a statement in support of the initial recommendations in the White Paper. Namibian conservationists, including environmental NGOs, researchers, community representatives and conservancies, joined a group of international conservationists in praising President Masisi and Botswana’s parliament for establishing the consultative process that looked to balance wildlife conservation with the needs and aspirations of the citizens of Botswana.

Following the initial announcement, The Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Honourable Kitso Mokaila, held a press conference on 23 May 2019, during which a number of misconceptions were addressed, including the allocation of sustainable quotas for elephants.

It was emphasised that the aim is not to reduce elephant numbers, nor to cull, but rather to ensure that rural people have incentives to protect wildlife. This will relieve the current situation whereby rural people bear the brunt of living with large dangerous animals but have no incentives to protect them.

Foreign hunters, including from FACE’s membership can play an important role in the future for Botswana’s conservation policy.

DSC congratulates President Masisi, Minister Mokaila and all involved for affirming the need for local governments and people to manage their wildlife resources. This policy benefits Botswana’s people and its wildlife.

The Ministry was clear that people must be part of the solution, a conclusion that is in keeping with lessons learned and agreed upon by mainstream conservation organisations.

Together, the CIC, FACE and DSC commend the Government of Botswana on this important policy decision intended to benefit both wildlife and those living with it. While we welcome the lifting of the suspension of controlled hunting, we note that this must be done, as acknowledged by the Government of Botswana, in a carefully regulated, monitored and transparent manner which continues to take into account the concerns of all

The CIC welcomed this news and made available our many decades of experience of ensuring that hunting is an effective tool for conservation, should this be requested.

FACE also supported Botswana in their decisions to improve the conservation of wildlife and to support the sustainable use of natural resources.

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stakeholders. This strategy must remain firmly focused on achieving the socioeconomic, conservation and economic objectives that have been clearly outlined as the rational for lifting the controlled hunting ban.

during the last half of the twentieth century. Over 90% of Namibia’s wildlife population, numbering over 3 million animals, occurs outside of protected areas – and this is only because people have rights to benefit and wish to participate; whilst together Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia now host two thirds of Africa’s elephants and, along with South Africa, are home to over 90% of rhinos.

With this decision, Botswana is realigning itself with its neighbouring countries who have long recognised the rights of rural communities and the need to enable their stewardship of wildlife resources.

This approach has ensured southern Africa developed the healthiest wildlife populations and habitat on the continent

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Romania’s Rural Landscape is no Longer Safe No Time to Loose!

Bear attacks in Romania are on the rise, having already caused many injuries and the loss of 3 human lives since the start of 2019. How long will environmental authorities wait to take action to allow the effective regulation of the overpopulation of bears in Romania?

In June, scientists and wildlife experts met in Bucharest to better understand the prevailing situation as a result of the ban on hunting of large carnivores imposed in 2016 by the then Minister of Environment, Water and Forests.

The meeting was organised by the

International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), with the support of the German CIC Delegation.

The ban has led to a tremendous increase in human wildlife conflicts in Romania. Necessary decisions, which have been agreed upon by all stakeholders, are being “dragged out” and not yet fully implemented. The rural people of Romania are now demanding immediate action. The meeting of scientists and experts is requesting the Romanian Ministry of Environment

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and the Ministry of Waters and Forests to implement the agreed and officially published Action Plan which includes inter alia, the setting of intervention and preventive harvest quotas for Brown bears and Wolves. A joint statement prepared by the scientists and experts was presented to the delegates of a Ministerial Conference on Large Carnivores – Challenges and Solutions, organised in the framework of the Romanian Presidency of the European Council. It is hoped that the statement will find the deserved attention of decisionmakers in Romania and serve as a wakeup call for other European countries struggling with similar problems related to the steep rise in large carnivore populations.

As a result of the meeting, the CIC and the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) agreed on a joint statement (Romanian translation of the joint statement is available, kindly provided by FACE.) towards the Ministerial Conference. Herein it was emphasised that “local communities must be involved in and feel ownership of the conservation and management of these species.”

in Romania, yet no one is willing to accept the consequences. This was especially evident from the EU project: LIFE13 NAT/ RO/001154 – Life for Bear, presented by the National Forest Research and Development Institute of Romania.

If Romania’s Government is not issuing sufficiently high preventive quotas for brown bears, signs like the above will need to be placed around the rural landscape of Romania. Despite this, nothing has changed since the 2016 Government decision not to issue harvest quotas for large carnivores.

Is the Government being kept hostage?

If yes, by whom? If not, why is there no action? Clearly the current non-lethal management activities in isolation are not solving the problem.

Why do we continue to promote them ahead of others? We have a suite of alternative management measures available, yet only a few are being considered.

One presenter spoke of “traditional management measures” and their relevance today in limiting large carnivore conflict in Romania. There has been a long tradition of coexistence between local people and carnivores in the country. Today, the socio-ecological carrying capacity for these species has been exceeded. This has resulted in

The scientific evidence and hard data presented in June clearly shows an increase in the brown bear populations 59

some locals taking matters into their own hands, including illegal killings through traps, poison, and baiting.

animal rights issue. How can we continue to sacrifice the lives of humans, livestock and even other protected species when we have the solutions available? Something must be done.

An example of solutions was given

by Government representatives from Finland who stated “the experience of Finland shows that we can combine hunting with large carnivore conservation”. This was taken up by the Chair in his concluding remarks in which he emphasised that “harvest quotas for large carnivores, which are backed by science, can reduce damages and conflicts”.

Legal hunting has, for decades been part of the traditional management of large carnivores in Romania. This was one of the key factors that allowed large carnivores to persist in the country over centuries, while other EU States saw them disappear from their landscapes.

Continuing the protectionist approach, and allowing unlimited growth of large carnivore populations, is irresponsible and will lead to more casualties. One death is one too many. Sadly, three people have already died in Romania in 2019 as a result of encounters with brown bears! This is a human and

Background paper on hunting abroad Factual and fact-based: How complex tourism, hunting, society, and wildlife conservation work together is explained by a paper by IUCN, the CIC, and DJV. The text is now available in German.

import restrictions on hunting trophies.

The IUCN explains how hunting bans can have a negative impact on biodiversity, combatting poaching in the field, and the rights and livelihoods of indigenous and local communities.

The IUCN position paper on trophy hunting, which has been available in English since September 2016, points to dangers arising from hunting bans or

Read more on the CIC website (in German).

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New Chairman of the Polish Hunting Association Minister Henryk Kowalczyk appointed Albert Paweł Kołodziejski, as new Chairman of the Main Board of the Polish Hunting Association.

Mr. Kołodziejski has been a long-time member of the Polish Hunting Association and Hunting Association “TROP Płock”.

He is interested in shooting (he is a judge and a hunting shooting instructor) and hunting cynology, and has extensive knowledge about the Polish hunting model in relation to

hunting models in Europe.

One of the main goals of its social activities in the structures of the Polish Hunting Association is to improve the hunter’s image in society. He is an advocate of organizational and economic transparency and efficiency of PZŁ as a social organization performing tasks entrusted by the State.

The International Council for Game and Wildlife

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Conservation congratulates Mr. Kołodziejski for his new position, and looks forward to working with the new Chairman on promoting hunting through the sustainable use of wildlife.

Poland is the one of the funding members of the CIC, and the Polish Hunting Association has been an active member since the beginnings.

“Hunting in Europe – present and future” Jagd & Hund 2019

The German Delegation of the CIC, official partner of the “Jagd & Hund” fair, similar to last year, invited the participants to a lecture and discussion event. The theme of the talk this year was “Hunting in Europe – present and future”. The event attracted about 100 participants, who received a broad general impression on the future challenges for hunting and hunters.

“A recent poll in Austria shows that hunting still has wide support in the public.

76 percent of respondents had a positive attitude towards hunting”, said Dr. Philipp Harmer, Deputy President of the CIC. Hans-Werner Blöcker

George Aman

After a short introduction

by Hans-Werner Blöcker, board member of the German Delegation, CIC President George Aman gave a welcome note and presented the panellists.

Prof. Herzog took over the moderation and gave the speakers the opportunity for one brief statement on the challenges for hunting in Europe. Public relations, financial resource needs, the return of the wolf, and

the relationship between hunting and politics at the national and EU-level were put forward as crucial issues and then further elaborated on during the discussions.

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There was agreement between speakers and participants: Hunting must be supported by professional communications along with sufficient funding.

The three-hour event ended with a closing message from CIC President George Aman, who called for unity among national and international hunting federations. President Aman emphasized the importance of maintaining professional public relations in view of the current challenges faced by and attacks on hunting.

Taking action, such as with the “One Euro per Hunter� campaign, which was initiated by the CIC, is the right way to improve public relations through professional communication and unity in the hunting community.

Panellists included (top row) Dr. Sven Herzog (TU Dresden) as moderator; Dr. Philipp Harmer, Deputy President of the CIC; Dr. Albert Weiler, Member of the Bundestag; (bottom row) Ian Bell, Managing Director of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC); and Karl-Heinz Florenz, Member of the European Parliament.

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Hunting by muzzleloaders became fully legal in Hungary Effective from 11 January 2019 the usage of muzzleloaders at individual and social (driven) hunt are also became legal in Hungary by the change of 1996/ LV law for the protection of game, game management and hunting.

driven hunt. “Now, we are regarded equals as the fellow-hunters that use modern firearms” – he said.

“Modern firearms give the advantage to shoot over a much longer range, meanwhile muzzleloaders restrict us to a much shorter distance.

Furthermore, as the loading is more time-consuming process, we have to be even more careful when stalking. These demand a stealthy approach where the natural elements play a bigger role. It is this aspect of hunting by muzzleloaders that awakes the passion of some hunters decide to take up this traditional hunting device” – Balázs Németh said.

Balázs Németh, President of Hungarian Blackpowder Shooters and Hunters Association welcomes the full legalization.

However individual hunting by muzzleloaders had become legal from 1 July 2016, but the usage of these firearms were prohibited at Legal status of blackpowder hunting in the EU

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We are grateful for the trust placed in us, and we thank Zsolt Semjén Deputy Prime Minister and President of Hungarian Hunters’ National Association, as well as Balázs Győrffy, MP and President of Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture for supporting us, and for encouraging every traditional hunting methods from bowhunting to falcory.

A South African’s View

Developing A Response to Anticountries lead Hunting Sentiment by example in mainstreaming biodiversity A recent Biological Conservation article that reviews 144 national biodiversity plans finds that developing countries, particularly those in Africa, score highest in mainstreaming biodiversity, and that developed countries need to do more to acknowledge the value of biodiversity to their production sectors.

In his recent article, Peter Flack provides some insight into his views on hunting which serve to counter the beliefs and sentiments that are commonly held amongst those that actively oppose the practice.

Read more on the CIC website.

Read more on the CIC website.

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Migratory Birds and Africa and World Migratory Bird Day 2019 Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez (Executive Secretary of the Agreement on the Conservation of AfricanEurasian Migratory Waterbirds) opened Session VIII by highlighting the impact that climate change will have on migratory birds. Species will be lost and gained in different areas due to temperature shifts and hydrological changes. It is predicted that East/West/ North/Southwest Africa and the Arctic will be critical sites that see the highest deterioration.

If trends are to become stable, it was suggested that there is a need for improved coordination between countries. The African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds Conservation Agreement (AEWA) plan of action for Africa 2019-2027 was outlined, which aims to collect and disseminate data on waterbirds, as well as seek effective capacity enhancement.

Research and Collections Manager of the Okavango Wilderness Project, Gรถtz Neef, then gave a summary of his work on the Okavango. Working as part of a wild bird trust, his work includes mapping the area, logging species, bird sightings and water quality testing. The overall goal of the Okavango Wilderness Project will be to get the entire area

protected, however this will be difficult due to the terrain and weather conditions. On these expeditions in Angola, 4 new species have been discovered, along with 67 range extensions.

Gรถtz Neef

Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez

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The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and Environment for the Americas (EFTA) have joined forces to strengthen global recognition and appreciation of migratory birds. This year the theme of World Migratory Bird Day is “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!� and will put the spotlight on the impact of plastic pollution on migratory birds and their habitats. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) has been active partner of the organisers in order to spread World Migratory Bird Day messages across the globe.

Director General of the CIC, Tamas Marghescu was asked to send a statement on the occasion of World Migratory Bird Day 2019.

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6th Meeting of EU Large Carnivore Platform The sixth plenary meeting of the European Union Large Carnivore Platform was held in Brussels on 13 May 2019. Deputy Director General, Mark Ryan was representing the CIC at the meeting, which was attended by other platform members including the European Commission (Chair), ELO – European Landowners’ Organization (Co-chair), IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature, WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature, FACE – European Federation for Hunting and Conservation, EUROPARC, and Reindeer Herders’ Association.

The plenary discussed a number of subjects of relevance to large carnivore management, namely the European Union’s new common agricultural policy (CAP) and what this means

for coexistence with large carnivores (see here) progress on the establishment of regional platforms on people and large carnivores in Europe (see meeting statement on Grosseto platform); fears and risks associated with large carnivores, and the importance of appropriate and accurate communication in reaching out to the public on the subject.

What became clear from the discussions is that multiple populations of large carnivores,

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especially wolves and bears have reached a ‘favourable conservation status’ level locally in many parts of Europe.

With this status comes the need to consider suitable management measures, including sustainable use, in order to minimise conflicts.

There was even a suggestion that hunting could potentially help increase the avoidance of humans by certain large

carnivores, though this warrants further research.

There are already multiple examples of countries, in Europe and elsewhere who are successfully and sustainably managing their populations of large carnivores through hunting.

EU PLATFORM ON COEXISTENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE & LARGE CARNIVORES

Š George Spyridakis

While numerous financial tools are available to help minimise conflict between humans and large carnivores, their effectiveness and efficiency in actually preventing or compensating damages needs to be measured.

It became clear during the meeting that more needs to be done in terms of monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of any measures.

The CIC is grateful to the European Commission and all platform members present for the constructive discussions that were had.

The four European large carnivore species (brown bear, wolf, Eurasian lynx and wolverine) are among the most symbolic but challenging groups of species in terms of conservation and management in the European Union (EU). This is because they have large transboundary ranges69 and their needs can create conflict with human activities such as farming, hunting and recreation.

Budapest 2021 World Hunting and Nature Exhibition goes global Hunting is a centuries-old tradition in Hungary. It has played a central role in Hungarian culture since the early days of the nation’s history, a part of the people’s enduring aspiration to live close to nature.

Honoring this tradition, in 2021 – the 50th anniversary of the World Hunting Exhibition of Budapest in 1971 – Hungary will gather from all over the world nature enthusiasts and those with a special interest in nature-related professions.

An extraordinary, versatile program awaits visitors. Building on the exhibition’s theme, “One with nature,” the program will celebrate the role humanity plays in the evolution of nature. Our fate depends on natural resources, so we must protect them, help them to grow and evolve, and the event will explore these themes.

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In addition to presenting professional organizations, the 1971 World Exhibition served as a defining event, and the 2021 exhibition will continue in that vein, showcasing developments in sustainability and environmentallyfriendly living. Hunting and wildlife management will take center stage, while forestry, agriculture, fishing and fishery will also be featured. The exhibition will aim to increase awareness and understanding of the invaluable efforts to preserve biological diversity and natural resources.

While planning the event, organizers have made a priority of energy-efficiency and recycling. The most-prominent event on the agenda will be a multilingual display emphasizing Hungarian achievements. Much more than a market place, the display will include state-ofthe-art gadgets, involving those using augmented reality, virtual reality and 5G. The use of natural resources will be explored in detail, alongside the hunting traditions of the Carpathian basin, while other countries will be represented at their own stands. The displays will

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address the younger generations as well, drawing attention to the close relationship between man and nature.

Open from September 25th through October 14th, the exhibition will welcome visitors at HUNGEXPO in Budapest, the same location as in 1971. By 2021, the exhibition space will be completely renovated, re-decorated with rich and varied flora and fauna. In addition to Budapest, several other municipalities will host events, including Hatvan, Keszthely, Gödöllő, and Vásárosnamény.

Estimates anticipate that one million visitors will attend the exhibition.

have already sent official invitations to more than 150 countries, and negotiations are already under way. It is also worth noting that in the 1971 World Expo, 52 countries from four continents took part in some form, 34 of which held presentations for the visitors. In 2021, organizers hope for even higher international participation.

To manage this undertaking, a stateowned project firm has been tasked with the roll-out of the exhibition under the leadership of Government Commissioner Dr. Zoltán Kovács. The Commissioner is assisted by a government secretariat and an organizing committee. In international affairs, the organizers rely on the expertise of József Károlyi and the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), the patron of this global event.

At the CIC General Assembly in Namibia on 1 May 2019, József Károlyi handed over the Hungarian Government’s official invitation to Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia’s Minister of Environment and Tourism. The Minister was pleased that Hungary put a special emphasis on preserving the natural environment and protecting the legacy of its ancestors through conscious forest and wildlife management.

Since then, organizers 72

CIC Director General selected to serve on DSC’s Conservation Advisory Board During the 2019 Convention and Expo of the Dallas Safari Club (DSC), a group of top-level conservation experts convened as part of DSC’s Conservation Advisory Board (CAB).

This newly established group are charged with the mission of providing

subject matter expertise, with both regional and global perspectives, on needed research, program development, and advocacy.

Read more on the CIC’s website.

Source: Dallas Safari Club

Board members also include: Top row from left to right: Corey Mason, DSC’s Executive Director and Certified Wildlife Biologist™, Danene van der Westhuyzen (Professional Hunter and President of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association), Rob Keck (Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’s), Ron Regan (Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies) Bottow row from left to right: Shane Mahoney (Conservation Visions Inc.), Tamás Marghescu, CIC General Director, Jeff Crane (Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation), Khalil Karimov (Wildlife Biologist, IUCN Central Asia Group Chair)

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CIC member’s success “Michel Mantheakis Safaris, Rowland Ward Fair Chase Outfitter, has earned the honor of being selected as DSC’s 2019 Outfitter of the Year”, Dallas Safari Club Executive Director, Corey Mason, said.

Michel Mantheakis Safaris was established in 2010, as a family-owned company promoting ethical hunting and conservation, and markets

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to discerning hunters. “It was a joint dream to own and operate a hunting company based on strong conservation principles, maximum anti-poaching effort, luxury service and corporate social responsibility,” Michel Mantheakis said.

Read more on the CIC website.

Source: Dallas Safari Club

Tanzania How Hunting Saves Wildlife Michel Mantheakis is a CIC member, professional hunter and President of the Tanzania Hunting Operators Association.

The DSC foundation recently sat down with him for an in-depth discussion on the realities and current challenges and the uncertain future of Tanzania’s wildlife and its safari industry.

Click to watch part 1

The conclusion of this three part series featuring, exposes the threats posed when wildlife and wilderness conservation issues are based on emotion and political gain in place of fact and scientific data.

Click to watch part 2

Watch all three parts online

Click to watch part 3

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Prepare Your Elevator Speech

By Corey Mason, DSC Executive Director

Corey Mason DSC Executive Director

There seems to be a never-ending attack on what we all hold near and dear – the ability to participate in outdoor pursuits in a safe and sustainable manner.

We understand the clear and proven Conservation Through Hunting Model, and that those who vehemently oppose this model, despite all the facts that show its benefit, will never agree with us. To be frank, it is a waste of time to engage them. Rather, our efforts need to be on those that choose to look thoughtfully at the facts and make their own decision on what benefits wildlife, their habitats, and local communities.

by those with no education or experience in wildlife management principles.

These lawmakers are unfortunately being led by those with clear motives to end hunting at home and around the world. Our responses include proactive conversations with key government contacts, strong video messages that reach wide audiences, and aligning with conservation partners to send letters to officials to provide needed information from the other side of the discussion.

In this regard, many have heard me implore with DSC members to have their “elevator speech� ready whenever needed. If someone asks you about hunting, are you prepared to answer that in the few seconds you have with

DSC and CIC continue to spend significant amounts of time combating anti-conservation legislation, proposed 76

them? Can you respond in a personal and concise way if asked “How does hunting conserve wildlife�? DSC and DSC Foundation have provided salient and accurate points on their websites and social media pages. There, you will find a lot of information on the benefits of the Conservation Through Hunting Model.

tribes, and community conservancies that have almost solely funded habitat conservation around the globe. What can the rest of the world say about its contribution to wildlife habitat conservation?

Hunters know that hunting’s benefits extend far beyond game animals.

Biologically sound wildlife management practices enhance everything from the hundreds of vertebrate and invertebrate species as well as land, water, and soil health.

We know that conservation happens because of people that truly care about wildlife and their habitats. This is no more evident than in the actions of hunters that have contributed billions of dollars to state game and fish agencies, provincial governments, 77

Defending European hunting: FACE Brussels, as the capital of the European Union, has a major influence on hunting. Around 80% of the rules affecting hunting and conservation originate from Brussels. This has consequences for all hunters in and outside Europe. The European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) promotes and protects hunting in Europe through its work in Brussels.

The recent EU elections (May 2019) provide crucial opportunities for European hunters.

FACE and its members have been working intensively on election campaigns. FACE developed an Election Manifesto, focusing on 5 key areas: migratory birds, large carnivores, agriculture & biodiversity, firearms & ammunition and international hunting.

FACE also launched a social media campaign, which was supported by similar initiatives by its members. Together, we reached the broad public and gained a lot of support from members of the European Parliament.

of the EU (i.e. the EU Member States) and the European Commission will change. FACE and its members are currently busy establishing contacts with the incoming politicians. Our goal is to work with members of parliament and our members (national hunting associations) to set the agenda for hunting and conservation in Europe.

For FACE, the current focus is on re-establishing the European Parliament Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside”.

Known as the “Hunting Intergroup”, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside” was created in 1985 and is one of the oldest and most active parliamentary platforms. FACE has provided the secretariat © Alexander Louvet

The EU citizens elected 751 new members of the European Parliament.

After the elections, the leadership of the Council 78

We will work to ensure support from as many politicians as possible, from all parts of the political spectrum to become members of this Intergroup. Supported by FACE, these politicians will have the possibility to set the agenda for hunting and countryside issues in the coming 5 years.

FACE is recognised by all EU institutions as the representative body for European hunting and conservation in Brussels.

FACE will be working hard to defend and promote hunting for future generations, together with international partners, like the CIC.

© Alexander Louvet

for the Intergroup since its establishment. It allows us to help shape EU decisionmaking, through regular events and meetings.

Torbjörn Larsson President FACE

CIC congratulates to the new FACE Secretary General In April, the Royal Dutch Hunters’ Association – Koninklijke Nederlandse Jagersvereniging – hosted the 2019 FACE Members’ Meeting in the Netherlands, where FACE leadership appointed Dr. David Scallan as its new Secretary General.

George Aman, President of the CIC – “I would like to congrate Dr. David Scallan on his new position as Secretary General at FACE. We have known each other for some time, and I hope that this change will lead the pathway for FACE and CIC to develop much deeper ties beyond our existing working relationship.”

Dr. David Scallan was previously serving as FACE’s Senior Conservation Manager where he was responsible for overseeing the implementation of the federation’s conservation programme.

He has a strong background in project management, EU affairs, conservation policy, game management, sustainable agriculture and human-wildlife conflict. He received his Ph.D. from the National University of Ireland Galway with a dissertation examining the economic, ecological and social place of hunting in rural Ireland. He has extensive knowledge of European hunting policy and politics.

As a CIC Young Opinion member, Dr. Scallan is intimately familiar with CIC’s goals and operations, and the CIC is excited to collaborate with FACE on future projects with David at the helm.

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World Wildlife Day and “Life below Water” World Wildlife Day 2019 focused on marine species and aligns closely with the Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life below water.

FAO Assistant-Director General, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Árni M. Mathiesen, said: “FAO welcomes the decision to focus on marine species at this year’s World Wildlife Day, as it builds on international recognition of the importance of conserving and sustainably using life under water.

and ensuring that decisions complement established fisheries management approaches worldwide.”

FAO and CITES continue to work jointly on CITES species listings, supporting countries

Read more on the CIC website.

Hunting as a fire preventing tool in Spain Every time we hear about wildfire in Spain, we do not hear the names of hunting estates under a sustainable management. All estates under a sustainable hunting management have guards for every 2000-3000 hectares, so at the first hint of fire or smoke they are able to reach and extinguish it.

with the local authorities or other guards, making the response even faster, and by the time the local administration is informed about the fire, it has already been extinguished. All the roads inside the game area made for access to the shooting zones and the estate management, allow for quick access to the fire. The forest firebreak which is used for shooting purposes in the Spanish “Monteria” is also a tool to stop the fire spreading. The water points distributed all over the hunting area

They are the best fire preventing tool because they live there and know exactly where the fire is happening.

Furthermore, the guards are connected 80

to water the animals can be used by the firetrucks and helicopters to stock up of water to fight the fire, instead of traveling high distances to the closest water source. Also, carved areas and crops for animal pasture, are natural discontinuities that will slow the fire avoiding a fast spread. All these factors show us that a managed area for hunting has all the necessary tools to prevent fires and their rapid spread.

Wildlife Estate label evaluates in its questionnaire all the topics mentioned above (amongst others), to ensure the sustainable management of every candidate Estate to the label. Such practices and management indicate excellence and respect of wildlife that is fundamental to the Wildlife Estates.

Jose Gomez Acebo, WE

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MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS Social media – Friend or Enemy of Conservation?

In the framework of the international conference, Crossroads – Leading the Way for Wildlife Conservation, which was taking place in Windhoek, Namibia begining of May 2019, the youth organisation of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) organised a panel discussion on social media and its impact on conservation efforts.

From left to right: Annetjie Siyaya (Cheetah Conservation Fund), David Plaz (CIC Young Opinion), Danene van der Westhuyzen (President of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association), Florian Kunz (YO Thesis Award winner) and Hilma Angula (WWF Namibia)

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International Journalism Symposium on Wildlife Conservation and on Sustainable Use of Wildlife The International Journalism Symposium on Wildlife Conservation and on Sustainable Use of Wildlife took place on 1 May, 2019, at the Safari Court Hotel, in Windhoek, Namibia, in the framework of an international conference entitled “Crossroads – Leading the Way for Wildlife Conservation” organized by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia and the 66th General Assembly of The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation.

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This year the symposium aimed to come round the challenges in wildlife conservation, and discuss the solution to them, which would impact the creation of a collective dialogue and deliberation on environmental issues that are of broad public concern.

Journa

In the morning, round the table introductions saw journalists from Africa, America, and Europe, covering a range of related subjects from tourism in Namibia, agro-tourism, hunting, wildlife and science

Wildlife Conservation at a Crossroads

One of the presenter at the Symposium, Cara Santa Maria, (Owner of TalkNerdy, National Geographic correspondent for Explorer and BrainGames, furthermore well-known on Netflix, Science Channel, etc.) a self-confessed sceptic, ran the participants through the paces on what were referred to as ‘hot-button issues.’ Themes that were brought up include constructivism and the exploration of science communications, with reference to issues such as the Dunning-Kruger effect – “never underestimate an audience’s intelligence but do underestimate their vocabulary knowledge.” Rather than focusing on ‘what’ to think, it should be on ‘how’ to think – interrogating the hypothesis and the evidence. There was a call for people to be more genuine and to act with more humility and empathy, as well as a suggestion that people should be met on location. The bias within journalism was also an issue that was brought up and questioned.

Challenges in Communication – Vision for the Future!

In the framework of an international conference the Way in Wildlife Conservation organized by th and Tourism of Namibia, the International Coun Conservation is holding an International Journa 2019 in Windhoek, Namibia.

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The program includes a half day field trip –specially organized for journalists – to a local community, which is practicing community based wildlife conservation successfully.

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Cara Santa Maria

Elly Hamunyela, The Director of Science of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia spoke of the importance of equipping journalists with the necessary information to help inform the public.

This should be done by imparting the knowledge in a fair, open and unbiased fashion. The media was described as playing an important role in shaping the narrative. MET director also called on journalists to “carry the voices of local young people�.

Elly Hamunyela

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President of the CIC, George Aman, was keen to see “the use of nature” and how it is sold to the outside world. He also highlighted the need to build alliances, stretching out to those not in the same boat, and those with different opinions.

He was disappointed that animal rights attendees had accepted invites to the international conference, but had not turned up. Going forward, invitations should be framed in the right way, without being patronising, with the message implying co-ownership of the conference.

He said the hunting fraternity must change how they put themselves out there; putting conservation and nature first.

CIC’s Director General, Tamas Marghescu, gave his comments on “how to save wildlife”. He stated that hunting organisations and their messages need to be heard, and argued that wildlife conservation always seems to be a secondary priority. In addition, he brought up agriculture, and the problems it has with wildlife farms and conservation, as well as the need to understand more about communitybased conservation.

In a question and answer session, speakers discussed the way that farming and wildlife should be written about in the media. When “humanising” wildlife (naming of Cecil the lion), it is essential that the appropriate background is given with links to conditions on the ground. There was also a suggestion that being too open and engaging those opposed to wildlife use can be harmful without full relevant background context.

Furthermore, with media cutting costs on environment, stories should be framed

George Aman

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better and less from a defensive stance.

Organisations should pay for good journalism, and consider “what do people care about.”

Jason Goldman (BBC Earth, Hakai Magazine, Slate, Salon, Gizmodo, Audubon, KCET) stressed that we must move away from the idea that ignorance and knowledge equals understanding.

A different narrative is needed, one that centres on increasing humility, and employing the use of science.

The concept ‘if it pays, it stays’ was highlighted, however this idea should be focused on sustainable harvest rather than exploitation. We should think of meat as the trophy, and engage with chefs to explore these ideas.

When looking at values that society identifies, trust is very important. We should reject the deficit model; rather than trying to educate people, we should listen to them and trust their intentions.

Messages should go beyond meat and money; promoting community based economies is equally as significant. People should be prepared to compromise. Rule breakers should be held to account. Platforms should be set up for both hunters and non-hunters.

When it comes to rural-based economies, locals are part of the ecosystem whereas some of the elitism from ecologists is unhelpful.

A nuanced debate is required over role of eco-tourism and its ecological footprint, as well as the way we talk about hunting (referred to as trophy or conservation Jason Goldman 88

hunting). We should be aware that pictures are very powerful when shown without words or context, and individual responsibility is still key in how social media and pictures are utilized.

Following this, there was a general discussion on the media, focusing on the idea that these subjects can be too nuanced and convoluted for the main stream media, aiming to reach a readership that has long since been detached from these issues. It is easier for the media to use romantic notions to frame a narrative. Instead, it would be better to consider how a hunter can change how information reaches the media, rather than simply reacting to stories.

A film from Botswana’s leaders about the forthcoming lifting of the trophy hunting ban was shown, the essence of the message being ‘let us in the country own the solution.’ There was resentment of those who come and lecture on the management of species from afar – they did not want to be made into spectators in this fight over managing their own wildlife.

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On 2 May, a field trip was organised in order to show the community based wildlife conservation success model works, so the journalists had the opportunity to visit a conservancy in the North of Namibia, where the participants received first-hand information about the management of a conservancy, and had the chance to ask questions related to the success model of Namibia’s wildlife conservation. The Director of NACSO, Maxi Pia Louis accompanied the team of 9, and guided the group through the day.

Maxi Pia Louis

From left to right: Rob Yorke, Cara Santa Maria, Gabriella Kanyok, Jason Goldman, Maxi Pia Louis, Franziska Dzugan, Nina Cerezo, Bryan Pace, Tylor Sharp,Bernard Pucher

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Here are some thoughts from those around the room at the end of the day’s discussion:

• Hunting organisations need to re-think their communications and step into the 21st century.

• Gain knowledge of others and do not seek to become moral enemies. It is unfortunate that Namibian/ local journalists left at lunch time, leaving the afternoon at risk of echo chamber conversations in a vacuum.

• It is important to know your audience and to break down stereotyping. Hunting is a privilege, not an inalienable right. With privilege comes responsibility.

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• Talk amongst ourselves. As hunters, is there room for more self-criticism behind closed doors?. Is there a lack of resources (excluding sponsorship links)? In a perfect world, hunters and conservationists would be talking about wildlife, instead of fighting each other.

• Ecosystems must play a more prominent role, as well as a consideration of human interactions within ecosystems. It is less about ‘the shot’ and more about the game habitat.

Tell stories to bring people together – get them to understand that we are all part of the story.

• Communicating science.

Underestimating the political/media landscape.

Not hearing enough on best practice. Where’s the platform to talk more about sustainable hunting?

• Hunting is doing a poor job of communicating - we must change the perception of hunting with the nonhunting audience. To do this, we must learn from each other, and make it more approachable than just us vs them.

• “It’s not about educating, it about informing: that’s a two-way dialogue” Rob Yorke www.robyorke.co.uk

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Into The Wilderness Podcast information by Byron Pace explorers to renowned scientists and just good people, all have a story to tell which we can take something from.

Topics are wide ranging with a backbone centred on conservation, including hunting, fishing, expeditions, environmental and wildlife management. This is a podcast for everyone who enjoys the great outdoors in any form. It’s for those who care about safeguarding the planet and wildlife we share this land with.

The show is made possible by the support of our partner, Modern Huntsman, and our listeners.

The world is so much more than what we know, and only through understanding it better can we make informed decisions. Our podcast aims to bring impactful, entertaining and insightful conversations from a global array of guests. Some famous, some you won’t have heard of. From famous

Download for free on any podcast app, by searching ‘Into The Wilderness’ or visit www.thepacebrothers.com

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Modern Huntsman For many of us, hunting is a way of life, a tradition passed down by our grandfathers, fathers, and brave mothers. It’s a way of staying connected to the land, harvesting wild food to sustain our families, and is a shared passion in most countries the world over. Hunting also plays a major role in conservation, which ensures that wildlife populations thrive and expanses of land stay untamed.

For those of you who don’t know, Modern Huntsman is a biannual publication for like-minded conservationists, creatives, and outdoor enthusiasts.

Born out of frustration with the way hunting is often misrepresented today, this publication is told from the perspective of hunting purists and the diplomatically-minded, unaltered by the skews of mainstream media, corporate interests, or misinformed emotional rants.

But this isn’t just for hunters, and while we know that there will be opposition, we believe that through our collective stories, photographs, and films, we’ll be able to educate some folks about overlooked realities and win the minds and hearts of those who still have them open. Through presenting stories based in virtue and ethics, as well as alternative perspectives on otherwise controversial topics, we aim to inspire, educate, challenge, and set the record straight in some cases.

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Our third installment, Volume Three, is now shipping worldwide and opens discussions into some of the most controversial and debated topics within wildlife management and conservation practices.

Available through both subscription and single order, the 272 pages of Volume Three aim to educate hunters and non-hunters alike on hunting’s role as a tool to achieve conservation and ecological goals.

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Volume Three initiates discussions addressing often hot-button issues in wildlife management practices around the world. These stories include perspectives on the merits and challenges of allowing grizzly bear populations within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to be harvested by hunters, an area of roughly 18 million acres that includes parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The magazine also examines the ecological impact of constructing a wall along the length of the Rio Grande that separates the United States and Mexico, identifying its effect on habitat fragmentation, public land access and wildlife migration patterns.

This issue also covers a wide range of international hunting and conservation issues in Scotland, Iceland, Germany, Australia, Ethiopia, and Italy.

“We’re really excited to release Volume Three, as it’s a much deeper dive into an array of controversial topics than we’ve done in the previous two issues,” states Sharp. “It seems like there aren’t a lot of constructive conversations around these issues, so we’re hoping that these thoughtful, diverse global perspectives will bring about some positive discussion.”

Tired of being spoken against and labeled things we are not, it’s time to write a new story about hunting.

We created Modern Huntsman to be the banner under which those with common cause can gather, in hopes of bringing about constructive conversation and sensible solutions.

We hope you’ll continue this journey with us.

Through the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Tyler Sharp, the support of International Editor Byron Pace, Ecology Editor Charles Post, and Conservation Advisor Simon Roosevelt, Volume Three features a renowned cast of storytellers with deep knowledge in their subjects of discussion.

Modern Huntsman has also tapped Donnie Vincent, a world renowned hunter, explorer and storyteller as Guest Editor.

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WWW.MODERNHUNTSMAN.COM 99

Experience

Namibia The best hunting destination in Africa

A quick guide to

ethical marketing practices for hunters.

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Foreward

The Posting Of Hunting Photographs On Social Media from the viewer. It is for this reason that the hunting professional and his or her client must, AT ALL TIMES, be cognizant of the potential reaction that any images might cause and consider this whenever posting on social media.

In today’s modern world of instant communication and distribution of photographs and other images, life has become a lot easier when it comes to the sharing of experiences. At the click of a button the entire world can share the wonderful scenery and wildlife that is so abundant in our beautiful country.

Unfortunately, there is a downside to social media and the reaction that images can provoke. When sharing photos, you potentially share images with the world and, as with any society, these images will be viewed with differing reactions and opinions.

This is especially true of Conservation Hunting where a great portion of the world’s population is unaware of the benefits that such selective hunting offers to conservation at large. Hunting is often misunderstood and therefore the un- or misinformed public can easily be swayed and influenced. Hunting images can be viewed as controversial and, as a result thereof, elicit a negative reaction

Namibia cannot afford any opposition to hunting, as it is dependent on responsible hunting for continued conservation through sustainable use, as per Namibia’s Constitution.

This brochure has thus been published with the above consideration in mind, in order to both protect the hunting professional and hunter, as well as to inform and educate the general public as to the benefits derived from Conservation Hunting, both in terms of conservation, as well as the benefits to the Namibian society.

Hon. Pohamba Shifeta Minister of Environment and Tourism

Hunting in Namibia How we do it here....

Currently Namibia is the epitome of balanced land use and a healthy environment. Wildlife - and all-natural resources - are utilised sustainably and are integrated with other rural livelihood activities for the benefit of the people and the land. Hunting in Namibia contributes directly to this.

Hunters are nature lovers who seek to adopt sustainable and ethical hunting methods that contribute towards conservation strategies, with the aim of protecting wildlife and its habitat. Hunters have an inherent interest in serving as

protectors and custodians of wildlife populations.

NAPHA’s Code of Conduct clearly states our intent to secure the industry for current and future generations, as well as to ensure sound and ethical social, business, hunting and environmental practices at all times and our recommendations serve to further this aim.

With this pamphlet we provide guidelines to hunters when representing our proud hunting collective.

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To keep the experience real, we recommend that hunting outfitters and visiting hunters abide by the following guidelines when marketing hunting in Namibia or sharing their experience of a hunt, especially online and on social media platforms:

Yebo DOYay Okay In practice:

On social media:

• •

•

• • •

• • • •

Promote quick, ethical kills.

Be open to teaching aspiring hunters and non-hunters the value of ethical legal hunting and stewardship of wild animals.

Try to support a local charity or NGO in your community.

Share your game meat with the local community in your area.

Explain that hunting is a tool for scientifically based wildlife management, having a profound and positive effect not only on the prey animals, but all the animals, plants, etc. which live in these ecosystems.

Explain that legal hunting for wildlife management is NOT poaching.

Do assure that your statements are in line with your Association’s Constitution / Code of Conduct.

Realise your responsibility to assure hunting may be conducted by future generations.

As a general guideline, ask yourself if you would share a certain hunting related image with a non-hunting friend over breakfast. If no, then that image would have no place in media.

• • • •

• • • • • • • • •

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Pose the animal in a respectful position.

If you add a caption, keep it respectful and avoid any arrogance and foul language.

Adjust the privacy settings on your account so that the general public does not have access to your pictures, etc.

Educate and share facts (generic write-up’s) Bear in mind that your reputation is at stake as statements made on social media cannot be deleted. Even if hidden, someone might have picked it up for distribution.

Report any misuse.

Realise that posts will become part of the public domain and therefore are open to public scrutiny and comment.

Report on poaching activities.

Emphasise the importance of hunting for food, clothing, etc.

Emphasise the impact on conservation and preservation of habitat.

Emphasise nature and the experience of nature whilst on a hunt.

Explain the variety of protein and nourishment gained from hunting.

Share images of preparing game whilst braaiing / cooking.

Explain the impact of hunting on Human Wildlife Conflict Management.

Nope Nay Not cool DON’T In practice: • •

Don’t boast about horn size or push for record book position on a photo of a trophy.

Don’t hunt a young animal just for the size of its horns.

On social media: •

• •

•

Avoid posting images of the most controversial species such as elephants, lion, hippos, crocodiles, leopard and rhino. Big game hunting attracts more criticism than any other type of trophy hunting.

Don’t post grip-and-grin photos of dead animals.

Never display/pose an animal in a disrespectful way (hanging animal, standing on animal). Never show a hunter posing on top of an animal, leaning against it, sitting on it or resting a foot on it. This is seen as highly disrespectful towards the animal.

• • • • • •

Do not make yourself the centre of attention. The photo should show the animal as the main focus with some natural environment.

Refrain from providing incorrect information - this may be distributed globally.

No backing from your association if you engage in any “illegal activity”.

Refrain from participating in insulting or degrading statements.

Avoid stooping to the level of personal attacks and getting drawn into heated arguments.

Avoid using “magnet words” such as “iconic”, “rare”, “endangered” or “scarce”.

Be sensible when posting images with weapons.

By following these guidelines, we raise awareness on the good of hunting and will change the perception of hunting.

Supported by:

© Compiled by NAPHA and Venture Publications Pty Ltd.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS Hungary joins the 1 Euro per Hunter Initiative

Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary, dr. Zsolt SemjÊn, announced in a video message that Hungary joins the CIC’s 1 euro/hunter initiative. The announcement video was played at the Gala dinner of the 66th General Assembly of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation in Windhoek, Namibia.

What is the 1 Euro/hunter Initiative?

Over the years, our opponents (often being animal rights NGOs) have developed a sophisticated, yet deceitful, business model. Many of these organisations claim to be conservation-

oriented, but stir up emotions and focus only on the act of killing by hunters to garner support. Every year, they collect hundreds of millions of dollars from naive people who are certainly willing to do good, enviably so, but are misinformed about what their money 104

is being used for. For example, these enormous financial gains for the NGOs finally land—to a large extent—in the pockets of their own leadership, and then with the rest, they promote exactly the opposite of conservation. In Africa, for example, opponents of hunting have advocated for hunting bans. Banning hunting, however, leads to increased human-wildlife conflict, which promotes poaching; and leads to locals favoring land development over habitat creation.

The WWF and the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) are examples of organizations who, while they are not hunting organizations, have members among their ranks who recognize the benefits of hunting. Such members stand behind a legal hunt, carried out in accordance with the principles of sustainability.

The CIC has committed itself to fight for the preservation of hunting and recently launched a worldwide campaign “1 Euro per hunter” where each hunter contributes one euro to the campaign, which, while a negligible cost to the individual, is an indispensable contribution to the preservation of hunting.

Decisions with far-reaching implications are made on the international stage, not at the local, regional, or national levels.

Opinion-shaping conferences all over the world form the core of those decisions that are so dangerous for the sustainable use of nature. Their impacts will only reach us at a much later stage when it may be too late.

Remember the European weapons regulation, the Zurich hunting abolition initiative, the wolf problem, the ban on the transport of hunting trophies and much more. Preventing the impacts is easier than reversing them. CIC is striving to participate in as many conferences as possible to influence and defend the sustainable use of nature.

What is the sustainable use of nature?

The foundations involve a deep sense of respect between humans and nature, where humans feel it is right and logical for them to use forests and fields for forestry and hunting, to use lakes and oceans for fishing, to make use of the soil for agriculture, and to care for the horses and dogs that we keep as pets.

The sustainability element comes from knowing what we can and cannot take, how much is enough, and what will allow future generations to experience the same wealth of natural resources as we do today.

Read more on the CIC website

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Liechtenstein – Yet Another Country Joins the 1 Euro per Hunter Initiative

Liechtenstein has joined the 1 Euro per Hunter initiative!

With this, they are now part a growing list of countries and regions that are part of the initiative aiming to tackle the increasing political and societal pressures that hunting is facing, both on the international and European level. Hunters in Liechtenstein recognise the need for more financial

resources to launch effective advocacy and communication activities, and to effectively and efficiently defend and advocate the need for hunting.

The Liechtenstein Delegation of the CIC not only supports the activities of the CIC, including the 1 Euro per Hunter initiative; it is also playing an active and major role in improving the effectiveness of communication systems by committing funds towards communication projects of the organisation.

The CIC is most grateful for the generous and enthusiastic support of the Liechtenstein Delegation, which helps the CIC to stand as a common voice for hunters both in Europe and around the world.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR! 67th CIC General Assembly 13–17 May 2020 Riga, Latvia 107

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Limited edition – ladies’ scarf The 100% Light Weight Wool Sequin Stoles were specially designed for the CIC. It comes with a falcon print in red and grey colour with special CIC label.

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Loyalty to the CIC József Váry turned 95!

József Váry, individual member of the CIC for 33 years celebrated his 95th birthday in January 2019. CIC’s Director General, Tamás Marghescu, Dr. Kristóf Hecker, Head of Division Coordination Unit and László Vajai, member of the Hungarian Delegation visited him at his home in the hills of Budapest. He told stories from his memorable life and his engagement in the CIC.

I, and he had to change his name to a more Hungarian one – Váry. The family’s goods and their home were taken away from them at the end of WWII. Therefore he had to start his professional life as a labourer in the early 1940s.

His passion for hunting commenced at the early age of 13. When he moved to the Hungarian capital, he found ways to

József Váry was born in 1924 with the German name, Wagner. His family owned a timber yard, and later his father opened a printing company. His father was knighted for his merits in World War

A R ANY DI P L O M A

Váry József

részére, 95. születésnapja alkalmából, fáradhatatlan munkásságának megbecsüléseként.

George eoorge Aman Am CIC Elnök 2019 január

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start a sporting career with clay pigeon shooting competitions – at that time sometimes even live pigeon shooting. He was 5 times Hungarian champion and in 1955 the Hungarian team, with his participation, got the silver medal at the European Championships.

He became a CIC member in 1973, upon invitation of the President at that time, Pál Vallus. He missed only 3 General Assemblies leading up to 2006, when he left the CIC for health reasons. He also had to give up his life-long passion, hunting. In his 33 years within the CIC he played an important role in representing

Hungary, several times on his own. He was the one who got fully behind the idea of the “Loyalty to CIC“-prize at the General Assembly in Istanbul in 2002.

He offered to take on the burden of arranging and paying for the first 100 medals and golden pins for the prize (see prototype in the picture).

He travelled to 33 countries, he hunted in 13, mainly on birds, his favourite game, but he also took several hundreds of trophies in his hunting “career”. For his merits he received the title “honorary citizen” from his home town, Gyoma (today Gyomaendrőd), next to many national and international awards.

Mr Váry, even at the age of 95, maintains a very good sense of humour and the CIC wishes him good health and excellent memory when noting down his life story in a book to come.

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In Memoriam: Marko Bulc, former CIC President

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Marko Bulc on 17 May 2019. Mr. Bulc was an Honourable member of the Slovenian National Delegation, and leaves behind a legacy and career that will not be soon forgotten.

We particularly saddened to hear this news due to his past involvement working at CIC, serving as the CIC President between 1983-1987. His passing is not only a great loss for the world of hunting and conservation, but also for the many that were

affected by his work during his distinguished career.

His achievements and influence are notable and span a variety of different disciplines; his work includes serving as a politician for the SFRY working on socioeconomic policy, to acting as the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia.

The CIC expresses our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Marko Bulc, and would like to thank him for his years of service at the CIC. 112

In Memoriam: Dr. Bradnee Chambers

The CIC was deeply sadenned to learn of the passing of Dr. Bradnee Chambers on January 23. He leaves behind him a huge void, both as a professional and as an individual. His enduring achievements since assuming the role of Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in 2013 are a reflection of his impressive career, one cut-short far too soon.

His sudden departure is a great loss for CMS and for wildlife conservation as a whole. We have lost a leader, a teacher, and man who gave his life to improving the wildlife conservation across borders, cultures and generations. The CIC would like to offer its’ sincerest condolences to the family and friends of 113

Bradnee at this difficult time. We will forever remember him as incredible individual who devoted his life to making the world a better place for wildlife.

Introducing the CIC Headquarters Mark Ryan Deputy Director General

Mark works under the general supervision of the Director General (DG), on a growing portfolio of projects and programs in which the CIC is involved.

• Work as part of the CIC’s international lobbying activities, which includes following relevant processes of international conventions and agreements (e.g.

CBD, CITES, CMS, AEWA), organisations (e.g. IUCN) and programs, such as the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW) of which the CIC is a founding member.

• Furthering partnership development and resource mobilisation • Development and implementation of programs and projects • Deputising for the DG as required, including supervising the work of the staff at CIC Headquarters by overseeing the programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the office.

• Coordinating the provision of technical advice to governmental authorities and non-governmental organisations, as well as CIC members and partners • Coordination of CIC policy / position statements that respond to the interests of the sustainable use community.

Dr. Kristóf Hecker Head of Division Coordination Unit • Liaison with the Division Leadership (projects, General Assembly programme) • Assists the Director General and Deputy Director General in technical and financial issues • Responsible for CIC prizes • Focal point for 2021 One with Nature Exhibition • Contact for German speaking membership 114

Gabriella Kanyok Communications Officer

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Daria Bezgacheva Membership Officer and Responsible for Human Resources • Handling of membership related issues (collection of membership fees, maintaining and keeping the membership database and related records up to date, assisting in the coordination of the membership development, answering and clarifying various queries from members) • HR tasks • Assisting with finances (preparing documentation to the accounting company, handling petty-cash) • Russian translations

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• Responsible for internal and external communication • Collaborate with management to develop and implement an effective communications strategy • Maintains an effective communication system • Designs, develops and oversees communication campaign, communication activities and events • Managing the communication budget • Responsible for events PR • Prepares PR and marketing communication materials Establishes, manages and maintains effective relationships with journalists, and maintain a media database.

Responds to media inquiries, arranges interviews Identifies media opportunities Organizes press conferences Main point of contact and Responsible of Communication Alliance and its events (International Journalism Symposium) Write, edit, and distribute content, including publications, press releases, newsletters, website content, and other marketing material that communicates the CIC’s activities.

Assembling and overseeing the communication team Responsible for social media channels and CIC related websites Responsible for IT related topics and developments Responsible for multimedia production Responsible for CIC Magazine content and video production

Judit Veres Event Coordinator •

Luna Milatovic Conservation Officer

• Continue the overhaul of the previous CIC system of trophy measurement • Take the lead on activities and projects related to the current CIC Trophy Evaluation System (TES); coordinating projects within the TES • Overseeing the Trophy Evaluation System • Representing the CIC TES at various events • Coordination among TES Network members • Management of the CIC TES social media channels (FB and Instagram) • Coordinating events internationally and planning of events locally • Planning and carrying out the annual Trophy Evaluation Board Meeting • Communicating regularly with Senior International Trophy Judges (STJs) and the TEB co-chairs • Carry out any other tasks assigned and agreed upon by the Director General and/or Presidents of Divisions.

• Acting as IUCN focal point.

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Manage all event operations from preparation through organization to follow –ups of: • Executive Committee and Council meetings • Annual General Assemblies (which take place each year in one of the CIC Member countries), ensuring the respective coordination work and information services, working closely with the host national delegations and national even organizers Symposiums, workshops and other technical events Responsible for the negotiation and coordination of vendors, service providers and stakeholders Event logistics: which include: menu selection and guarantees, audio visual RFP’s (requests for proposal), event rentals, hotel room blocks, recruiting and confirming volunteers, on-site event support, event data entry and other event production elements Responsible to perform event registration maintenance including responding to attendee’s questions, making registration changes, and providing updates to CIC full-time staff and members.

Responsible to oversee event happenings and act quickly to resolve problems Responsible to maintain, update and promote international event calendar in coordination with full-time CIC staff

Sukho Lee 2021 “One with Nature” Support Officer

Rebeka Ollári Office Manager

Administrative tasks: • Handling incoming and outgoing correspondence • Managing CIC archive and library Back office tasks: • Maintenance of Office • Procurement Assistance with: • Event organisation • Finances and accounting company

• Under the overall supervision of the CIC Director General and the immediate guidance of the CIC Communications Officer, the 2021 “One with Nature” Support Officer is: • Assisting the preparatory work of the events in the framework of the 2021 “One with Nature” Exhibition, especially in the four international conferences are concerned ( AEWA MoP; IUGB Congress; CPW Wildlife Forum; Indigenous People’s Exhibition) • Providing back up to the necessary office work related to the 2021 “One with Nature” Exhibition.

• Advising the 2021 Project Office on communications (media and publication related topics) • Working closely with the CIC Liaison Officer for 2021 “One with Nature” Exhibition.

• Assisting in all communication related activities.

• Working on any other tasks assigned.

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Aliz Ertler Freelance Publication and Production Coordinator, Graphic Designer,

Follow our activities on social media

Emese Marton Freelance and parttime work for the CIC • Mainly responsible for the Hunting Auction • Working as a personal assistant to the Director-General • Proofreading of German texts for the magazine and other publications of the CIC 118

• Production of digital CIC magazine (2 per year) • Assist in annual General Assembly related tasks (logo, brochures, working documents, invitations, badges, flags, certificates, medals etc.)

• Design and production of trophy medals • Design and production of hunting auction booklets, pull-ups • Design and production of flyers, handout, brochures (general and for actual conferences) • Coordination with production companies • Maintain the CIC website including updates for internal information about general assembly, hunting auction and CIC shop • • Periodical maintenance of membership platform • Produce image-materials as required • Provide assistance to the CIC Headquarters regarding various publications- or photo-related questions • Monitor the observance of the guidelines for corporate identity • Coordinate translations (for magazine and publications)

New Head of the UK Delegation Denis Slobodyan was born and raised in Siberia, Russia where he acquired the passion for everything outdoors.

Denis subsequently moved to the UK to attend school, and subsequently, university and law school and continued exploring his passion for bird shooting, stalking and driven game hunting.

In 2012 Denis joined CIC as a Young Opinion. Denis remained very active within CIC by first joining the Young Opinion Executive Board and subsequently becoming the treasurer of the CIC UK delegation. Denis is now continuing his commitment to CIC by building on the legacy of his predecessors and furthering the interests of CIC on the national level.

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