Namibia: Trophy Photos – Ban for Hobby Hunters

Namibia's Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, announced in the capital Windhoek that it will be prohibited, under threat of penalty, for individuals to post photos with dead wildlife on social media.

He said the penalty would apply to everyone, particularly those holding hunting permits, as “especially those with hunting permits applaud themselves by posting pictures with dead animals on social media after recreational hunting.”

The minister said that trophy hunters’ social media photos misrepresent recreational hunting in Namibia. “Hunting is permitted under the Namibian constitution. However, it is morally incorrect to post such images. People may take pictures for private use only, but not for social media,” according to The Namibian.

Trophy Photos Spark Outrage

The minister is responding to the consistently negative reactions on social networks. Most recently, photos posted by American trophy hunter Tess Thompson Talley sparked angry comments. In the images, she poses in front of a very rare black giraffe she had shot in South Africa. Three years ago, when a dentist from Minnesota killed Cecil — a lion widely known throughout Zimbabwe — and shared photos of it online, he was even subjected to public calls for a lynching. Ingrid Newkirk, head of the animal rights organisation PETA, described trophy hunting at the time as “a disgusting pastime for wealthy, desensitised people seeking thrills.”

Hunting Tourism from German-Speaking Countries

Namibia is very popular among hunting tourists in German-speaking countries. In the former German colony, around 20’000 German-Namibians live whose mother tongue is German. Some of them attract visitors to German-language all-inclusive hunting holidays on their farms. Supervised hobby hunting, including accommodation and full board, costs around 200 euros per day. Additional costs include rental rifles and trophy fees for animals shot. At «Otjiruze Safaris», a shot baboon costs 100 euros. Anyone wishing to own a leopard trophy must pay 8’000 euros. Complete packages are also available. The beginner safari includes six hunting days, two rest days, and the shooting of an oryx antelope, a blue wildebeest, and a warthog boar — all for 3’690 euros.

Pohamba Shifeta further added that there is no law permitting the public to keep wild animals in captivity. People should refrain from doing so. More on Crime and hobby hunting.