The East African
Dar opens e-auction of game hunting licences
SUNDAY JUNE 16 2019
An elephant at a watering hole. The trophy fee for hunting elephants in Tanzania is $15,000. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
• Some 82 hunting blocks have been lined up for auction.
• A block hunting licence fee is $60,000 per year.
• Trophy fees for hunting elephant and lion are the most expensive — $15,000 and $12,000 respectively.
By BOB KARASHANI
By APOLINARI TAIRO
Tanzania has started auctioning hunting concessions in some of the country’s top game reserves under a new system designed to get rid of operational misconduct that had led to a two-year standstill.
Some 82 hunting blocks have been lined up for auction through an online bidding process that replaces a paper tendering system said to have been compromised by state officials.
The auction will be conducted in stages over the next three years, with the first part held from June 10, lasting seven days, offering 26 blocks. Buyer details were not available by press time.
According to the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (Tawa), first up for bidding at this initial stage were concessions that safari operators had returned to the government over the past three years that are currently vacant.
Tawa aims to generate $3.4 million per year.
Africa Sustainable Conservation News 
Each block that is not auctioned will have its lands threatened by human occupation. If the US is to receive Tanzania hunting trophy again, its concessions could be profitable again!
It is also an opportunity for animal rights organizations to promote their conservation model! Finally demonstrate “in loco” in a practical way, that funding to conserve habitat and wildlife from legalized hunting can be replaced / surpassed. Every text of animal rightists presents this idea with simplicity: “we need a new model where ethics and animal welfare are preponderant and lead conservation by new paths where the intrinsic value of life is the cornerstone of these new times” Finally, substitute these vague phrases that always resonate like feathers in the wind.
Just cover the costs with the government, to protect the land from human occupation and to restore functionally the ecosystem equilibrium of the area, simple; and convince donors / philanthropists, hire experienced professionals, local labor, build roads / bridge (s) / and other infrastructure works. And mainly, to believe in this ethical-ecological project, where everything that is used will depend on a skillful logistics to supply minimally the infrastructure of the place. “Making the project financially profitable only through “responsible tourism” and the ecologically healthy environment is your goal”
Do not miss this opportunity, are your organizations capable or not?