Reading Mahohboh by Ron Thomson, who killed more than 5000 elephants and was a smart, educated hunter and Rhodesian/Zimbabwean senior Parks ranger will dispel many of the harmful myths stated in this thread. In addition, Thomson was an expert who understood that elephant overpopulation, especially bulls, destroy habitat for all species and create sterile deserts.
Anyone who’s hunted elephants around Hwange or in most of Zim’s prime elephant country can attest to the mistaken notion of “letting nature take its course.” That was the type of stupidity which ruined Kenya’s hunting fields and which leads to the permanent decimation of much sub-Saharan African populated habitat through inefficient subsistence farming and domestic cattle, goat, etc raising by rural Africans.
Hunting elephants in sufficient numbers yields the most return for rural Africans and fulfills the maxim that, in Africa the only wild game that stays is that which pays. If there’s no tangible benefit to the rural population from sport hunting, the game will quickly and ruthlessly be wiped out.
Elephant hunting and control of the herds is absolutely necessary. Sport hunting returns the greatest benefit and reduces the numbers that need to be culled, if done correcltly. The current problem in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, especially in the national parks and reserves, is too many elephants, not too few.
