Published by the government of Zimbabwe
15 June 2002
WILDLIFE producer communities under Camp-fire earned $1,2 billion (US$22 million) last year, providing attractive financial returns for rural communities.
Nearly 90 percent of the income generated by Campfire was derived from sport hunting, which has become one of the fastest growing tourism products.
Sport hunting alone earned the country nearly $4 billion (US$70 million) last year and prospects for this year's hunting season, which began last month, are brighter.
Zimbabwe has about 150 registered safari operators and some of them operate in Campfire areas.
Although competition was high with South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and to a lesser extent Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania, the country's success lay in the good quality of trophies, reputable hunting operations and access to a variety of hunting areas from State land, private land to Campfire concessions.
Head of Campfire Mr Charles Jonga said the project's wildlife districts exceeded US$2 million annually.
"Unlike many other developments or bio-diversity conservation initiatives, Campfire has been underpinned by a viable and growing market for its products. The growth of the trophy-hunting sector within Zimbabwe provides a robust indicator for the global market.
"In 1997, approximately 960 trophy hunters visited Zimbabwe spending 9 100 days hunting. The total value of the sector was US$7 million. In 1998, an estimated 2 145 trophy hunters also visited, spending 23 000 days hunting," said Mr Jonga.
According to the hunting industry, shooting of animals raised US$19 million (about $1 billion) from the 1 874 hunts conducted in an average of 20 hunting days per each hunt.
At least $2,8 billion (US$51 million) was raised through the sale of trophies and hunts in the country's vast safari areas.
Key species hunted during the 2000 season - which ran from April to November - were elephant, buffalo, sable, leopard, kudu and zebra.
Most hunters came from Zimbabwe's niche markets such as the United States, Germany, Spain, Austria, Canada, France, Italy, Britain, South Africa and others.
Americans conducted 1 152 hunts and killed 107 elephants, 474 buffalo, 244 sable, 224 kudu and 639 zebra.
Some 238 elephants were killed for its trophy, while 842 buffalo, 799 zebra, 848 kudu, 299 leopard and 340 sable were also killed during the hunting season.
The Spanish trailed the Americans with 32 elephant, 60 buffalo, 12 sable, 10 leopard, 27 kudu an 19 zebra while the Germans came third with 27 elephant, 97 buffalo, 24 sable, 17 leopard, 38 kudu and zebra 30.
Despite many factors mitigating against Zimbabwe, the country had proved to be Southern Africa's sport-hunting powerhouse because of its wildlife-rich tourism products.
Unlike livestock, that has only a utilitarian value, wildlife has both utilitarian and charismatic value, hence the rise in revenue from sport hunting, hides, ivory and tourism.
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