Botswana’s President Masisi has recently made headlines by threatening to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in response to Germany’s call for stricter laws on trophy hunting imports. The President’s reasoning behind this move is to allow the people of Germany to experience firsthand what it is like to live with such a large population of elephants. This threat comes amidst growing concerns over the impact of trophy hunting on elephant populations and the environment.

Botswana, home to approximately 130,000 elephants, has been facing challenges with managing its elephant population. Some of these elephants have been causing damage to properties and farms, leading to conflicts between humans and wildlife. In response to these issues, the President has taken a strong stance against calls for stricter laws on trophy hunting imports, arguing that such a ban would impoverish the people of Botswana who rely on wildlife tourism for their livelihoods.

This threat to send thousands of elephants to Germany is not the first of its kind. In the past, UK lawmakers have also called for a ban on trophy hunting imports, prompting Botswana’s Wildlife Minister to threaten to send 10,000 elephants to Hyde Park in London. These threats highlight the growing tensions between countries over the issue of trophy hunting and wildlife conservation.