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Zambia lifts hunting ban
elephant
Zambia has lifted a 2013 ban on hunting - meaning wildlife, with the exception of big cats, can now be hunted for sport.
Animals excluding big cats now fair game

Zambia has lifted a 2013 ban on hunting - meaning wildlife, with the exception of big cats, can now be hunted for sport.

Zambian minister for tourism and arts Jean Kapata announced that the ban in 19 hunting blocks would be lifted with immediate effect. The ban had originally been put in place in 2013 following controversy over a flawed tendering process for safari-hunting concessions and fears for the population levels of big cats species.  

The move has sparked a furious backlash on a Zambian tourism website with some potential travellers threatening to boycott the country, but the government and the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) believe they have lost revenue following the ban and that it has had a negative impact on the local communities.

There has also been debate around whether money from tourists paying to hunt big game on a quota-basis can mean funding for other conservation projects, and create an incentive to look after game and deter poaching.

ZAWA spokesperson Readith Muliyunda said that the ban on hunting of lions and leopards remained in place. "Hunting will be conducted under laid down conditions and strict supervision from ZAWA."

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.