Botswana’s huge elephant gamble could destroy its ‘conservation reputation’, say scientists - Conservation Action Trust

Botswana’s huge elephant gamble could destroy its ‘conservation reputation’, say scientists - Conservation Action Trust

If you wanted a masterclass in how to turn a conservation success story into a global controversy, Botswana has just written the syllabus. The government’s draft 2026 quota – authorising a record 430 elephant trophy hunts, the largest anywhere on Earth – has landed with the thud of a dropped tusk. It’s bold, it’s defiant, and it’s being sold as practical management. But according to leading elephant scientists Dr Mike Chase and Dr Scott Schlossb…