The effects of trophy hunting on neighbors

Today, I visited the Seeis (pronounced "sea ice") Commercial Conservancy east of the Windhoek International Airport. I was at the farm of one of the leadership committee, where (ironically) I had hunted warthog earlier this year with our friends from Nebraska.

Commercial conservancies are groups of private landowners who come together in some form of agreement to share resources. The agreements vary, but often professional hunters can access land of various owners, and there are some projects funded by conservancies (wildlife research or marketing campaigns to encourage tourists to come stay at farms on the conservancy).

During my questions about how the conservancy was structured and what kinds of activities the conservancy offered, the wife offered an interesting perspective on the effects that trophy hunting has had on their neighborhood. I'll try to paraphrase her thoughts.

"Before trophy hunting began," she started, "we were all cattle farmers. We got together to braai, to talk, to socialize. Now, many of our neighbors have become professional hunters [a licensed status that enables you to guide hunts] and they are making lots of money from trophy hunting. It is quick money, and good money."

"But," she continued, "we never see them any more. They are always busy with their hunts. Every day of the week. We have trouble even scheduling one meeting a year for our conservancy, and even then some people don't show up. Cattle farmers had flexibility in their schedule. These trophy hunters do not."

"And," she said, "they don't really need us neighbors anymore. First of all, when things are going well, you don't need your neighbors as much. Things are going well for them. They are making lots of money. So, they don't need us. And, second, they have guests around all of the time. When we were all cattle farmers, we would get together just to talk to someone, because it's lonely on the farm. But, now they have hunting guests almost every day of the year, and they are tired of talking. So, we don't see them. It has ruined our neighborhood."

I have to say that I never thought of the social consequences of trophy hunting on neighbors in Namibia. Interesting, eh? This is why you go interview people....you can't make this stuff up.