Questionnaire on the Sustainable use of Wildlife

The questions here are intended to take you deeper into the topic of the sustainable use of wildlife, which was the subject of Resource Africa’s webinar (watch full video here) and subsequent social media engagement. The questionnaire is entirely confidential, and you do not have to divulge any detailed personal information. If you choose to enter your email address, we will send you our final analysis of these results. We will use the data for the purposes of informing our future engagements on this topic. The results will be reported anonymously. By participating in this questionnaire, you agree to the terms of our privacy policy.

Your Name

Your Email

Country of Origin

Your Age

Your Gender

International Laws on Sustainable Use.

Question 1.

Given the holistic African view that the environment is an indivisible entity, should laws regarding plants and animals continue to be made in “silos” whereby plants fall under different legislation to animals?

A. Yes – plants and animals require different legal instruments. If so, why? (Comment box)B. No – laws pertaining to the environment should integrate plants and animals. If so, why? (Comment box)C. Other – provide thoughts in comment box.

Question 2.

The Nagoya Protocol provides a mechanism for Access and Benefit Sharing regarding the sustainable use of natural resources, although most national-level implementations of the Protocol focus on plant genetic resources only. Should these provisions include the sustainable use of wild animals?

A. Plants only. If so, why? (Comment box)B. Plants and animals. If so, why? (Comment box)C. Other – more thoughts in comment box.

Question 3.

Legal international trade in wildlife can have either negative or positive outcomes for wild animal species, depending on how it is managed and regulated. Unlike domestic trade, external governments can restrict this trade using policies on animal imports and/or international agreements (e.g. CITES). In cases where hunting is managed sustainably and benefits rural communities, should Western governments continue to pressurise African governments to ban the practice?

Yes – they should pressure African governments to restrict or ban hunting. If so, why? (Comment box)No – they should let African governments decide on these matters. If so, why? (Comment box)Another option (thoughts in comment box)

Rights of Rural Communities.

Question 4.

Hunting for food is a traditional activity in nearly all African cultures. In colonial times, European hunters killed without thought to sustainability or payment to Africans for the use of their resources. In modern times, hunters from other countries come to hunt African wildlife and pay trophy fees to the government or local communities (or both), while the meat is distributed to nearby communities. What are your thoughts on the modern form of regulated hunting?

A. It is generally positive. If so, why? (Comment box)B. It is generally negative. If so, why? (Comment box)C. I don’t agree with either statement – Provide thoughts in comment box.

Question 5.

Hunter-gatherer communities in southern Africa are generally marginalised, although some communities have established community-based organisations and have legal access to land in semi-arid areas like the Kalahari. Do you think that these communities should have the legal right to hunt wildlife on these lands?

A. Yes, let them hunt. If so, why? (Comment box)B. No, they must use alternative sources of food/income. If so, why? (Comment box)C. Another option (thoughts in comment box)

Question 6.

Demand for agricultural land is extremely high in many African countries, resulting in people encroaching on protected areas to grow crops that feed their families. In this situation, should protected areas be prioritised over the human right to subsistence?

A. Protected Areas must be protected from human encroachment at all costs. Thoughts in comment box.B. The human right to subsistence is paramount, so people should be allowed access to land in protected areas. Thoughts in comment box.)C. I think there is another way to meet the needs of both. Thoughts in comment box.

Conservation Strategies in Africa

Question 7.

How is conservation going to survive in post-colonial Africa – should we maintain Western ways of managing wildlife by keeping a “fortress conservation” approach, or do we need another approach that includes local communities in conservation decision-making?

A. Fortress conservation. If so, why? (Comment box)B. Community conservation. If so, why? (Comment box)C. Both of them. If so, why? (Comment box)D. Other approach (comment).

Question 8.

Both human and wildlife populations are increasing in southern African countries. This inevitably leads to more human-wildlife conflict, as people and wild animals come into closer contact. Under these circumstances, which of the strategies below would you like to see African governments taking?

A. Reducing wildlife populations. How do you see this working? (Comment box)B. Keeping people out of wildlife areas and reducing human population growth. How do you see this working? (Comment box)C. Increasing coexistence between people and wildlife. How do you see this working? (Comment box)D. Combination of the above, or other thoughts (comment box).

Question 9.

As international pressure continues to mount against the regulated, legal hunting practises in southern African countries, what is the appropriate response from African governments?

A. Ignore international pressure and continue as they are. (More thoughts in comment box).B. Engage with non-African governments to find acceptable ways forward. (More thoughts in comment box).C. Cave in to the pressure and ban hunting within their respective countries (More thoughts in comment box).D. I have another suggestion – insert in comment box.

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