Crafting an inclusive wildlife economy in South Africa
Introduction
On a crisp morning in Pretoria, on 13 August 2025, the halls of SANParks’ Head Office buzzed with anticipation. The African Wildlife Economy Institute (AWEI), in collaboration with the South African Black Hunters and Sports Shooting Association (SABHSSA), hosted a diverse group at the inaugural Best Practice Workshop: Navigating Regulations and Opportunities in South African Hunting and Wildlife Sectors. The air was thick with the purpose of a shared dream to reshape the future of hunting and wildlife management, not just for the seasoned players but for those long excluded from the field and build a truly inclusive wildlife economy in South Africa.
The room filled with voices from across the spectrum: policymakers with their pens poised, conservationists with decades of wisdom, game farmers with dirt still under their nails, academics scribbling notes, and emerging hunters whose eyes gleamed with hope. These stakeholders gathered not to react to the tangled web of wildlife regulations but to proactively unpack it, to forge a path where access to hunting, especially for new voices, could flourish. The day unfolded around three pillars: building skills, navigating laws, and expanding the economic web of the hunting industry.
Building skills and industry capacity
From training to access for emerging hunters
One key issue on the menu was one of aspiration and struggle: the development of industry capacity. Across South Africa, programmes like those at the Southern African Wildlife College, Custodians, and the Confederation of Hunting Associations of South Africa (CHASA) have been training communities and emerging hunters, teaching them the art of the hunt and the science of conservation. But the path is steep. Many who train, brimming with potential, drift away. Some find the demands of hunting too gruelling, others lack the resilience to push through, and for many black and emerging hunters, the gates to hunting grounds remain a dream or, at worst, firmly shut. One participant shared a quiet truth: landowners, wary and selective, often hesitate to open their lands to newcomers. Trust, they said, is the key that’s missing. Yet hope flickered in stories of government initiatives and private sector empowerment programs, which are slowly building bridges to keep trained hunters in the game.
Navigating South Africa’s regulatory frameworks
As the day went by, the conversation turned to Regulatory Frameworks. Representatives from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, Limpopo’s Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) took the stage. They spoke of laws not as barriers but as tools for fairness – ensuring that hunting opportunities reach all, especially black hunters long sidelined. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) emerged as a complex but vital player, its rules holding the potential to open doors through clear regulations and shared benefits.
The role of SANParks and community conservancies
Then came the story of the SANParks’ Wildlife Economy Programme, which includes a game donation programme, a quiet revolution restocking community conservancies (i.e. Community Property Associations) and emerging ranchers’ lands with game animals. This could unlock hunting grounds for those once excluded. Klarine Schutte, an AWEI postgraduate fellow, shared her research on this programme, her words painting a vision of transformation rooted in access and opportunity.
Expanding the Hunting Value Chain
By afternoon, the focus shifted to Hunting Value Chain Development, a tapestry of possibilities woven from outfitting, professional hunting, taxidermy, lodging, and transport, i.e. trophy Shipments (International transport of taxidermy animals - requires CITES permits). Here, the industry’s heartbeat is strong, with entrepreneurs and communities finding their place in a growing network.
A particularly vivid thread was the emerging partnership between traditional healers and the private sector i.e. The Custodians, a respected and inclusive South African professional hunting community organization, ensuring access to animal products like skins and bones for cultural practices as registered by Nonkie Kunene. Richard York, CEO of Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA), reminded everyone of a more profound truth: hunting value chains aren’t stand alone. Its success is tethered to other closely linked value chains such as game meat production, tourism, and live animal sales. For emerging players to thrive, they must understand this intricate web and claim their role within it.
A clear path towards an inclusive wildlife economy in South Africa
As the day ended, the room hummed with a shared realisation. This workshop wasn’t just a meeting; it was a turning point. The stories told, of barriers and breakthroughs, of regulations and resilience, wove a narrative of change. It was clear that by tackling skills, laws, and economic opportunities, the gathering had planted seeds for a wildlife economy that could be both sustainable and inclusive. The path ahead would demand collaboration, trust, and relentless effort to open doors long closed, but the vision was clear: a future where South Africa’s hunting and wildlife sectors belong to all who are willing to step into the wild.
For more about the event and to see slides from the presentations, visit the event page.
