South Africa proposes concerning trophy hunting quotas

24/02/2026

Born Free is deeply concerned that the South African Government has announced plans for new export quotas of hunting trophies.

Photograph of an elephant standing on grassy terrain under a cloudy sky, with a faded target symbol superimposed on its side. Another elephant is visible in the background, highlighting a natural wildlife setting.

South Africa’s Environment Minister, Willie Aucamp, has announced plans to set new export quotas for hunting trophies of elephants, leopards and black rhinos. The proposed quotas for each of 2026 and 2027 are:

150 elephants (300 tusks)
12 black rhinos
11 leopards

Born Free Foundation is deeply concerned, because:

There is no publicly available, reliable information proving these quotas won’t harm populations.
The consultation process lacks transparency and meaningful access to supporting scientific data.
Black rhinos remain critically endangered, yet the proposed quota exceeds the 0.5% limit agreed under CITES*.
Elephants and leopards have complex social structures — removing key individuals can destabilise populations.
Non-lethal alternatives such as eco-tourism provide longer-term, more ethical conservation benefits.

Where science is uncertain, the precautionary principle should apply — meaning quotas should not be set.

The South African government is asking for comments on the planned quotas. Born Free will be urging them to think again. Members of the public, located in South Africa or anywhere else in the world, can also submit a response.

READ BORN FREE’S RESPONSE IN FULL

YOU CAN HELP

A close-up portrait of a stunning leopard, gazing directly into the camera lens

You can email your concerns to the Director General of the South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment at the following address: [email protected]

The period for public comments ends on 6th March 2026.

You may wish to include the following points (editing the information as you see fit):

Subject line: Consultation on the intention to set and allocate the 2026 and 2027 export quotas for elephant, black rhinoceros, and leopard hunting trophies.

Email body:

I urge the South African authorities to suspend the proposed 2026–27 hunting export quotas for elephants, black rhinos and leopards.
These species are globally threatened and socially complex.
There is no publicly available, independent evidence to demonstrate that the proposed quotas will not be detrimental to the populations from which the hunted animals will be targeted.
A precautionary approach must therefore be applied.
Please prioritise non-lethal conservation approaches that protect biodiversity, respect animal welfare, and support sustainable community livelihoods.

Find out more about Born Free’s position on Trophy Hunting:

TROPHY HUNTING POSITION

*The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora