The Ministry of Tourism through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) has shortlisted 2,895 candidates resulting into 314 packages for the 2023 Resident Hunting Season that starts on October 2, 2023.

In a speech read for for him by Assistant Director -Research and Veterinary Services Jones Masonde during a raffle draw for the 2023 hunting season in Lusaka today to select successful hunting applicants, DNPW Acting Director Andrew Chomba said the department received a total of 2,994 applications out of which 2,895 applicants were shortlisted to proceed to the raffle stage while 99 applicants were disqualified for non-compliance to the advert guidelines.

He said the Department had advertised 30 hunting blocks of which 13 are prime areas, 14 are secondary areas, two are understocked and one is a specialized area.

Mr. Chomba called for sustainable harvesting of wild animals noting that hunting remains a vital tool in the management of wildlife resources.

He said that the ministry of tourism through the department has devised guidelines to ensure right applicants are given considerable chance to receive a hunting licenses.

And Resident Hunters and Conservation Association of Zambia Chairperson has urged all hunters to find a way to join and hunt through the association for easy monitoring of their activities.

He said some of the complaints some resident hunters have is because they ignore the association.

Meanwhile, Honorary Wildlife Police Officers Chairperson Ashish Patel called on the hunters to observe all the rules to avoid accidents and coming in conflict with the law.