Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: * In this document ANAC has considered the status of the leopard in Mozambique, habitat availability, the quota-setting system, the newly implemented minimum length measure, the limited offtake, the adaptive management of leopard and the substantial revenues generated for ANAC operations, anti-poaching, and community development. * ANAC has also considered the current threats to leopard, including loss of habitat, human-leopard conflicts, and unique potential of safari hunting to mitigate those threats. * Upon considering these factors, ANAC and the Government of Mozambique concludes that the low level of off-take generated by safari hunting is not detrimental to the survival of leopard in Mozambique and the activities and amount of revenues generated by this low level of off-take are of crucial importance for the conservation of the species also because of the benefits it provides to rural communities. Safari hunting provides a net benefit to the species, it does not pose a threat to the species, and it is not a detriment to the survival of the species. * Furthermore, the Government of Mozambique concludes that the quota established by CITES by Resolution Conf. 10.14 (Rev. CoP16) is set at levels which are non-detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild. The leopard, its prey base and habitat is believed to be improving because of the reestablishment of safari hunting since the war. The quota is conservative and too low to be of biological concern. Moreover, it is still underutilized while the potential of greater use of the underutilized quota promises more budget revenue, community incentives and restoration of prey and habitat.

Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: * Mozambique is giving a high priority to the devising of a comprehensive national CBRNM institutional program in line with other SADC countries, where local communities can obtain full and direct benefits from consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife utilization, thereby sustaining their livelihoods and wildlife conservation in the country. To this end the regulations of the Conservation Law which were recently approved represents a crucial opportunity because they foresee the creation of a National CBRNM Programme. In fact, weak community engagement in natural resource management is one of the main causes of increased illegal trade in wildlife and other natural resources as deep poverty and lack of benefits from wildlife legal utilization are among the main drivers of illegal activities. There is no good conservation policy which does not prioritize the human dimension. When motivated and mobilized, the rural communities are the best wardens and defenders of biodiversity. The synergy between wildlife conservation and rural development is achieved by integrating sustainable use of natural resources with ecosystem conservation. * tourist safari hunting is one of the components that the Mozambican government is using in its wildlife conservation strategies because of the high level off benefits, tangible and intangible, that it can produce. Safari Operators are in need of a good and healthy wildlife population in order for the sector to be viable. To achieve that they are supporting the government in actions not only to increase protection of habitats and wildlife, but also in community benefits. The depletion of wildlife is slowly reducing in Mozambique due to important investments made by the government, the private sector, particularly hunting operators, and donor hunting clients.

Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Mozambique is giving a high priority to the devising of a comprehensive national CBRNM institutional program in line with other SADC countries, where local communities can obtain full and direct benefits from consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife utilization, thereby sustaining their livelihoods and wildlife conservation in the country. To this end the regulations of the Conservation Law which were recently approved represents a crucial opportunity because they foresee the creation of a National CBRNM Programme. In fact, weak community engagement in natural resource management is one of the main causes of increased illegal trade in wildlife and other natural resources as deep poverty and lack of benefits from wildlife legal utilization are among the main drivers of illegal activities. There is no good conservation policy which does not prioritize the human dimension. When motivated and mobilized, the rural communities are the best wardens and defenders of biodiversity. The synergy between wildlife conservation and rural development is achieved by integrating sustainable use of natural resources with ecosystem conservation.

Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: All hunting concessions are awarded to private safari operators subject to a binding contract. The obligations for the safari operator foreseen in the contract includes "Giving the local communities the benefits that have been agreed, as well as those resulting from governing legislation, and supporting the development of income activities that benefit local communities", and "Distributing, whenever possible, part of the game meat harvested by tourist hunters to local communities, health institutions, children, prison and school centers, or other places that take care of disadvantaged groups." Authors also state: "Similarly, other hunting areas are undertaking important efforts to conserve wildlife in their areas. For example, an operator in the Tchuma Tchato Community Programme in theTete Province after building schools, health primary care centres and boreholes for the neighbouring communities is now assisting them, inter alia, to establish horticultural activities that are increasing food security and whose products can be also marketed, thereby providing long term income to communities’ livelihoods."