The government has tightened the noose on leopard hunting in a sweeping new move that effectively outlaws the killing of female leopards while imposing strict trophy requirements on male cats.
In new regulations published through Statutory Instrument No. 49 of 2026, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Wynter Mmolotsi introduced tough amendments under the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act aimed at tightening control over leopard trophy hunting.
The new law, cited as the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks (Hunting and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, introduces what observers describe as one of the toughest leopard hunting regulatory frameworks in the region.
Under the amendments, government has outright banned the hunting of female leopards.
“No person shall hunt a leopard… that is female,” read the new Regulations.
The regulations further prohibit the hunting of male leopards that do not meet stringent body and skull measurements. Hunters are now barred from shooting male leopards whose body length is less than 130 centimetres from the nose to the base of the tail, and whose skull size is below 13 inches.
The move is expected to send shockwaves across Botswana’s lucrative safari hunting industry, community trusts and particularly among operators targeting high-paying international trophy hunters.
The government has also introduced an aggressive monitoring and reporting regime that places hunters, professional guides and safari operators under intense scrutiny.
The regulations also tighten controls around baiting methods used during hunts. Operators must now disclose the number of bait sites used, the number of bait nights, how many bait sites were fed on by leopards, and detailed records of all leopard activity around hunting zones.
Every leopard hunt, successful or unsuccessful, must now be documented through a mandatory three-page Leopard Hunting Return Form to be submitted to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP).
The form demands extensive details including GPS coordinates of the hunt, baiting activities, photographs of the animal, skull measurements, tooth condition, evidence of scars, and even the presence or absence of a scrotum.
Hunters are also required to provide trail camera evidence, track records, and photographs of leopard footprints around bait sites.
The regulations warn that failure to comply with the regulations or failure to submit the required forms to DWNP constitutes an offence punishable under Section 57 (6) of the Act.
The regulations also tighten controls around baiting methods used during hunts. Operators must now disclose the number of bait sites used, the number of bait nights, how many bait sites were fed on by leopards, and detailed records of all leopard activity around hunting zones.
The regulations also require high-quality colour photographs before skinning of the trophy, including detailed images of the face, teeth, scars, shoulders and hindquarters.
The cleaned skull must also be photographed and documented before submission.
Reports show that the regulations are likely to ignite fierce debate between conservationists and the trophy hunting sector, which has historically defended regulated hunting as a major source of tourism revenue and community income.
