In Africa, it is an old long practice to display skeleton remains as a boast of hunting prowess.
A hunter by definition is a registered person with authority who is licensed to go hunting according to rules and regulations whereas a poacher is someone who is unlicensed and does illegally hunt for game or wildlife without recourse to laid down procedures such as open and close season for hunting.
In Ghana, the wildlife division of the Forestry Commission is mandated with the responsibility of protecting and conserving wildlife or resource reserves.
Hunting as an olden-day activity by mankind has lingered on to date.
Unfortunately, some energetic youth have resorted to hunting as a profession when in reality is supposed to be once in a while hobby for fun.
Wildlife departments across Africa have had to and continue to be grappled with wildlife-community conflicts despite many efforts to mitigate this canker.
International organizations such as World Bank have funded several interventions to serve as alternative livelihood sources to fringe communities to avoid daily invasion of wildlife resource reserves and even relocation of some communities that seem to be an obstacle to the development of such reserves.
Poachers in Africa dominate over hunters and hence the continued depletion of our wildlife hubs.
Both hunters and poachers hung skeletal remains on the entrance to indicate their hunting prowess. These skeletal remains have become trophies in wildlife parlance.
When a hunter or poacher dies or loses a loved one, other poachers and hunters go for the catch to come to sympathize with the bereaved family on the funeral day.
This practice is very common among many tribes in the Northern part of Ghana, especially the Siaala tribe.
There are even special dances called hunters to dance called Nankpana and warrior dance Bayila among the Sisaala tribe where these trophies are displayed and mostly freshly hunted game skeletal remains.
Despite several efforts from conservationists, environmentalists, and many more, the wanton depletion of our wildlife resources continues.
By: Ayamga Bawa Fatawu
Photojournalist
Tourism Writer
