The Forestry Commission of Ghana has announced a ban on hunting and capturing of wild animals. The ban will take effect from August to December – a period the Commission describes as a “Close Season”

Hunting which is work of finding and killing or capturing animals for food or pelts has a negative impact on the population of animals in an environment. It leads to a decrease in the population, and threaten to open gates to extinction which is a very bad omen to any animal population.

In some countries, hunting of specific organisms like the pangolin is totally illegal, and hence people in need the said organism fall on countries like Ghana where it is not illegal to hunt for such organisms. They offer huge sums of money and hence hunters take advantage to earn this money.

In Ghana, bush meat (game or hunted animals) are cherished very much in food. Locally, people feel more inclined towards bush meat than poultry or even dairy products. This has also led to the consistent and increase rate of hunting all around the country.

It is in this vain that the forestry commission of Ghana found it necessary to impose a compulsory close season which bans all hunters from hunting in our various forests till the ban is lifted. This ban works more like a law because it will be happening year after year. This is a smart move because it will help preserve the environment and for this, I say kudos to the commission for thinking about our ecosystem and realizing how hunting is affecting it. A job well done!

Green cheers from Ghana.