Zimbabwe running out of “trophies”

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2006:

HARARE–The Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority in
April 2006 suspended hunting in game conservancies, just three
months after nationalizing the hunting industry amid reports that
profiteering Robert Mugabe regime insiders were allowing visiting
hunters to annihilate the “trophy” animal population of the country.
“We want the animals to be more mature before hunting can
resume,” said parks public relations manager Edward Mbewe. “We want
to improve the trophy quality.”
All lion hunting was suspended in Matabeleland North.
“Villagers should report any stray lions instead of killing the
animals,” Mbewe said. “Lions are favoured by hunters and thus
generate a lot of foreign currency.”
Mbewe acknowledged that tourists had complained about seeing few
animals in drought-stricken Hwange National Park.