The Forestry Commission has declared the commencement of the 2023 close season on hunting in forest reserves from Tuesday, August 1 to Friday, December 1, 2023, in conformity with the Wildlife Conservation Regulation 1971, LI 685.

During this period, activities such as hunting, capturing, destroying and trading of wildlife animals in forest reserves are prohibited.

The only animal that hunters can hunt in that period is grasscutter, even with that, they will need permission and a license from the Forestry Commission.

Grasscutters are exempted because they are in abundance and not endangered as other wildlife in the forest reserves.

A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Benito Owusu Bio who launched the close season said the period was the best time for wildlife to breed and procreate.

He said the season was one of the various measures put in place by the government to ensure the sustainable utilisation and management of the wildlife resources.

He added that it was also to protect indigenous wildlife species such as elephants, pangolins, parrots, porcupines, civet cats, bongo, among others.

The Deputy Minister entreated the citizenry to observe the season and support the Government’s efforts to address illegality in the forests and wildlife sector.

He said the forest and wildlife resources needed to be conserved and protected because they provided food security and nutrition, sustained rural livelihoods and mitigated climate change and its adverse health effects.

Mr Bio said Parliament had passed the Wildlife Resources Management Bill, 2022, which would revise and consolidate all laws relating to wildlife and protected areas and bring it in conformity with existing policies and emerging trends in the natural resources sector.

The new legislation, he said, would give legal backing to local communities in wildlife management through the creation of Community Resource Management Areas.

He added that it would also introduce higher penalties and sanction regimes for wildlife offences to serve as a deterrent to perpetrators.

The Deputy Minister said persons who disobeyed the ban would face legal sanctions, including prosecution.