THE government of Niger has banned hunting throughout the country in a bid to resuscitate wildlife populations. Environment Minister Issoufou Assoumane said the ban was necessary to “allow the reconstitution of the fauna.” In the past decade, the desert zones in northern Niger have become hunting playgrounds for Persian Gulf princes, who arrive for expeditions with armies of helpers. The expeditions have become increasingly controversial, with local ecologists terming them “murderous” and saying they are destroying a national treasure. – AFP