Elephants drinking water at a waterhole near the Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park. Botswana banned elephant hunting trip months after King Starting in January the government of the African country by law to protect local wildlife, tourism revenue. Botswana, so far the paradise for hunting, prohibit this practice from January 2014 to halt the decline of some species, as announced by the Government of the African country. King poses with the owner of Rann Safaris, facing an elephant killed during a hunt in 2007. RANN SAFARI SAFARIS RANN "The government has decided to suspend from the January 1, 2014 for an indefinite period of hunting of wild animals practiced in the commercial arena," according to a statement from the Ministry of Environment. Botswana wants and be "consistent with its commitments to the conservation and protection of local wildlife and the development of the local tourism industry in the long term." Big game hunting is a sport practiced by amateurs, usually high-income people, as King Juan Carlos, whose expedition to Botswana to hunt elephants in April caused a scandal in Spain, during the economic crisis. ELEPHANTS, LIONS AND BUFFALO Botswana is home to a large population of elephants, lions and buffalo, but the government fears the big game then decrease their number. "The decline in the number of copies is a real threat to the conservation of our natural heritage and long-term health of our local tourism industry, which is the second source of income in the country, behind the diamond" explains Government in a statement. Tourism contributes 12% of GDP in Botswana.