"We have also heard of examples where rhinos have been killed with crossbows or bows and arrows, which is totally inhumane," said Van Schalkwyk, adding that hunting should be conducted along "fair chase" principles pitting the hunter's wits against those of the animal.
Van Schalkwyk said methods like canned hunting should be abhorred.
"There is nothing romantic or sporting in what amounts to the barbarous slaughter of an animal," he said.
Breeders of animals for hunting purposes will also be given two years to rehabilitate these animals back into the wild before allowing them to be hunted.
The proposals are to be submitted for public discussion over the next six weeks and could be approved by the end of the year, Van Schalkwyk said.
Also released last week were proposed regulations establishing a permit system for threatened and protected species, restricting breeding, hunting, trade and transport of these animals, such as the loggerhead turtle and the stag beetle.
"In effect, the days of captive breeding of listed species for any other purposes except science and conservation are over," Van Schalkwyk said.
"Any person who contravenes these regulations ... will be liable for a fine and imprisonment for up to five years," the minister said.
The new proposals, which were drawn up with the help of a panel of experts including hunters, were being welcomed, said De Wildt's deputy director Vanessa Bouwer.
"We are so excited about this proposal because we know it's the beginning of the end for those kinds of unscrupulous people out there," she told AFP.
South Africa has become one of the hunting world's greatest draws, attracting some 9,500 foreign hunters every year, the Professional Hunters' Association of South Africa estimated last year.
Some 9,000 privately owned ranches employ about 70,000 people to cater to foreign hunters who come to hunt animals including Africa's "Big Five" — lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants and rhinos.
Name: Lion (
Panthera leo)
Primary Classification: Felidae (Cats)
Location: India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Habitat: Savannah, grasslands and open woodlands.
Diet: Mostly large herbivores like wildebeest, zebra, and impala. Also small rodents and reptiles.
Size: Up to 8.5 ft in length and 550 lbs in weight.
Description: Tawny yellow coat; broad head with rounded ears; muscular shoulders; mature males sport thick manes
Cool Facts: It is the only cat that forms longterm social groups. It spends 15 to 20 hours a day resting. During estrus, females mate once every 20 minutes for 5 days.
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Major Threat: Habitat loss.
What Can I Do?: Visit the
African Wildlife Foundation for information on how you can help.
