Hunters say that killing rhinos, lions, elephants, hippos and other vulnerable and endangered
animals will actually help protect these species, that it's helping conservation...
but IS it?
Howdy humans, Trace here for DNews.
In 2011, GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons was the target, last year it was newscaster Melissa Bachman,
this year it's Texas cheerleader Kendall Jones -- hunters killing big game are attacked every
year... and with good reason, it's difficult to wrap our collective heads around the killing
of endangered animals.
Over 61,000 people as of Tuesday have signed a petition to remove Ms Jones' Facebook page,
claiming it's encouraging animal abuse; but in the end, hunters and conservationists aren't
at odds.
They're frenemies.
Modern conservation is an expensive business, reserves must be maintained, policed and the
animals protected.
Governments have to be lobbied to create discouragingly high penalties for poaching, and then enforce
those laws.
We're not even TALKING about the millions spent on conservation educational campaigns.
When pictures like this hit the internet, people freak out, but hunters claim by taking
a few trophies they're helping to keep conservation alive!
Price tags for legal hunting range from 350,000 dollars for a black rhino trophy permit, auctioned
to the highest bidder -- it was the Dallas Hunting Club -- to as low as 10,000 to hunt
a lion that was bred in captivity specifically for the hunters.
In 2007, 23 African nations allowed sport hunting -- and over 18 thousands tourists
paid 200 million to those countries to hunt lions, leopards, elephants, warthogs, water
buffalo, impala, rhinos and so on.
Conservationists are trying to balance the cost of operations with the protection of
animals, and aren't having a good time of it.
According to National Geographic, there is 22 percent more area protected in those 23
African nations for hunting, than there are for National Parks.
More money on the conservation side COULD change that.
To try to raise money, conservationists turn to deep-pocketed hunters.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species allows South Africa and Namibia, for
example, to sell five permits per year for the hunting of adult male black rhinos.
They're not the only ones.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the sale of hunting licenses, tags, and stamps
is the primary source of funding for most state wildlife conservation efforts.
In 2005, the profit from duck permits alone was enough to purchase five million acres
for use as a wildlife refuge.
Scientists also cite a paper in the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy which
found South African white rhino populations increased from less than 100 in 1900 to more
than 11,000 today, in small part due to legal hunting practices which created a financial
incentive for people to allow the animal on their land.
A black rhino which could no longer breed was dominating a reserve in South Africa.
It was killing breeding-capable males and chasing away others and was hurting conservation
efforts.
They found a hunter to buy one of the five black rhino permits and thanks to his efforts
made money to help the reserve while removing a conservation problem.
However, financial incentives aren't always used for good.
Wild lion populations are down 80 percent in the last 20 years -- and both captive populations,
and exported lion carcasses have skyrocketed.
According to a 2009 study in Conservation Biology, 92 percent of the decimation of the
lion population in Tanzania was due to poorly managed sport hunting.
Hunting itself isn't bad.
It's how many in the world eat and support their families.
Back in my home state of Michigan, opening day of deer season was basically a sate holiday
-- and though I never agreed with killing for fun and profit, the populations WILL get
out of control if humans don't do something.
While it's sometimes not comfortable to look at, and it's not always the BEST way to manage
a wild animal population, it can be useful to conservationists -- when done right.
How do you feel about hunting?
Tell us WHY you feel that way in the comments below, and please subscribe for more DNews,
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