Written by Dallas Safari Club. Photo by Lili Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News
In the increasingly lucrative illicit global market for poached animal products, it is understandable that an airline/freight carrier does not want to be caught transporting illegal goods.
However, this week, Delta, American and United airlines all declared an immediate and unconditional ban on transporting any trophy parts from five African species — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo (also known as the African Big Five). This includes legitimate hunting trophies from legal, regulated hunts.
DSC is urging the airlines to reconsider. These bans are arbitrary and ill informed. There is a clear distinction between legitimately hunted trophies and poached game products, and there are already rules, laws and international treaties in place to ensure legal transport of hunted trophies. Import/export of trophies is administered by various government and non-government agencies — CITES and IUCN at the top of that list.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the leading authority in the world on the importation of animals. Their rigorous process requires certain controls on international trade in specimens of selected species. “All import, export, re-export and introduction … has to be authorized through a licensing system:” (from www.cites.org).
Additionally, the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) is responsible for categorizing animals as “endangered, threatened, vulnerable,” depending on many markers. Lions, leopards, elephants are hunted legally under conditions determined by biologists and sanctioned by national and international governments. Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) populations are very abundant and are of “Least Concern.” (www.iucnredlist.org)
DSC Executive Director Ben Carter said, “Legal hunting for these species is a conservation tool that sustains and enhances, not threatens, populations of these animals. In fact, the inclusion of buffalo in the freight ban suggests that misinformation and emotion, not science or common sense, seem to be influencing this decision.”
The black rhino is critically endangered, but populations are increasing, thanks to conservation measures that include selective hunting. In 2014, a hunter paid $350,000 at the DSC convention for the privilege of a rare government-issued hunting permit, in accordance with CITES. The proceeds, 100 percent, went to the issuing government agency in Namibia to continue their conservation efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed the import of this trophy after a public comment period.
The hunting industry in Africa alone, by some reports, puts as much as $200 million into the economy.
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11 comments
I am fed up to the back teeth with nonentities like your club claiming to know all about Africa, have any of your members ever lived over there or spent REAL TIME there?.
I grew up in various parts of Africa, and had the privilege of seeing all these majestic animals in the wild. They are not for the likes of yourselves, on a shooting jolly so leave them alone!!!
Thank you! Yes! Leave them alone!
The time for killing big game and bringing home “trophies” is OVER. Enough is enough! These animals deserve life just as much as you who would destroy them do. People who hunt for pleasure are devoid of ethics and reason. Hunting is a blood-thirsty ego driven activity and it’s time is OVER.
I have spent significant time in the African bush and rural villages and am convinced that if hunting is stopped, these animals will disappear quickly, as they will have no value. Just because you lived in Africa in a town or city and took game drives in parks does not make you an authority on conservation or issues that rural communities face when living in close proximity to these animals. It is obvious that you are just an anti-hunter with a negative opinion of hunting that is misinformed. Go find another site to crab on!
Hell no, I hope the airlines stick to the ban. Enough of this CONservation.
I’m amazed at your arrogant attitude that any creature is “yours” to kill. Excuse me: the animals here on the planet belong to ALL of us! Do I come and try to take over your home or steal your children? That’s what you think you have the right to do by murdering our fellow creatures. I’m sorry: even paying $100,000 cannot pay all of us on the planet for what you selfishly take from us. You have such a narrow view of the rest of the planet where you live, all of the creatures that live here, and you exhibit such hubris that you make most of us sick (go ahead: look it up, all of you educationally deprived).
You say that “there are already rules, laws and international treaties in place to ensure legal transport of hunted trophies”. Well, these laws have failed miserably then and have been abused by your members. You have lost your ‘privilege’. There’s no reason to give you another chance. I support the ban and I will continue to fight against ALL trophy hunting. Hear Cecil ROAR!!!!
Good for Delta Airlines and all those other airlines.
I heard the interview today with your executive director, Ben Carter.
That was a pathetic interview — claiming you are doing these old animals a favor by killing them since their purpose on earth is done.
Just pathetic.
Yes, even better why not just fence off the small parks where tourists go and keep Cecil’s offspring safe. Banning all the hunting would make it safer for the Africans who could use all that land for crops, livestock and villages. Their goats and cattle will be more important than wildlife. With no hunters they won’t need the expense of Wildlife Departments and scientific management Follow the example of Kenya, which banned hunting in 1974. It started with a wonderful country of vast wildlife resources, which have NOT increased, but sadly, greatly diminished under the hunting ban so now wildlife is just the remnant in the parks.
The airlines are smart. They know that the majority of their clients DO NOT AGREE WITH TROPHY HUNTING! They are setting a strong example for any business affiliated with trophy hunting to follow. Animals and civilized humans will win this one.
Horrible rationale for maiming and killing. Dallas Safari Club’s members are the minority. There are less of them than US. Do the right thing. Stay the course.
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