Ryan Glantz
Final Essay Topic #1
Professor Neely
12/22/15
The Animal
Every year, foreign hunters export the carcasses (usually just the head and hide) of 665 wild lions from Africa — an average of nearly two lions each day (1). Today, lions are a main target by human poachers from all around the world. ‘Trophy hunting’ as we call it, is leading the kings of the jungle down a path of endangerment. With an increasing rate of wild lions being killed each year, it also does not help that humans are occupying masses of lion territory each day. The worst part about it, we have done little in the United States to prevent our own hunters from killing. This is the problem.
Cecil the lion was killed in July of 2015. It doesn’t sound very convincing at first glance, especially with the name of ‘Cecil,’ but the headline is still making an impact around the United States. The black maned lion was killed by Walter Palmer, an American dentist who actually loved to hunt big game (lions, leopards, elephants). Cecil was his main target of the summer, as he allegedly baited, wounded with a bow and arrow, stalked, shot with a gun, decapitated, and skinned the 13 year old black mane lion.(1)
It’s pretty cruel to think about, considering that the animal was no match to the weapons used against him. Even as disturbing as Cecil’s situation appears, it does not stop here. It gets worse. Looking at the bigger picture, hunters exported 49 lion trophies in 2013 alone. (1) Now Walter Palmer is not the only one to act, but that gives him no excuse to act anyways.
Scientifically speaking, trophy hunting lions has some major effects involving their ecosystem. Lions are top predators in their environment, as they balance population levels of other species within the habitat. If the all the lions were to be eliminated within Africa, we would see an environment that could not be able to sustain species which lions preyed on. The overpopulation of animals such as impala or zebra would be detrimental to the land, as they only graze on the land, not meat. This would exhaust the valuable nutrition for all other life forms.
Economically speaking, lions also attract a major amount of tourists to the country of Africa. (2) Being the king of the jungle and the most well known cat in the world, lions are always put in the spotlight of humans from around the world. Lions are vital to the tourism trade; for many African countries, this is essential to the survival of their country. (2) Considering Africa has some of the poorest nations in the world, anything helps to promote visitors, but at the cost of hunting these beautiful beasts, it is not worth it.
Lion populations in Africa have fallen dramatically. According to National Geographic, 50 years ago lion populations were at about 100,000 who considered Africa their home. (2) Now, lions are are at a mere 32,000 and dropping each year. (2) Aside from the action of trophy hunting, land has been gradually been taken away in the past 50 years since the population of lions have declined. Only about 25% of land uninhabited by humans remains throughout all of Africa, as the conversion of land to human needs expands each year. (2) As human populations continue to spread all over the continent like a cancer, lion populations suffer tremendously.
Surprisingly enough though, some other than the trophy hunters themselves are actually in favor of lion killings. Poachers hunt for money, but advocates within a few African nations like the idea of killing lions. A villager, Goodwell Nzou, of the country of Zimbabwe claims they don’t cry when lions are killed. In his point of view, lions are cold blooded killers and threats to humans. “In my village in Zimbabwe, surrounded by wildlife conservation areas, no lion has ever been beloved, or granted an affectionate nickname. They are objects of terror.” (3 Goodwell) Goodwell does not understand why so many, Americans in particular, reacted to Cecil in the way they did. The villager claims that lions attack no matter what. Recently, a 14 year old boy was mauled by a lion watching over the fields to ensure that they were not destroyed by elephants or rhinos. (3) If a lion is killed, Goodwell and his villagers celebrate; they sing and dance as they know the immediate threat is gone. (3) If lions are are considered the ‘animal’ for killing, then shouldn’t humans be feared just as much as lions?
The term ‘animal’ is perceived by humans as a non human characteristic. Ravenous, beastly, killers. Terms that are widely associated to those who are not human. Of course wild animals are associated with these terms because of the necessity to survive. Being ravenous, being beastly and being able to kill is how animals determine their place and their role of that given habitat. If a lion lacks those characteristics, then it’s entitlement and survival is at risk. They do what it takes to thrive. When we think of the specific aspects of any beastly animal, we tend to think of those that are deemed scary to humans.
Lions are considered scary to humans because of their animalistic aspects. Humans however are just as much of an animal as lions. As part of the species who have considered themselves on top of the world, with our ability to reason and innovate tools for just about anything, we have actually expressed characteristics that correlate to the animal itself.
Like many other mammals on this Earth, humans kill. We do not merely kill for survival of our species. No. That is not the entire case. We kill out of fear and pleasure, as fear and pleasure is what drives human beings to the brink of insanity. If we do not find what gives us pleasure, then we go out of our way to search for it. If fear does not motivate the actions of humans, then what does? Because quite frankly, everyone’s actions are based from fear.
The contrasts of humans and lions are obvious in some aspects, such as physical features and the environment in which they have evolved to thrive in. But comparisons of our two species are far too similar than we can imagine.
Humans are just as much of an animal as lions are, and this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Lions entitle themselves through ferocity and strength. They are the most intimidating out of all predators in the wild, killing any who pose as a threat to their dominance. Don’t humans do the same? Why do we perceive ourselves above every other species? Are we above every other species? Don’t we live in the wild as well? Aren’t we animals?
The term ‘animal’ is used as any species which isn’t not human. The general aspects of a lion in the wild non human habitat is what humans consider animal-like. In places that are not inhabited by humans, we witness a ‘dog eats dog’ world. Having beastly characteristics is what separates them from us, but lions and humans are not very different. Humans do not see the similarities in animalistic characteristics though. The fact we do not realize the reality of our world is why species such as lions are on the path towards extinction.
Maybe this is all supposed to happen. Maybe our nature is all part of how the world works. Maybe our corruptive behavior will be the end of us. We do not know because all we care about is ourselves. Just as lions will do anything to maintain their survival, humans will do the same, and will continue to do the same.
We are essentially all animals. We all kill. Humans kill the most though, and it is showing in Africa with the depletion of lion populations. The problem is becoming worse and the only ones who can control it is us. As ironic as it sounds, humans from here on out determine the role of lions in the wild. If we do not act, they will continue to head towards extinction.
Analysis
The audience is those who follow CNN or any major news networks. Not just the general public, but the ones who are acting on issues that news programs present. I tried to use rhetorical devices that appealed to emotional and logical aspect of convincing. Emotionally I tried to appeal to humans killing lions and logically I tried to compare humans and lions as we are all essentially animals apart of this world. I do not know how successfully I delivered my message but that was my goal in order to spread awareness of the lions being hunted and killed at an alarming rate.
Sources
- Cronin, Melissa. “Lion Hunters, Beware: You Could Be the Next Walter Palmer.” The Slate. N.p., 29 July 2015. Web. 18 Dec. 2015. <http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2015/07/lion_hunting_statistics_foreigners_in_africa_like_walter_palmer_take_home.html>.
- Nzou, Goodwell. “In Zimbabwe, We Don’t Cry for Lions.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Aug. 2015. Web. 18 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/opinion/in-zimbabwe-we-dont-cry-for-lions.html?_r=2>.
- Braun, David Maxwell. “Lion Numbers Plunge as African Wilderness Succumbs to Human Pressure.” National Geographic. N.p., 6 Dec. 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2015. <http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2012/12/06/lion-numbers-plunge-as-african-wilderness-succumbs-to-human-pressure/>.