Why banning Trophy Hunting would be detrimental to conservation
Yes… this is a highly controversial topic, however gaining knowledge on such a matter will educate you on why TROPHY HUNTING COULD BE ONE OF THE BEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO MANAGE CONTROLLED POPULATIONS
What is trophy hunting?
Trophy hunting is the act of locating and shooting an animal only permittable with a legal license, whereby hunters must follow a set of strict regulations to cull an animal on request. This is very different from poaching, which is a form of illegal hunting.
It is near impossible to shift this automatic, distasteful view of trophy hunters when they display their ‘killings’ by posting (often distasteful) pictures of them and their bleeding prize on social media, with a disturbingly proud stance leaning up against a rifle in hand with a wide grin on their face. However, understanding the bigger picture can shed light on why trophy hunting is still a practise legally employed to aid conservation.
So how does culling animal populations contribute to conservation?
If we take lions as an example, there are multiple reasons as to why a lion may need to be culled from the reserve in order to conserve the population. In a closed African wildlife reserve, there is a limited number of lions. So when a male lion gets to a certain age and has bred sufficiently, if the male continued to procreate, there is a risk of inbreeding, especially if the female population is low. Unfortunately, for a case such as this, the lion cannot be shipped and sold to alternative national parks, because not only would this off-balance the breeding system, but transportation costs are also not economically viable. In these scenarios, the most feasible option is to cull the animal; by controlling population numbers within reserves, breeding is more effective, and the threatened population can continue to grow.
National parks are only effective at conserving wild animals if there is enough money; the parks require continuous maintenance, so capital is highly necessary for things such as park infrastructure such as fencing, and lodge and accommodation employment. Without any of this, national parks would be incapable of operation, therefore animal populations could not be controlled, and animal extinction would be inevitable. As will be explained in more detail, trophy hunting generates a high amount of revenue, therefore it should be considered a significant aid in supporting park maintenance expenses.
So what are the benefits of Trophy Hunting?
Trophy hunting is a much more cost-efficient way of culling an animal that using a euthanizing shot, for example. Not only are they expensive, but euthanizing shots also have the potential to cause the animal trauma, for numerous reasons, including the stress associated when experiencing proximity to people. Shooting an animal with a rifle is, not only the most profitable way of culling an animal, however also the most ethical and humane way of ending its life, when performed correctly.
Inviting a trophy hunter to fly to the reserve and cull the animal comes with a huge economic benefit at a relatively low greenhouse gas emission, when compared to tourism. Trophy hunting requires the possession of a permit; in most national parks, these come at a substantial cost, with some permits costing up to £40,000. In many cases, this sum of money is fed back into the management of the reserve.
A single hunter also requires a large support entourage, including accommodation staff, guides and trackers, security, and drivers. Such jobs provide opportunities for local people, contributing to the economy. Furthermore, the community also benefits from the products of the culled animal, including the meat, which is offered to the local people by the hunter as a symbol of appreciation for their accommodation and cooperation.
Contrary to common stereotypes, the hunters do not economically benefit from harvesting the animal, and the trophy hunters are prohibited from withholding the products from the culled animal, including the bones, for example.
Commercialising animals and putting a value on life will always be controversial, however understanding the importance of conservation and necessity for human intervention to control populations and minimise species extinction is of great significance. While there are clearly benefits and drawbacks to trophy hunting, it should, at the very least, be considered as a contributor to the conservation effort.
