To the layman, hunting and conservation may seem polar opposites. How can killing an animal lead to conservation of the species and actually benefit the overall population? One of the best examples is a recent hunt in Namibia for a black rhino, where the Namibian wildlife services raffled a permit to shoot an old bull that was too old to breed and a danger to other rhinos in the area. Kudos to the hunter who not only paid $350,000 for the tag (all proceeds going to rhino conservation), but also invited CNN to film the hunt. Here’s the report from The Outdoor Wire.
Seventeen months after DSC’s controversial black rhino auction, the actual hunt ended in Namibia this week when the hunter killed a bull that scientists had identified as an impediment to the survival of its own species.
Poaching is a heinous crime, but very expensive to prevent.
The old, aggressive, non-breeding rhino was known to charge and kill breeding bulls, as well as cows and calves, decreasing productivity and increasing mortality of the herd.
Removing this specimen will benefit rhinos both biologically and financially.
The $350,000 paid for the permit will go to Namibia to help fund law enforcement efforts to curtail indiscriminate killing by rhino poachers. (Note: It’s unclear whether the funding could be stopped by a recent lawsuit filed by animal-rights group PETA.)
“The hunter invited a CNN crew to accompany him to Namibia to film the hunt, and the experience is now well documented online,” said Ben Carter, DSC executive director. “We hope people around the world will take the time to absorb the coverage, separate the facts from the emotions, and better understand the vital role of hunting in conservation.”
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