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The Real Truth Behind Trophy Hunting

Enough with the pathetic excuses

By Gal MuxPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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The Real Truth Behind Trophy Hunting
Photo by mohammed OUZZAOUI on Unsplash

Trophy hunting is the practice where hunters go into the bush to kill wild animals for fun and to keep part of their bodies as trophies that glorify the hunt.

We have all heard what they tell us about the benefits of trophy hunting particularly in the third world.

Excuses

The trophy hunters pay huge fees to be granted licences to hunt down and kill animals. This money goes to conservation efforts while the meat goes to the locals. The hide, skin, head and other core parts of the animals are carried by the trophy hunters and used as rugs, wall hangings and momentos.

Because they in their own way contribute to conservation efforts, the animal killers ( yes, that’s what they are!) get a pass. And because the locals get free bush meat, then apparently it’s a win win.

All these are scapegoats in my opinion. And I feel they are propagated by those behind this practise to give them leeway to continue with their deplorable acts.

Funding conservation

The population of many wild species is threatened. If the hunters cared so much about the survival of these animal species, why wouldn’t they donate funds to conservation efforts without harming other animals and without conditionalities?

In 2008 according to a study by the Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), approximately $190 million was raised from game hunting in seven countries in the Southern African Development Communities (SADC). That’s a large sum of money that can do good if channeled to the right causes.

Food

Also, one large animal can only feed a number of people for a short period. How many days do you think an entire village can go while consuming one buffalo? Besides, these hunted animals are not the only food that the locals consume. Plus not all animals that are hunted and killed are fit for human consumption. I am yet to meet a person that consumes lion meat.

If these trophy hunters cared that much about the locals being fed, why wouldn’t they come up with sustainable means or fund ways to ensure food security for these people that do not involve killing of rare and endangered species? A lot of people in the world meet their nutritional needs without consuming game meat and so can these people.

The Maasai in Kenya and Tanzania are an example. Even though most of them live in the remotest areas of their countries that border national parks where many species of wild animals roam, and even though their diet consists mainly of meat, they herd cows, sheep and goats and humanely slaughter them to meet their food needs.

The evil glory

What trophy hunters care about is killing wild animals in gore scenarios, bragging about it to their hunter pals and carrying home momentos to brag some more and to relieve the experience.

And the system that is set up to allow them to do so is specifically created to facilitate this.

It’s not average Joe’s that go on trophy hunts. According to Indiatoday.com, a trophy hunt can cost as high as $70,000. That’s more than a year’s salary for the average person even in the first world.

What makes trophy hunting palatable to some exactly? Is it because the animals are in the wild? Is it because they are in third world countries? Is it because the system allows them to do so?

Imagine if you let loose some dogs and cats in your neighbourhood and you began shooting them taking pictures and videos with their carcasses and posing with them while smiling broadly with your thumbs up as though it’s was greatest achievement ever! Pathetic isn’t it? That would be considered mentally disturbing, sick and is a crime that is punishable by law in many countries of the world.

Why don’t we give wild animals and particularly those in the third world the same empathy and respect that we give domesticated ones? Would it be acceptable to inhumanely hunt down a dog simply because it was weak and sickly and because you were paying to protect others? What kind of logic would that be?

The same people hunting down wild animals in the third world for fun could be the same ones funding lavish lifestyles for their pets back home.

Rich privilege

The fact that there are legal systems in place that allow these people to use and abuse their rich privilege to harm, hunt and kill wild animals particularly the rare species is unfathomable!

“Look I have so much money I am going to buy a licence to kill the biggest, rarest animal I can find.” That is what their actions scream to me.

Poachers face stern prison sentences for killing wild animals. Isn’t it ironic that the same government that punishes them for these crimes is the same government that facilities trophy hunting taking huge fees to give permission for the same animals to be killed?

By Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Discrimination

Many poachers are poor and black. Many trophy hunters are rich and white. Isn’t the difference here the people killing these animals? Many poachers kill animals for their parts to meet their daily needs and to survive. Trophy hunters do so for the sheer fun of it and for glory. Depending on who you are and how much money you have or don’t have, for the same actions, you will either be severely punished or welcomed with a celebration. Isn’t this a classic case of racism and discrimination?

All animals exist symbiotically alongside other species. They are to be enjoyed by all and to be taken care of by humanity and not for the rich to use their money to kill them at their pleasure.

With all the suffering in the world, what’s the nature of the person that would spend $100,000 plus other expenses to travel to the remotest parts of the world just to kill the rarest species because they love, relish and enjoy it? What’s in their heart? Just ask yourself!

Solutions

If an animal is sickly and is about to die, let nature take its course as it should. If a wealthy person feels that they have some spare funds that they wish to channel to conservation efforts, let them do so without harming other animals.

Because they have the funds, they can even create virtual or realistic technological simulations that can give them the experience of hunting in the wild without having to harm or kill living breathing animals.

Hunting down wild animals in huge numbers by foreigners for fun and particularly in Africa, is a practice that was picked from colonisation and all its evils and it should be abolished completely!

Many people from all over the world are offended by trophy hunting and call for it to be outlawed. The global reactions to the killing of Cecil the lion by the American trophy hunter was a portrayal of their loathing for the dreadful practice.

All animal lives matter.

The governments in third world countries should completely outlaw game hunting. It is uncouth, irritating, completely appalling and should not be tolerated in 2021.

activism
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About the Creator

Gal Mux

Lover of all things reading & writing, 🥭 &

🍍salsas, 🍓 & vanilla ice cream, MJ & Beyoncé.

Nothing you learn is ever wasted - Berry Gordy

So learn everything you can.

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