The information below is taken from one of my lectures, i changed it from bullet points into sentences so if the grammars a little off i do apologise. This will be focusing on hunting of exotic species, i thought it was interesting stuff myself so is worth posting, hope you find it intersting too.

Hunting for sport…


Hunting has been an important aspect of human evolution for millennia. Sports and Safari hunting is a necessary part of wildlife conservation and management and is influential in the development of ‘conservation’. It provides revenue for not only local communities but also globally. Hunting justifies the protection of animals and their habitats and contributes to species recoveries.


Although hunting can help with wildlife conservation, there needs to be tight regulation for it to be of benefit. Hunting is subject to corruption and requires effective management to prevent Extirpation and perturbation of species. It is not only the hunted animal which is affected, but animal social structures can also suffer. This can have detrimental effects on a species, e.g. causing infanticide in lions. Genetic changes in phenotypic traits of a species can also occur.


African Lions are the most popular and valuable amongst safari animals. In Botswana during the year 2005 it cost $US 130,000 per lion.


Green Hunting


Green hunting is an alternative to the unsustainable harvesting of animals. It creates a positive relationship between hunters and conservationists. This form of hunting is reffered to as dart safaris or eco hunting. “chance to enjoy sport whilst contributing to conservation” (southafricainfo, 2007)


There are a range of animals that can be ‘eco hunted’ including the White Rhino, Lion, Elephant, Buffalo and Leopard.


Timbavati Private Nature Reserve was established in 1998 and is supported by ‘save the elephants’. It offers and alternative to lethal hunting and further contributes to conservation by providing research into population dynamics.


This form of hunting is ethically acceptable and currently growing in growing in popularity. There are benefits to green hunting as it can also be linked to scientific research. Whilst the animal is tranquilised, a veterinarian would be able to intervene for the purposes of data collection and tagging or collar fitting.


Green hunting raises money for conservation and local communities and so doing supports conservation. You also win your ‘trophy’ without death. Like with sports hunting, you are able to come into close proximity of the animal and take photos or videos as trophies.


Although this form of hunting is much more conservation friendly there are risks and implications involved such as chemical immobilisation. Big cats need to be guarded for 24 hrs during their recovery to prevent poaching of the animal and to make sure it fully recovers from the tranquiliser. Darting of the animals must be controlled to prevent over darting of individuals, this requires organisation, and time investment to identify and locate the appropriate animals for darting and for the training of staff so the tranquilisation of the animal can be carried out effectively.


Costs can also vary with green hunting. An Elephant can cost $US 12,500, but can increase by an added $US 5,000 if the animal is fitted with a GPS collar. To hunt the big 5 would cost $US 750 per day. Animals may also be named after the donor.


Although Green Hunting can be very time consuming to organise, it may represent an acceptable alternative to ‘lethal hunting’. It encourages sustainable tourism for the betterment of the countries ecosystem and can also benefit local communities if the likelihood of conservation success is increased.


Canned Hunting


This form of hunting provides the opportunity to kill an animal in a confined area. ‘Hunters’ that indulge in this sport are more commonly from Britain, US, Germany, Spain and France. It occurs in North America, (Texas) and South Africa. In the year 2004 there were 1,000 known operations in North America and 54,000 animals killed in South Africa. With canned hunting you are Guaranteed a trophy, as they offer a ‘no kill, no pay’ service.


During 1997, Roger Cook documented his findings about canned hunting entitled ‘South Africa: The Cook Report’. He reported being offered Lions, Bengal Tigers and Jaguars as well as other animals, some off which were not indigenous to South Africa.


Cook report

“We see a lioness pacing alongside a fence, frantic to get to her three cubs she has been separated from that morning. The professional hunter arrives… We see a bullet slam into her side… She has made no attempt to run away – and why should she? Her cubs are on the other side of the fence and humans have been feeding her up to three days ago”
(www.bornfree.org.uk)


Issues


There are certain ethical issues involved with this form of hunting. With canned hunting the animal is offered no opportunity for escape, it has been conditioned by humans and is surrounded by barriers making it impossible for any form of escape. The animal is also habituated to humans and is often hand reared. Some animals used for canned hunting are surplus animals from zoos, circuses or purpose bred.


Cubs are removed from their mother at 3-4 days old, there is often sex culling of females as males are generally more prized. The early removal of the young induces oestrus in the female lioness which increases the animals’ reproductive rate. Some removal from the wild is required to supplement their captive breeding programme.


Canned hunting is recorded with a range of species, not just big cats. Other species that are hunted in this manner include Goats, Sheep, Antelope, Cattle and Zebra.

This practice has limited regulation; in the US it is legal as the animals are privately owned. Legislation on canned hunting in South Africa is up for review but is currently legal.


Canned hunting is growing in popularity due to the fact that you are guaranteed a trophy and is carried out in an interior design.


Price list for animals offered for canned hunting:


Canned hunting

•Normal coloured lion £3,500
•Black-maned lion £17,000
•White lion $US 200,000
•Corsican ram $US 450
•Buffalo $US 3,000
•Rhinoceros $US 20,000


Canned hunting on ebay

•African Lions – South Africa
•Large female $US 6,500
•Males $US 17,500 – 42,000


The prices include a trophy fee, 3 days hunting, transport, CITES permits, meals and delivery of trophy to a taxidermist. It costs $US 250 per day for additional hunting.


Summary

•Hunting must be sustainable
•Conservation as main aim
•Consider ethics of procedure
–Welfare, sustainability etc
•Must be monitored and restrictions enforced
•‘eco’ or ‘green’ hunting may be future of hunting for conservation
•Increased awareness of canned hunting necessary to ensure it is regulated appropriately.



I personally do not approve of any form of hunting, if it must be done it should only be for the benefit of the species.

The canned hunting is absolute murder. Here (the US mostly texas with your rich people) they do a lot of those canned hunts and let lions and etc go and usually the animal is shot within under a minute after release. Captive bred animals but still, that should be considered animal cruelty because itd be such if a zoo were to beat their lions with a stick or something. But still, sport or trophy, how did the person earn that kill? Theres no tracking, no skill used that humans once had when we use to hunt, and no adrenaline from stalking an animal. Seriously its retarded and F'ed up. I mean, I privately own my dog. If I shoot it, thatd be a form of animal cruelty/abuse. So why not the same for these privately owned animals? And like i said how did they earn that kill? Its like giving a gold medal in gymnastics to a guy sitting in the chair watching tv and stuffing his face and drinking beer. How could he have any sort of pride in earning that medal?

I use to be a hunter and I had a lot of respect for the game. If there were an injured game animal we would take it in or to a rescue. Hunting season for the particular species we would always try our best to be dead on and cause the least amount of suffering to the animal. However I have grown out of it and just dont have the heart to kill animals anymore. But with a true hunter there is always respect for the game and wildlife. My grandfather was the same way. If there were an injured deer he would do the best he could to help it out and get it in prime shape. But in the same time if its hunting season and that deer is out and about and hes drawn for that animal (doe or buck) he would kill it and not waist any of it. I wish more hunters were like that.

As far as conservation, hunting is one of the keys to land conservation in the United States. Far too long the US is and has been hypocritical about preserving wild life and most republicans (no offense just speaking on the soap box right now) dont care much about conservation unless you make them realize they are taking their hunting grounds away (not necessarily saying democrats dont hunt). Since certain places are for surely shrinking, it is important to take game animals and maintain a population to prevent hunger and desease. A good example is the proghorn antelope (here in AZ). Overhunting and loss of grasslands due to construction, mining, etc., had led to the near extinction of the species until it was protected. Then shortly after protection they allowed hunting of predators to relieve pressure on the hurds. As a result the population boomed so drastically they literally were eating themselves to the ground and causing food shortage. So, from my understanding, they then put restrictions on predators and allowed a hunting season which now has maintained a stable healthy population, though cause of developers and them paying off the local politicians, they are still at threat due to mining and development.

Though, most of these issues require "game management programs" aka hunting, because of man kind. Being a conservationist we rely on the hunters (whether you are with them or against them) and hunters rely on us and we should form a sort of understanding and respect so we can gain better conservation in the US. We like to act like other countries are the devil, but look at us. We point fingers and wont focus on ourselves.

I agree with hunting to an extent. Canned hunting I disagree with. Though, buffaloe hunting here in AZ I do consider a form of canned hunting (its like shooting a cow cause they dont move and they live on ranches) however I somewhat agree with because they make a lot of money here, out of state residents pay double to hunt, and it mostly goes to wildlife management. But other forms are wrong.
I am not sure where I stand as far as trophy hunts go. But I guess if they are apart of a "green hunt" that would be okay and the meat/whatever else you could use off the animal should go to families of that area.

Safari hunts, it really depends. I mean, somtimes yeah you do have to control the predators just like you have to manage the protected wildlife because nothing rhomes free anymore and areas can easily get over populated (because of man once again). I will leave the hunting up to someone else but I think htere should be programs to educate hunters to have more respect for the game animals and to really get envolved with the wildlife as well and that will help conservation wildife and land. Unfortunately theres too many "lets kill everything cause we are ignorant sobs and I wont ever teach my kids how to be a real hunter and a real man" out there. They should do a human hunt lol. Have people sign up for it and anybody who signed up and gets drawn can hunt each other. We need a population check/management.

Great post btw. One of the best topics I have seen in a while on any forum. Mind you too, wild meat is mostly better than the meat you buy at stores and one animal will last you quite a while. I am an animal lover and always have been and use to be a hunter. It may seem like a bit of a contradiction but really I am just acting like a human. Express my interest in other creatures and also my hunting nature. I guess people like me are sort of "lion and the lamb" type? Now, I get more adrenaline stalking an animal and shooting them with my camera and bring back photos and not carcasses lol.

Once again great post, I hope people discuss it more. Its great to see peoples opinions from all sides.


-Jon DeLong

I agree with what you said 100%

With Canned hunting, the shot is aimed at a place that would cause minimal damage to the 'hunters' trophy, it results in a very slow and painful death. Canned hunting is simply a blood thirsty sport, if it could even be described as a sport at all!

We humans have impacted on the wild and we have caused the imbalance to the biodiversity. The only way to keep an acceptable balance is to cull. This is a paying market that allows money back into conservation. So yes if there is a value to something it is also appreciated.

I agree with a sporting chance and not canned hunting but as all animals are behind a fence anyway what part of canned hunting are we debating.

i just think if they are gonna cull do it quickly dont drag it out and cause unescesessary suffering thats all!

calling it a sport kind of gives it credence! I mean you have big blokes and big girls on big horses chasing a tiny fox with a big pack of hounds its just so equally matched isnt it!!

I suppose everything is relevant to a given situation. I personally do not see how anyone can call chasing a fox down with a pack of dogs on horseback a sport.
The poor creature is then corned and ripped to shreds.
I think the idea to be barbaric but that’s my opinion.

hunting for sport to me is totally wrong in every aspect there is no logical explenation for why anyone should do it if your a totally healthy person that could easily get work and find another way to survive theres no reason why you should hunt.

There's a little more to it than that. The peeps are just following the hounds and the public stay a fair way behind. It's an instant death for the fox...that's if one is even caught.

To follow a hunt is one of the best Saturday mornings you could ever have. It's something you have to grow up around or actually do before you could ever understand it. It most certainly isn't toffs taking fun in animal cruelty.

imo its the same as Bullfighting its outdated and cruel so should be stopped