I'm disgusted

[pollyglot]

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/26/south-africa-grants-permits-to-hunt-10-critically-endangered-black-rhino
Well, AIBU?

I do get what you mean, but tourism is very important to these regions.

The local government does have a right to decide what level of hunting is sustainable more than we do. Unless you’re going to drip feed you live in South Africa?

No, not S.A. DH used to be a safari guide there, though.

I just don't understand why people pay to go on a trip like this, or why they would even want to do it!

I think it's very regulated - the older males are culled to encourage the younger, genetically healthier males to breed, leading to longer-term population growth. Plus the thousands it brings into the local economy benefits the people there who are then more likely to be on board with the animal population control efforts.

@Beachsidesunset

I think it's very regulated - the older males are culled to encourage the younger, genetically healthier males to breed, leading to longer-term population growth. Plus the thousands it brings into the local economy benefits the people there who are then more likely to be on board with the animal population control efforts.

This, I listened to a podcast which went into detail about it and was really surprised. I am still pretty disgusted at what kind of a person actually wants to do this.

Trust mumsnet to tell you it's fine it's only older males getting culled. Oh yes let us hunt down all critically endangered animals and sell their bodies for profit. This just gave the green light to poachers. This isn't like hunt to kill and eat. These are people with money going to pose with a beautiful dead animal as far as I'm concerned if you do this or even support it you have no soul!

Hunting brings more money to conservation than charities do! Just the way fishing licenses pay for the upkeep of waterways. In America hunting pays to protect the environments these animals live in. If only they sold tags to hunt deer in Scotland instead of just culling then it would generate millions to protect open spaces.

Thinking about as deep as a puddle there Starblind.

I used to think like this but then I actually went on safari. There are whole villages made up of mud huts, barely any food, limited water resources. The elephants go through the villages and wreck the buildings, drink all the water, are generally pests. The lions kill and eat entire farms of sheep at a time. These are peoples lives and livelihoods wiped out in a night.

The local people often want to take matters in to their own hands.

A lot of places now run conservatories whereby they charge wealthy westerners huge amounts to kill a very very small proportion of the wildlife. In return, this is ploughed back in to the local villages to help the cost of what the local people are experiencing.

I don’t agree with hunting, but it’s a far more nuanced and complicated issue than just saying that SA is ok with killing endangered animals.

IF it were true that the money is ploughed back into the urgent needs of the community, there might be an argument. Don't believe everything you read.

@pollyglot

IF it were true that the money is ploughed back into the urgent needs of the community, there might be an argument. Don't believe everything you read.

I mean, I literally visited the conservation charities in Africa, do you think they’ve got a sophisticated operation set up to lie to people?

I can't believe in this day and age that killing for sport is still a thing. Ok cull a species if it needs culling, rats for example. But who kills for fun?

The police should be worried about anyone who wants to kill something for fun.
Making it legal to do is dodgy ground imo.
Sick fuckers.

creeper And you satisfied yourself on this visit that every penny of the mega, mega millions spent on licences to shoot game goes directly to conservation charities? Did they open the books for you? Perhaps the scene has changed radically since the years that DH was involved in the safari business. I guess you would know from your visit.