Auction of tickets to shoot endangered rhino

[Zimbochick]

The biggest issue I have with this hunt is that that the local population are very on board with conservation, particularly of rhino, but the majority of the population is living in poverty, the publicity this will bring has the potential to change the mindset away from conservation to greed.

I still haven't found any rhino conservation experts condone the supposed conservation aspects of this hunt, if anyone has links please post them.

The Dallas Safari Club controversy

The debate about rhino hunting

http://www.rhinos.org/news-room/texa...o-hunt-auction

Sounding the Horn On Despicable Trophy Hunt - Wayne Pacelle: A Humane Nation

[PedroMartinez]

...it's meant to cull aggressive rhinos in an effort to protect the larger herd. He said the Namibia hunt will focus on an older, nonbreeding male with a pattern of aggression toward other rhinos.

Carter said that wildlife experts say culling a herd is an acceptable habitat management practice.

That is one of the details I was looking for. Either I missed it or it was added to the story later.

Personally, I wouldn't shoot one myself, but it does look like a logical way to manage the herd while bringing in revenue that is, hopefully, being used to maintain the preserve or other preserves.

[Mack Knife]

In the USA, we've practically eradicated the Grizzly Bear, Elk and many other animals from their natural habitats yet the do-gooder animal rights lovers say nothing and said nothing as it happened.

We kill off or push out the larger animals here and then turn around and name towns and cities after them. No one blinks.

Can't the protestors afford the plane ticket to Namibia to protest there or is it so convenient to step out of the Starbucks for the photo op to squeak about the topic here?

The hypocrisy of animal rights groups is legend. They are all for animal rights until one of their precious cats or lap dogs gets eaten by a coyote and then it is open season on everything from bobcats and mountain lions to coyotes.

[TaxPhd]

Originally Posted by aquietpath

This latest abomination by the Dallas Safari Club has my blood boiling. How in the world can they justify killing an endangered species for "sport"?? I will never understand the mindset of trophy hunters - killing for fun. Especially a rhino, where there are less than 4,000 in the world. Just sickening IMO.

A skilled hunter who makes a clean shot, uses what he/she kills for food and follows all safety rules when hunting has my respect. Trophy hunters earn nothing but my disgust.

FBI looks into threats ahead of rhino hunt auction

Just curious - how much money do you contribute to rhino conservation efforts?