Actually, this does work. Like I know what it sounds like but if you’re interested i can explain - I’m just heading back into work from lunch and want to do the topic justice.
For reference, i have a master’s in conservation biology and my bachelor’s degree in zoology was very heavily focused on ecology and fauna native to North America, but the system set up in the US is excellent for wildlife conservation and is what most people are suggesting when this topic comes up.
Yep, well managed trophy hunting is a great conservation tool. You might not like it (I loath the idea of trophy hunting), but banning it would do far more harm than good. Here’s some articles on the subject;
WARNING: last article has some very graphic images of dead animals
It’s also extremely hypocritical and colonial to tell African countries what they can and can’t do with their wildlife. The UK benefits hugely from trophy hunting tourism. Hunters from abroad will pay thousands to come to the UK to shoot deer, feral goats, pheasants, grouse and other gamebirds and waterfowl. It’s a big industry that’s very poorly regulated in the UK and often has detrimental impacts on native wildlife.
Why is it ok for the UK to have trophy hunting but not other countries, especially when they have proven to manage it so much better than we do? Should it not be up to African nations to decide what they do with their wildlife? What right do we in the UK have to tell other countries how to live alongside dangerous wild animals when we’ve exterminated all our megafauna and large predators?
