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Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH)

COP-OUT 17 Hunters win again

10/3/2016

17 Comments

 
Picture
For years we have complained long and loud about how the hunting industry controls the conservation structures of southern African rangeland states.

Nowhere was that more evident than at COP OUT 17, when CITES failed to upgrade the status of lions to Appendix 1. For those unfamiliar with CITES categories, leaving lions on Appendix 11 means that they may continue to be hunted freely.

This is a major victory for the hunting fraternity, and a devastating blow to real conservation, which is the preservation of natural functioning ecosystems.  CITES decided years ago in Decision 14.69 that tiger farming and the trade in tiger body parts should be banned because it would camouflage and thereby fuel poaching and the illegal trade.  You would think that the same reasoning would apply to lion farming, but the ferocious lobbying and wealth of the hunters prevailed. 

Motion 009 of the recent IUCN Conference in Hawai, called on the SA government to ban lion farming and the lion bone trade for the same reasons that tiger farming is ‘banned’. The considered views of the global conservation community, 1300 global organisations comprising  something like 16,000 scientists, were treated with contempt by the SA government.  Such is the lobbying power of the animal abusers.

SA conservation officials are mostly unqualified and the services in most provinces severely dysfunctional. They have a primitive belief, skilfully fostered by hunting propaganda, that money is conservation. Wave a Benjamin ($100 bill) at an SA conservationist, and he’ll clutch at it mindlessly, probably even after death and rigor mortis has set in.  Easy prey for the hunter predators.

Hunters’ claims that land used for hunting benefits conservation is false and misleading in so many ways.  The worst elephant massacres by poachers in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania took place in ‘protected’ hunting concessions.  And SA government claims that ‘wild lions’ in SA provincial and national reserves are conserved are also misleading. Lion prides in SA’s small fragmented reserves are hardly wild.  They are ‘actively managed.’  Is a small lion pride in a provincial reserve like Madikwe really wild when half the animals wear radio collars and the contraception of females is determined not by ecological imperatives but by the lobbying of the Game Lodges who require a constant stream of cubs for the tourists?
​
Conservation in SA is an ugly dysfunctional mess.  Do not believe one word of the self-congratulatory Press releases put out by the Dept of Environment.   

17 Comments
SUZANNE HAYANO
10/3/2016 06:15:13 am

What can a private citizen do to help this appalling situation?
Can we volunteer to be an activist somewhere here in SA?
How can help be given?
Can a campaign be held in the USA to stop hunters from coming here?
Thank you,
Suzanne Hayano

Reply
Sarah Dyer link
10/4/2016 12:26:01 am

Dear Suzanne, thank you very much for your comment.
This is a question being asked regularly, particularly after the CITES decision on lions yesterday. Here are some options:-

1. Firstly become informed. That means reading up as much as you can about canned hunting, captive lion breeding, cub petting, lion walks and the lion bone trade. Knowledge is power. You will find most of the information you need for this on our webpage www.cannedlion.org
2. Once you have grasped the facts, start lobbying your local MPs / Senators, South African Embassy near you. Great strides were made in Australia because Donalea Patman did that very thing. Never think that one voice cannot make a difference.
3. Get hold of media (print, radio, TV) and see if they know about the situation and would be prepared to run a story.
4. Get active on social media and post articles and especially your feelings about the subject.
5. Talk to your friends. Get them to talk to others.
6. See if there are schools in your area who would be interested in educating their pupils about this.
7. Organise a protest outside any hunting conventions.
8. If you hear of anyone who is going to volunteer at any of the breeding places, explain to them why it is not a good idea. Most people are ignorant and think they are supporting conservation by bottle feeding cubs and walking lions.
The power is in each of us to make a difference in this world. Find the way you can do so and never give up.
Best wishes
Sarah Dyer
CACH UK Representative
cachuksd1@gmail.com

Reply
Irene Polchet
10/3/2016 07:34:04 am

We just have to keep fighting, hoping that if we keep beating at the door it will eventually breakdown. This is so so tragic!!!

Reply
Lisa Kennedy
10/3/2016 08:13:22 am

What a complete and utter travesty. I was heartbroken to read your news. With decisions like this, CITES is nothing more than a puppet in the hands of the Dept. of the Environment (and others). Like Suzanne, I ask whether a campaign could be started in the US (worldwide?) to stop hunters (can they even be called hunters - more like cowardly opportunists). I was born and raised in Southern Africa but now reside in the U.S. and the whole concept of canned hunting sickens me. It's a mindset that has got to be changed somewhere along the line. So sorry to hear this.

Reply
Sarah Dyer link
10/4/2016 12:59:05 am

Dear Lisa, it is indeed a travesty. Every single person can help with this fight. Please see my reply to Suzanne at the top of the comment page with more information on how you can help.
Best wishes
Sarah
CACH UK Representative
cachuksd1@gmail.com

Reply
Brian Gaisford
10/16/2016 02:31:21 am

Lisa, yes same with me. SA and living in NY NY. Was at the CITES CIRCUS.. Even after BLOOD LIONS film and the BOB VITRO 10 LION HUNT was shown the corrupted powers voted to give no protection to our lion. This two vid are on UTUBE but be warned. The VITRO VID where the camera man comes clean ,is the most disgusting of all.I thought i had seen it all after fighting for lion for 15 years. Now i have
BG

Reply
Maria Zsuzsanna Fortes
10/3/2016 10:32:28 am

I would like to help as well as much as possible! All this hunting industry has to be finished!!!
Such a shame!!! Shame on all these people!! Shame on all of them!! I wish that all this hunting industry will be finished very soon!!! I would like to help in any possible way. I would like to be interested to learn how can I help. If any body can orient, please let me know.

Reply
Sarah Dyer link
10/4/2016 01:15:23 am

Dear Maria, thank you so much for wanting to help us in this fight for our beautiful lions. Please see the longer response I have given to Suzanne at the top of this comment page. There are many ways everyone can help.
Best wishes
Sarah
CACH UK Representative
cachuksd1@gmail.com

Reply
Denine
10/3/2016 12:24:21 pm

Those that made this evil & devastating decision (CITIES) to not protect lions are nothing but GREEDY COWARDS!
They refuse to stand up for what they KNOW is the right & humane thing for these magnificent animals that are being MURDERED, yet they follow the money... the are GREEDY COWARDS & PIGS!
I will pray each and every day that our heavenly ruler above strikes those on the CITIES committees all down for refusing to protect HIS CREATURES! May they all rot in HELL for their INHUMANE ACTS!

Reply
Tracie sharma
10/3/2016 12:59:12 pm

Think it is reckless to beautiful animals, and insane unnecessary cannot believe the cruelty of some people

Reply
Terry Ambrose
10/3/2016 01:35:54 pm

Reply
Pete Burns
10/4/2016 01:56:16 am

i have posted on their facebook page...everyone should do the same

https://www.facebook.com/Department-of-Environmental-Affairs-155772237844448/

Reply
Denine Mishoe
10/4/2016 10:34:17 am

Done!

Reply
Pete Burns
10/4/2016 10:44:03 am

Good one Denine everyone should keep bombarding them with comments and not stop..they will not like it if this keeps going on and on ...but we need 'many' people to do this not just a few.

Dee Roelofsz
10/4/2016 04:44:22 am

Have no doubt the SCI was largely behind this, money trumps ethics & yet again our lions are the losers - sickening!

Reply
Wendy King
10/5/2016 01:38:27 pm

Reply
Tonya Parsons link
10/21/2016 11:59:52 pm

Hi,
Think it is reckless to beautiful animals, and insane unnecessary cannot believe the cruelty of some people

Reply



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