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Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH)

Input to USFW re status of Lions

1/25/2015

22 Comments

 
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INPUT to USFW on status of African Lions

By

Chris Mercer

Campaign Against Canned Hunting Inc  

Comment Tracking Number: 1jz-8gtl-q4ze

  Inconvenient Truths dismissed as ‘anecdotal.’  

In its Proposed Rule document  that was published in Federal Register Vol. 79 No. 209 on 29 October 2014 (RIN 1018–BA29), further to 50 CFR Part 17, under Docket No. FWS–R9–ES–2012–0025; 450 003 0115, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ('the Service') advises that:  

"Lion products, such as the trade in lion bone, seem to be primarily by-products of trophy hunting; hunters are primarily interested in the trophy and skin and, therefore, the bones and other parts are sold separately (CITES 2014a, p. 10). However, since the reports of these types of activities are primarily 
anecdotal in nature, based on the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that the sale of these by-products does not currently pose a threat to the species. Further, without a significant shift in the market, it is not likely to become a threat in the foreseeable future".

  With respect, this passage shows the limitations of the parameters placed upon the Service and / or the exercise in response to the petition dated 1 March 2011 requesting that the African lion be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act 1973 ('the Act').  

Actually the lion bone trade shows every sign of having the potential to cause regional extinction of BOTH wild lions and Tigers in Asia. To dismiss it so lightly is to misunderstand the threat.  

Poaching in Botswana.
How can you possibly believe that there is only ‘anecdotal’ evidence as yet that the trade in captive bred lion bones is having a deleterious effect on wild lion populations?

Do you ignore the confessions of whistle blowers whose statements have been published in the Botswana Press about how they chase wild prides to exhaustion in the Kalahari, shoot the adults and capture the cubs to smuggle them in to SA lion farms, as ‘merely anecdotal’?  

Lion bones killing wild tigers in Asia.
Have you even considered how Lion farming in SA and the lion bone trade poses a huge risk to the continued existence of wild tigers (Panthera tigris) who have been listed as Endangered under the Act since the 1970s. Everything is connected.  

On 13 November 2013 the U.S. Secretary of State issued a $1,000,000 reward for information leading to the dismantling of the wildlife trafficking Xaysavang Network.  
The U.S. State Department believes the leader of the Xaysavang Network is a Lao national by the name of Vixay Keosavang ( http://www.state.gov/j/inl/tocrewards/c60273.htm ).  In the summer of 2011 the South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs provided the names of all of the South African exporters and Laotian importers of hundreds of lion 'carcasses' that had been exported from South Africa to Lao PDR during 2009 and 2010.  Vixay Keosovang was the importer who the Minister named most often, as evidenced at:
https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/parliamentary_updates/question1734.pdf  

In late 2013 Vixay Keosavang admitted in a conversation that was caught on film that he imports approximately 10 tonnes of South African captive bred lion skeletons and bones every year. He confirmed that he then sells them on to three clients in Viet Nam's Ha Tinh province who boil them down and pass them off to unsuspecting consumers as tiger in the tiger bone 'cake' products that are now so prevalent throughout that region.  At 18kg per skeleton maximum that equals an injection into the supply side of the illegal tiger trade in Asia of approximately 555 big cats per annum.  Basic economics means that this fuels and stimulates demand for further tiger products for which the prevailing view is that consumers prefer wild tiger products.  This is not anecdotal, it is evidence that has been passed to the U.S. Department of State, INTERPOL and the CITES Standing Committee, as evidenced at:
http://wcclas.org/images/forms/RHargreavesCites0714.pdf  

It is evident that USFW places far too much reliance on third world conservation structures (read ‘rangeland states’ in hunting parlance.)

Have you any idea how incompetent, corrupt and dysfunctional many African conservation authorities are? Add to those inherent disabilities (euphemistically termed ‘lack of capacity) the fact that regulatory capture has taken place and the hunting industry now controls conservation policies in rangeland states like SA and Tanzania.

Talk to Dr Craig Packer at Minnesota University and ask him how quickly he was deported from Tanzania for writing in a research paper that lion hunting was adversely impacting wild lion prides in Tanzania.

Look at how tightly the hunting industry controls conservation structures in South Africa:
http://www.cannedlion.org/blog/invade-and-occupy  

When our efforts to get the import of lion trophies in to Australia seemed to be favourably considered by the Australian government, the South African government intervened at diplomatic level to protect the canned lion hunting industry.

We know how difficult the hunting industry makes life for USFW.  We know how the hunting fraternity lobbies and litigates ferociously to make sure that your policies and practices do not interfere with their lethal designs on helpless animals.  

The point is this: USFW, like all conservation structures in the world, is subject to a continuous stream of misinformation by hunting propagandists, and special pleading by vested interests muddies the waters and confuses the issues. Actually, you ought to be raising the status of the African lion to endangered AND specifically banning the import of lion trophies in to USA. But SCI will never allow you to be real conservationists.  

It is tragic really. If USFW cannot stand up to the hunting thugs, then who can?  Certainly not the weak and vulnerable African conservation services.  You call yourselves a conservation service. We do not see you providing any protection whatsoever for the African lion.  Is it because you are under SCI's thumb?

In the circumstances, the Service is requested to finalise its proposed listing and rule and thereafter strongly encouraged not to take CITES tags and export documentation at face value when presented with applications for threatened species import permits for captive bred lions from South Africa.
 

 

 

 


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22 Comments
Arthur kerr-Sheppard
1/24/2015 06:50:07 pm

It's extremely sad that the mainstream media don't believe the danger to our wildlife, and that governments are not really interested.

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Luci Pugh link
1/27/2015 07:44:52 am

They are interested in the money they all get........Once a person sees knows and understands the suffering pain sadness and fear that the animals suffer, that person's life changes 4 forever for the better. Teach children compassion and ♥ . When they know better and have ♥ they do better. Money is just too good for some people and look the other way and pretend nothing or none pays the suffering price .

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Leanne Lang
1/24/2015 06:55:46 pm

When is the senseless slaughter of these magnificent animals going to stop? The dramatic decline over the years is proof enough that these animals need to be put on the endangered list to give these animals a chance to survive.

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Heidi Lechner link
1/24/2015 08:03:33 pm

i don't want to live in a World without Lions.

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Charmen
1/24/2015 08:29:19 pm

We have to protect the lion, they have become increasingly low in numbers, (endangered) it's time to protect them from trophy hunting to be sent to USA & hunting in general. They deserve to be free like any other animal, humans are the parasites of this world, it will be a shame on humanity if this continues.

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carla
1/24/2015 09:46:25 pm

Sto canned hunting!!!

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Jerri Hatch
1/24/2015 09:49:06 pm

I am imploring you to please protect the African lions. There is NO reason to "trophy" hunt anything, especially an iconic creature like the lion, whose numbers are in serious decline. Lions are Africa...without lions there is no Africa, so please put an end to this senseless nonsense.

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Lisa Scharin
1/25/2015 07:44:49 am

As one of the MILLIONS that participated in the March for Lions last year that was a global event, I want trophy hunting BANNED and canned hunting BANNED and punishable as a felony!
In the 21st century we should ALL be "evolved" enough and aware enough to know that this is wrong, it is immoral, unethical and unsustainable. For anyone to actually think that any animal bones or parts has any medicinal purpose is a moron! This "trade" MUST be STOPPED! They are also terrorists that threaten world security! It is very clear that canned hunting, trophy hunting funds and fuels poaching by Al Queda, the Lord's Resistant Army & Boko Haram, Isis too-GET REAL! A FULL audit and FULL restructuring of the USFWS needs to be done-FLOOD the White house & FWS with calls, tweets, etc! Time these idiots did their jobs! Can't believe they actual keep their jobs with such ignorant statements regarding the status of lions!!!!

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ken
1/25/2015 09:59:57 pm

What more needs to be done and what more proof do we need to provide. Huge thanks to all the supporters who are against and are activists in the middle, working tirelessly to rid the world of this abominable act.

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lynn hill
1/26/2015 02:24:24 am

When will someone see sense and get this stopped..These magnificent animals should not have to suffer for no one..This is totally absurd.and heartbreaking

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Petra Prczygodfa
1/26/2015 04:26:28 am

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Ian Saunders link
1/26/2015 07:14:46 am

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Eric Shea
1/26/2015 07:16:31 am

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Michael Harris link
1/26/2015 07:37:49 am

THANK YOU. Thanks be to GOD for you. You are in my Prayers. Keep up your Good Work. Lord Bless, Michael.

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Abhishek Chauhan
1/26/2015 09:50:51 am

This is sickening..i don't want these lions or any species to be a part of trophy hunting. need to protect them. There is only one dangerous breed for wildlife...HUMANS!

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AMG Heupink
1/26/2015 10:12:24 am

There's no "trophy" to win by simply killing defenceless animals. There was a time when "shooting" meant taking pictures..

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Gillian Shave
1/31/2015 02:09:46 pm

Dear Mr Mercer, would you please let me know where you found out that the Australian government has backed away from banning the import of lion trophies, I have written to Mr Greg Hunt, Mr Jason Wood and my own MP on several occasions since the deadline for the announcement passed and have received no response from any of them.

I am very keen to find out what is going on so I may cause some discomfort for my elected representatives and Mr Hunt in particular as he stated that support for canned hunting would not continue on his watch, clearly he lied.

Regards Gillian

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Chris Mercer
1/31/2015 04:36:56 pm

Hi Gillian
The SA government threw its full diplomatic weight behind the pleas of the hunting industry not to ban lion imports, and so Greg Hunt postponed the decision till March. Email us via this website and contact Donalea who is dealing with this in Australia.

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Camelia.D
2/12/2015 08:40:05 pm

Humans have been responsible for the extinction of many species since thousands of years manly due to hunting habitat destruction.
I despise all those bussineses in which animals are involved. Circuses shows etc. ANIMAL PETTING will lead to CANNED HUNTING so next time u cuddle a baby lion THINK THAT THE LITTLE FELLOW WILL DIE ONE DAY...this is an horrific ACT
the only place to admire the lion in his all magnificence is the wild

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William
3/1/2015 09:20:04 pm

I have watched a large number of programmes either supporting the hunting industry, or the anti-canned hunting fraternity. As an observer, I find it difficult to support either group, simply because there are arguments to support both cases.

Besides people like me being undecided, I think, that all that has happened, is that a sort of status quo has developed. One where the hunters, conservation agencies and government continue as before, and the anti lobby continue their vocal campaign as before. The only loser, as far as I can tell, would seem to be the lion population. If there is indeed a threat to wild populations, then neither group is going to minimise that threat at the current state of affairs.

The hunting lobby has the upper hand because of influence, government support, and of course adequate finances. These finances enable them to fund scientific research to support their cause. Once a scientist has published a paper indicating the sustainable nature of the hunting industry, and associated socio economic benefits, it becomes very difficult to promote an anti canned hunting campaign. Unless of course, you can challenge the findings of a scientific publication - with your own scientific publication.

The media always look for facts based on science and this is the only way the anti canned hunting lobby will get any support. Until such time, the public, i.e. people like me, look upon the anti hunting lobby as an outside fringe movement basing their findings on emotional issues.

The issue that the hunting lobby always promote is the revenue that hunting generates. Figures are researched and published and there is very little disagreement. The question I would like answered, is how does the hunting economy compare to the general “non-hunting” tourist economy, which is by far the larger number (I think). Hordes of tourists that just come equipped with cameras and have no desire to take pot shots at animals in the bush. The picture gets complex when one considers that these same tourists may visit a lion petting zoo thereby supporting, indirectly and unknowingly, the hunting industry.

I know where my heart lies, but would like to see more scientific evidence supporting the anti-hunting lobby. If these do exist, then please could the references be published, and of course regularly quoted.

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Chris
3/2/2015 04:46:45 pm

Hi William
The first thing you have to do if the survival and welfare of lions is more than a matter of mere academic interest to you, is to abandon your comfortable observer status, and get involved.
When you do you'll find that there is plenty of material, starting with our own website, which contradicts hunting propaganda.
And plenty of scientific studies too. Email us and we'll send you some.

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Kim link
5/4/2015 04:53:58 am

MAN! They think their inferior and therefore it's ok to kill and control. There need to be stiffer consequences for those who are caught doing harm to animals. They tell us all the time what people do to hurt or destroy our wildlife, but NO ONE does anything to those caught. We cannot stop what they do by getting mad and typing words. This needs to be taken care of by people who can make the law work, not just say it's the law. Until there is help from those sources, we as ANIMAL LOVERS feel pain for the sad and hopeless animals who SUFFER AND DIE because all we can do is type.

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