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Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH)

PHASA feels the heat

7/25/2015

18 Comments

 
Picture
Pretoria
24 July 2015

PHASA President calls for a review of lion hunting

Hermann Meyeridricks, president of the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA), is asking the hunting association to reconsider its position on lion hunting. 

In a letter emailed to PHASA members today, Meyeridricks says that the campaign against trophy hunting has intensified around the canned or captive-bred lion hunting issue since its current policy on lion hunting was adopted at its AGM in November 2013. 

“We took the view that our position was a stepping-stone to clean up the captive-bred lion hunting industry and made it clear that it was certainly not our final word on the hunting of lions,” he says. 

“From my dealings with the media and the community, it has become clear to me that those against the hunting of lions bred in captivity are no longer just a small if vociferous group of animal-rights activists.  Broader society is no longer neutral on this question and the tide of public opinion is turning strongly against this form of hunting, however it is termed.  Even within our own ranks, as well as in the hunting fraternity as a whole, respected voices are speaking out publicly against it.” 

Meyeridricks says that with some airlines and shipping lines refusing to transport hunting trophies, PHASA has to face the fact that the lion issue is putting at risk not only the reputation of professional hunting in South Africa but its very survival. 

“PHASA’s current policy on the issue is, broadly speaking, that it recognises the legality of and demand for captive-bred lion hunting, and is working with the predator breeders and government to improve its standards and conditions to a generally acceptable level.  We have made little demonstrable progress on this front,” he says. 

“Against this background, I have come to believe that, as it stands, our position on lion hunting is no longer tenable.  The matter will be on the agenda again for our next annual general meeting and I appeal to you to give it your serious consideration, so that together we can deliver a policy that is defensible in the court of public opinion,” he says in the letter.

Linda Park Director of Campaign Against Canned Hunting had this to say:

In the light of the PHASA statement issued on Friday, 
While the fight for the captive breeding and canned hunting industry to be shut down has been ongoing for about 17 years, PHASA, the PBA and the DEA have maintained that we were a minority bunch of greenies and that there was nothing wrong with what they were doing.

Last year at the Global March for Lions which took place in over 65 cities around the world, it was evident that the minority were growing and that the reputation of this country was suffering immense damage as a result.

Since then the pressure has been non-stop with further marches, protests and exposes. The call worldwide for an end to this cruelty can no longer be ignored. The voiceless have found their voice. The government, PHASA and the PBA should be hanging their heads in shame.

The DEA said they were engaging stakeholders - being the Hunters and the breeders. One sided meaningless rhetoric.

PHASA attended a screening of Blood Lions in Durban on Thursday and could no longer keep up the pretence that there was nothing wrong. Their press release stating that their position on lion hunting is no longer tenable in the face of public opinion cannot be erased. That position has been untenable from the outset and time for real change is long overdue. The con in conservation is out on the table for all to see.



18 Comments
Bruce Marion link
7/25/2015 05:37:17 am

I think that canned hunting should be stopped and no longer be breeding for sport close all canned hunting farm and camps

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patricia link
7/25/2015 05:41:26 am

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Tami Kannenberg
7/25/2015 02:11:34 pm

Any trophy hunting, canned or wild, is nothing more than legalized serial killing. All trophy hunters are allowed to act on violent impulses to kill for fun. Because of the attitude that it's "just an animal". Trophy hunters are in it for the kill, not "conservation" or :love of wildlife". How do I know this? Ask one to retire the gun and take up photography.

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Odette
7/25/2015 10:35:34 pm

In this day and age there is no place for canned lion hunting. Rightfully too many people around the word are against it. But if it is stopped (which I wish for ), what will happen to the 6000 in captivity on canned breeding farms? What will happen to these poor animals?

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wendy
7/26/2015 07:56:02 am

Odette, I have talked to somebody in South Africa, who is thinking about this issue a lot. He set up volunteer programs on a farm. These lions should be taken to farms where they will be taken care of for the rest of their lives. No more young ones. So for 10-15 years there needs a programm set up, for farms where volunteers can help take care of these lions. Volunteers pay some money for their stay (food and simple housing) and some money for the support of the project. So the projects pay themselfves. As the market for volonteers to find places to help out in conservation is still rising, there will be plenty of people willing to help. Especially for these animals that need this care, as victims of the canned hunting industry. A lot of wonderful people in this world would love to spend their money, time and effort in giving these animals a good life.

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Rainey Foster
7/28/2015 04:31:48 am

I would gladly contribute my time and money to save these glorious creatures from the sadism on the "hunter" who clearly does not have the courage or ethics to face an animal on equal terms in the wild. I hate all hunting. I had the honor of being amongst these magnificent animals in their natural habitat last year at Kruger Park. It was a privilege and I never ONCE had the impulse to shoot any living creature with anything except a camera. Tell me how to help.

Barbara
7/31/2015 10:37:57 pm

I couldn't agree with you more. Canned hunting is not hunting or even a sport. It is just a way a sick person can pay for killing. I hope your and the organization's project comes a reality

Tanya
7/26/2015 09:06:46 pm

STOP canned hunting NOW

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Larry robinson
7/28/2015 04:38:16 pm

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Cherise Boshuisen
7/30/2015 07:51:52 pm

I myself am a hunter, and as a child I was raised to respect and love all animals. ANY hunting done for sport IS NOT HUNTING!!! IT IS CRUEL!! A true hunter, hunts for food, not sport! That is what it is about for me, and I raise my son with those same values. You never take more than you need! If one antelope is enough to feed your family until the next years hunting season, then you only take the life of one antelope, and be respectful, his life was taken so you could eat, at least say Thank you (as cheesy as that may sound, I still believe in the thanking the Lord for the healthier food he has provided for my family and myself). The moment you just shoot for the thrill of it, you make it a sport, and ethics fly out the window.

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Ravi Shankar
8/13/2015 04:43:12 am

This is exactly how the bushmen of Kalahari respect the lives they take. They kill only what they need and actually beg the animal for forgiveness for taking its life. They believe God gives them everything and allows them to take only what is necessary. A modern bushman! Nice to know that.

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Neville Bruce
8/1/2015 08:14:58 am

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Cheryl A. Aaron
8/1/2015 08:36:29 am

Lack of or low self esteem and having too much money are the reasons for shooting animals behind a fence and pretending that it's a hunt...peace.

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Deborah Wiedemann
8/1/2015 05:34:14 pm

I respectfully disagree with you Cheryl. Lack of empathy and killing go hand in hand with psychopathy. 1% of the population has this. It's a brain defect and cannot be "cured". These people are dangerous, and there's lots of them. I have no ideas on how to regulate psychopaths, but there are many things that can be done to make it harder for them to go on a killing spree. Laws against this deplorable "sport" of canned hunts will go a long way in preventing the slaughter of endangered species. Lacking the "canneries", this industry will die and the world will ve better off.

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Veronika
2/18/2016 07:41:46 pm

Exactly Deborah, lack of empathy= antisocial personality disorder psychopathy or narcissism. I am fascinated with animals especially love cats and these creatures are very loving. Psychopats or narcissists will never reach their level of empathy. They have no idea of empathy, they are the true beasts. Even rats have empathy. It is true there are plenty of antisocials. I encountered two of them in my love life and later studied them in detail. They are more dangerous than anything in life we should have been taught about them in schools.
These times and days, there are so many options how to feed ourselves therefore I am against hunting completely. Our ancestors did not have all these options and animals cannot cook for themselves. I am very happy to come across all the wonderful work done for these animals and as an attorney I try to do my best to change the legal protection of animals.

Glennis Whitney
8/1/2015 10:44:37 am

Deplorable, oxygen thieving bastards.

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Marieke
8/3/2015 12:35:37 am

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ayush
7/18/2016 10:48:26 pm

shame for all of us canned hunting should be banned.all type f hunting should be banned all over the world.

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