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Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH)

Why Australia must protect South African wildlife

7/5/2014

8 Comments

 
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The failure of South African mainstream media – and why we need Australia's help.

What on earth is the Italian Senate doing debating whether to ban the import of lion trophies?  Surely protecting our wildlife heritage is our responsibility, not that of foreign media and foreign lawmakers?

Parliamentary motions to protect SA lions by banning the import of African lion trophies are pending in Australia, UK, Italy, and the EU Secretariat.  In SA it was left to a minority party, the IFP, to file a motion to ban canned hunting. 

Why is our media coverage of conservation issues so poor in SA?  Why are journalists generally so ignorant of conservation matters?  Rather than investing time and effort to really research and get their minds around wildlife matters, uninterested  journalists are content to publish quotes from “recognised” authorities and NGO’s.  The result is that mainstream media becomes lamestream media – a mouthpiece for government and hunting industry propaganda.
In turn, the result of that is a Parliament that is deceived into believing that our wildlife heritage is safe and in good hands. Nothing could be further from the truth.

And when they are not peddling misinformation from complacent authorities or special interests, the SA media simply misses the boat completely.

 On March 15th 2014 a global march for lions took place in 62 cities around the world.  This international service delivery protest against the institutionalised cruelty to wildlife which is SA conservation gained little traction in SA.  This just happened to be the biggest protest worldwide for animals that has ever been organised.  Newspapers around the world covered the marches, in graphic detail.    

A press conference organised in Cape Town on the eve of the march failed to attract a single reporter. Shame on you all, SA journalists.  SATV was there, but produced such a vague piece that no one even knew who was marching or why.

Now we see major action being taken in foreign countries to protect African wildlife.  Look at these articles in the Australian media:-
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/berwick-mps-petition-aims-to-stop-importation-of-slaughtered-south-african-animals/story-fngnvmhm-1226977417631?nk=c004f2741008afbf15ef9bd0049123e7

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-04/push-to-ban-australians-from-canned-hunts/5572158

Why is the foreign media so much more concerned about protecting SA wildlife than the South African media?

Why are foreign Parliaments so much more advanced in taking action to protect our lions than our own Parliament, which has done nothing at all to ban canned lion hunting? 

Why are we getting emails from 8 and 10 year old children in Melbourne, Australia asking us how they can help save SA lions?   Where are the South African children who want to help? 

Could it be that they don’t even know there is such a thing as canned hunting, because of the failure of journalism in SA?   Why do we allow  people like Melissa Bachman and Kendall Jones to come to South Africa to shoot arrows into tame lions?  How can the SA press be silent on this issue? 

Ben Trovato is the exception, with his witty article:

http://bentrovatowhippingboy.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/an-open-letter-to-kendall-jones-femme-fatale-of-the-african-jungle/

Will South African journalists and law makers do something about an industry that is reviled all over the world or will they, as usual, leave it to other countries to do it for us.


8 Comments
fadila alubeidi hachimi
7/4/2014 09:21:36 pm

Go Australia, this treasure do not belong to one nation its a our humanity all over the world, so if SA cannot make a good campaign then some body else capable to defend in good terms must show up

Reply
Wild Heart link
7/5/2014 12:26:38 am

Hit the nail on the head,, It is disgusting that our own government and media in South Africa have so little regard for its wildlife and takes other nations who give a damn to actually help and make a difference..
Great article..

Reply
Anton
7/6/2014 05:04:34 am

Dear author,

Please consider that conservation reportage in SA seems very weak because social and economic issues garner a far greater investment of time and money. Secondly, no matter how active journalists are on the subject of conservation, and I believe they are relatively active, the subject it is not top of mind for the majority of South Africans.

SA wildlife depends very much on foreign investment and intervention. The money that goes into local NGO's comes predominantly from foreign countries. The lobbying to ban imports of trophies into foreign countries is an incredibly important step because it prevents foreign hunters, who can afford to partake in trophy hunting, from doing so. This lobbying can only be undertaken by foreigners in those countries. A good deal of the South African and African conservation voices do indeed speak out, but they speak on platforms that foreigners hear because they know that's where things get done. I believe they are more effective than the author thinks. It's not that they are leaving it for other countries to do it for us, it's that they are actively persuading those countries to do it for us. I don't believe that can be considered a failing.

Reply
Andre
7/10/2014 05:07:36 pm

Dear Author,

If you think that hunting on a 11 000ha farm full of lions and other dangerous animals whilst walking and stalking, is called canned hunting, then you should reconsider your resources. Do yourself a favor and come to South Africa on the farm where Kendall hunted that lion and go see for yourself what lion hunting is all about. SA Journalist not doing proper research, Please do proper research yourself before making such statements.

Reply
Helen Whitford
7/10/2014 06:56:30 pm

Whether it's 'canned hunting' or not, trophy hunting is pathetic. Who are we humans to think we should exploit and destroy other species for no excusable reason?

Reply
Chris Mercer
7/10/2014 11:48:04 pm

A canned hunt is where the target animal is unfairly prevented from escaping the hunter, either by physical constraints (fenced camp) or by mental constraints (hand reared, habituated)
Kendall's hunt was canned on both counts. Virtually all trophy hunting in SA is canned - which is exactly why Rowland Ward Trophy book refuses to accept South African lion trophies.

Reply
Romey
7/10/2014 06:25:12 pm

Regardless of whether or not it was canned, it is barbaric and this little girl needs to see the other side of a bullet. South African hacks need to wake up.

Reply
Lynda Corkum
7/11/2014 04:34:40 am

Excellent article! Canned hunting is one of the most offensive things on the planet. It takes a certain lack of character to have the desire to senselessly kill a beautiful animal. It's great to see other countries taking action to ban "trophies"!

Reply



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