Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH) is at the forefront of efforts to expose the harm being done by an industry whose whole business model is to make egregious cruelty to helpless animals routine. Canned hunting only exists because of a failure of government policy, and then it is ferociously defended by wealthy vested interests. Canned hunting can only be abolished by a sustained campaign to raise awareness, and to change policy. Click to see author's profile.
An investigation by the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting reveals how the trophy hunting industry set up a conservation group as a front to persuade relevant authorities to allow hunting of threatened wildlife.
CACH’s report was prepared for an upcoming colloquium to be held by South Africa’s Parliament. It lists a huge range of import bans, airline trophy bans, negative press coverage, anti-canned hunting campaigns, protest marches, tourist industry views and social media criticisms.
To effectively combat the hunting industry, animal advocates must put aside all sentiment and focus on the money, in order to convince African governments that hunting is a wasteful use of land and that rural economies will benefit far more from non-consumptive ecotourism.
“On January 23rd 2018, the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) set out its non-detriment findings (NDF) for the African lion. This is of extreme importance to the hunting industry, since without an NDF, no lion hunts would be allowed and no lion trophies could be exported.”
None of the existing role players in conservation understand what is required to save Africa’s vanishing wilderness. The issue is just too broad and deep – and politically charged.
It is tragic that intelligent and well-meaning academics and lawyers can miss the point so badly. The point is that there are very good reasons why existing conservation rules are not being implemented in Africa.
Bev Pervan, co-founder of Karoo Wildlife Centre and Campaign Against Canned Hunting, died from cancer on 30th April 2016. We remember her today because of the impact she made on animal welfare in South Africa.
How can anyone believe that shooting an elephant is anything other than environmental terrorism? When did money substitute itself for true conservation, namely the preservation of natural functioning ecosystems?
Global problems need global solutions, without which efforts to save wildlife, halt climate change, and live sustainably are doomed to failure. Only a radical re-think of the way we live will enable us to live sustainably and in harmony with nature.