Call to end recreational big game hunting in South Africa

More than 1,000 lions killed in one year

July 2010: Animal Rights Africa (ARA) has just released a key report which takes an in-depth look at hunting activities in South Africa has condemned the country's large recreational and also is concerned that bushmeat hunting - poaching - remains prevalent.

TROPHY HUNTING: It it thought that more than a million wild animals are killed by hunters each year

South Africa has the largest hunting industry in sub-Saharan Africa, attracting wealthy foreigners wishing to kill anything from elephants to duikers. It remains the world's top 'canned' lion hunting destination, says the ARA report and the rhino hunting permit system has been repeatedly abused in recent years to launder horn into the illegal medicine market in the East. Furthermore some hunters are shooting animals which live in the Kruger National Park and cross unfenced boundaries into private and provincial nature reserves.

More than 1,000 lions were killed in 2008 at a time when most people believed the industry had been stopped. It has not and continues, pending a court appeal. The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs has no figures for the number of lions hunted.

According to research by the University Of North West in Potchefstroom, of more than a million wild animals are killed by hunters every year, some for meat but some just because they have large horns, tusks, or ‘pretty' coats. Some, like African wild cats and genets, for example, are killed simply for fun and target practice. The Government supports this killing, arguing that hunting in South Africa is in line with concept of ‘sustainable utilisation of natural resources'. Ethics and scientific justification appear not to come into it.

Many animals have no chance of escape
Even some hunters argue that quest for increased economic returns and bigger trophy animals sometimes override what they view as accepted practice, says the ARA. Some private farms are overstocked and also populated with species that do not occur in the region in order to generate greater hunting income, hybrid and colour-variant animals are specially bred for hunting despite the disapproval of formal hunting organisations and in many instances animals have no chance of escape and are shot under conditions that amount to ‘canned hunting'.

But despite the size of the hunting industry in South Africa it is poorly monitored, partly because many provincial departments are cash strapped and many experience skills shortages. The overall picture of what happens is further clouded by poor record-keeping at provincial and national government level. Animals are suffering extensively as a result.

Although South African National Parks (SANParks) has regularly denied that animals from the Kruger National Park are shot in provincial and private nature reserves that share unfenced boundaries with the Kruger, international hunters boast that they have killed elephant and buffalo which have crossed from the park. In the past SANParks has claimed that these animals are res nullius (ie they belong to no-one) once they leave the formal Kruger Park area and enter provincial and private reserves but this argument is irrational bearing in mind that SANParks has agreed that the Kruger's boundary fences be removed to allow the movement of animals; acknowledges that animals do indeed move freely between the areas; sits on management committees of these reserves; and also helps decide the hunting quotas.

‘It is astounding that these animals are being allowed to be killed for profit'
ARA spokesperson, Michele Pickover said: ‘SANParks recently acknowledged, contrary to previous denials, that animals move freely between these areas. However, it refuses to publically acknowledge they may be shot.

'It is astounding that South Africa's precious heritage, in the form of animals that move across imaginary boundaries from the Kruger National Park, are intentionally being allowed to be hunted and killed for profit with the fervent support and consent of the South African government and all its conservation agencies. Ordinary South Africans should be extremely concerned.'

ARA believes hunting is an incorrect strategy to preserve Africa's wildlife heritage and to promote ecotourism. Moreover, humanity has a duty of compassion and humanity towards animals and also at stake are issues of justice. The time is overdue for individuals, civil society and governments to recognise animals as complex, living beings, rather than as tools, objects and trophies.