Friday 6 December 2013

Namibia: rhino permit auction goes ahead despite death threats

Death threats have streamed in to the Dallas Safari Club (DSC) since it announced plans to auction a black rhino hunting permit on behalf of the government of Namibia.
The government approved the permit in accordance with CITES provisions to generate funding for rhino conservation initiatives including anti-poaching efforts—while at the same time managing the black rhino population in the Mangetti National Park, where the hunt will take place.
When DSC announced its auction in mid-October, media condemnation went viral. Hundreds of death threats began to flow in via email, phone calls, even Facebook posts.
Threats received allegedly included things like, “You subhuman rednecks have something to worry about now. For every rhino you shoot, we’ll kill 10 of your members, or their families if we can’t get at them. We have your membership list. It’s open season on you murderers now. There’s no place to hide.”
According to a press release issued by the DSC they are forging ahead with the auction that will take place next year January.
However, prudent security measures have been put in place. The Dallas police were consulted, as well as the FBI, which have referred the case to a domestic terrorism team. Additional security has also been hired for the DSC convention and expo, where the auction will be held January 9 to 12 at the Dallas Convention Centre and Omni Hotel Dallas.
Ben Carter, DSC executive director, said that the threats are most probably from animal rights extremists, anti-hunters and radical environmentalists, “who would rather see rhinos go extinct ‘naturally’ than be managed in any way by man—particularly if hunting is involved.”
“Opposition also could be coming from the poachers, black-market traffickers, terrorist cells and organised crime syndicates who profit from rhino poaching. They stand to lose out if this auction generates major funding for additional law enforcement.”
DSC expects the permit to sell for at least US$250 000, perhaps up to US$1 million. Namibia’s Game Products Trust Fund will receive 100% of the hunting permit sale price. Both DSC and contracted auctioneer Ed Phillips of Houston offered to forego their customary sales commissions to support the special cause.
“Rhino hunting permits have never been sold outside of Namibia. And they have never sold for more than $223,000. When conservation officials approached us about auctioning a permit on Namibia’s behalf, we were excited. We think we can help generate more funding for rhino conservation — hopefully a lot more,” said Carter.
Individual black rhino trophy animals are identified by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, ensuring that only old bulls, which are marginalised in the population and do not contribute to reproduction, are trophy hunted.
These potential trophy animals are hunted under strict supervision by conservation officials to ensure only those individuals meeting the criteria are hunted.
Old, post-breeding males are known to kill younger bulls, cows and even calves. They also consume food, water and space needed to sustain the breeding animals required for species survival. 

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