Consequences for Cecil's killers

[Catherine]

The dentist is getting off free of charge, but the guides involved are not. They have been charged. I wouldn't count on the charges sticking, but the charges have had a serious impact on their lives and the lives of those associated with them. It is possible that their business will never recover. There are plenty of others who will take people trophy hunting, but they will be more careful if they know they can be charged. Lions with radio collars have been shot before. In future that might not seem like such a good idea.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morni...ing-guide/

Right now guiding trophy hunters has been a good secure business. Lots of people are involved in it because it seems like a good way to make money. If there is a risk of jail time for any reason it will not look like such a desirable job. Maybe people will look for other ways to make money. Maybe they will look for other ways to make money from the animals. You can only kill a lion once, but you can guide thousands of eco-tourists to see him for many years to come. I hope they start to think this through and realize that trophy hunting is like burning your house down to keep warm. It is not a good idea on so many levels.

[cathie]

I like the idea of eco-tourism,

[Catherine]

I think eco-tourism will save many animals. It has worked for the mountain gorillas. They can make so much more money showing them to tourists every year. Killing them once brings in little money and only once. The surrounding villages make money. People get hired as guides and game wardens. It is a thriving business. They even make a point of naming the baby gorillas.

When you compare all that to trophy hunting it is clear which one benefits the people in the long term. Eco-tourism is sustainable. It can still be there for future generations. Killing all the animals for trophies is a dead end job and it is a job that ends.

[LPC]

The only reason the dentist wasn't charged was because he came from America and Zimbabwe makes a lot of money from hunting permits given to Americans and doesn't want to lose this money by "upsetting the apple cart". The guide, of course, knew what he was doing - but he is a dispensable pawn.

Even if the dentist thought the papers were in order, that doesn't excuse the fact that the poor lion was shot and then left for many hours in severe pain, only being killed much later. At the very least, animal cruelty charges would seem appropriate.

[Catherine]

You are right about why the dentist wasn't charged. Zimbabwe still wants the American money. They haven't seen the full value and sustainability of eco-tourism.

However, if people working in Zimbabwe can be charged, it will make jobs with trophy hunters seem less desirable. It might make younger people choosing career paths rethink their choices. There have be economic shifts if trophy hunting is going to stop. Right now it is part of the economy. These kind of changes take time. Having students choose eco-tourism over hunting as a future would be a big step.

Still, I wish there were some consequences for Cecil's killer.

[cathie]

I wish there were some consequences for the dentist too.

As for trophy hunting, we have it here in Canada too, it should be banned Worldwide.

[Catherine]

I know. Canada has some terrible things happening, from the wolf cull to the seal hunt. I still remember when they could kill the fuzzy white newborn seals. It was a horrible slaughter.

Less than 24hours to a new government. Let us hope the new government is more environmentally conscious.

We need to end trophy hunting at home.

[Tobi]

(10-18-2015, 09:15 PM)LPC Wrote: The only reason the dentist wasn't charged was because he came from America and Zimbabwe makes a lot of money from hunting permits given to Americans and doesn't want to lose this money by "upsetting the apple cart". The guide, of course, knew what he was doing - but he is a dispensable pawn.

Even if the dentist thought the papers were in order, that doesn't excuse the fact that the poor lion was shot and then left for many hours in severe pain, only being killed much later. At the very least, animal cruelty charges would seem appropriate.

I know. Morally, the man who shot the gun is the man who is responsible, no matter who did what. Unless there had been a dire emergency which called the man immediately from the scene, he is responsible for what happened to that lion. And in my view, he treated its fate with disregard.

[Catherine]

The man is still a hard core hunter. It disturbed his peace that people were upset with him. It didn't disturb his peace that he killed Cecil.

Trophy hunters are another species than you or I.