USA – -(Ammoland.com)- In the event you have not seen the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recent report “Informing Decisions on Trophy Hunting.” You can read the report embedded below.
The report is practically astonishing in its in-depth, unbiased examination of the role of trophy hunting, in fact all hunting, to wildlife conservation in all its facets from conservation of the species, habitat protection, anti-poaching and other protection programs to support of indigenous communities.
We are not aware of any study like this outside of hunting-based organizations and agencies in the US that have been promoting the benefits of hunting in the US and in other countries, particularly Africa.
The report did not address trophy hunting in the US with the exception of the case study on Big Horn Sheep. Particularly interesting to us is the report’s discussion about the contribution of non-hunting eco-tourism to wildlife conservation as compared to what hunting contributes and the limitations of eco-tourism with respect to needing infrastructure, political stability, etc.
Also noted is the report’s discussion about the impacts of the US listing of Canada’s population of polar bears, including the loss of revenue to the Nunavut communities. And speaking of that, note what it says about the negative effects of the USFWS’ listing of the lion.
Bottom Line: the IUCN report destroys all the myths, misinformation, misdirection, fabrication, and deceit that have been characterizing trophy hunting as evil and harmful, if not destructive of game populations. Particularly those species that are in decline.
What it shows, which the entire hunting community already knows, is that without sound wildlife management and well-regulated hunting, those declining species will continue in that direction and no photo tours or wringing of hands or groups using iconic species to fundraise for their own benefit will reverse the downward spiral.
Only hunters can make the difference in whether wildlife has a future on this planet or not.
Informing Decisions On Trophy Hunting (Hunting IS Conservation) by AmmoLand Shooting Sports News