The fact that this guy represents THOUSANDS of like “trophy only” hunters around the world is part one of the real problem. That more thousands of animals, elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, are slaughtered for such things as knife handles with rhino horm, or “folk medicines” like bear gal bladders, rhino horn, and other parts of rare, threatened, and endangered animals, plus “bush meat” from gorillas and chimps remains wide spread is a problem.
Park Rangers and game managers in Africa and elsewhere are fighting a real war, and being killed, in efforts to defend these wildlife populations.
It is actually a bit sad this one idiot gets so much attention, while the public masses ignore, or know nothing about the much larger horrors facing wildlife populations.
Threats include urban expansion, like in the U.S., where any animal that might stand in the way of someone getting a lap pool in their yard, “in the woods”, must be driven out or killed. Even hunters like this idiot are the LEAST OF THE REAL THREATS!
Spending a career trying to protect habitats, and critters for over 50 years, it is the blatant ignorance of the American public that disturbs me. The expansion of waste caused just by ATVs, first introduced in the U.S. in 1973, or four-wheel drive vehicles, first commercially available in 1947, or the expansion of destructive “mountain bike” trails are all for recreation as well, and just as lethal as any group with archery or firearms, in fact, they’re much MORE lethal! The claim these things are “traditional use” by recreationists, is absurd, but their prime selling point.
The fact that this guy represents THOUSANDS of like “trophy only” hunters around the world is part one of the real problem. That more thousands of animals, elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, are slaughtered for such things as knife handles with rhino horm, or “folk medicines” like bear gal bladders, rhino horn, and other parts of rare, threatened, and endangered animals, plus “bush meat” from gorillas and chimps remains wide spread is a problem.
Park Rangers and game managers in Africa and elsewhere are fighting a real war, and being killed, in efforts to defend these wildlife populations.
It is actually a bit sad this one idiot gets so much attention, while the public masses ignore, or know nothing about the much larger horrors facing wildlife populations.
Threats include urban expansion, like in the U.S., where any animal that might stand in the way of someone getting a lap pool in their yard, “in the woods”, must be driven out or killed. Even hunters like this idiot are the LEAST OF THE REAL THREATS!
Spending a career trying to protect habitats, and critters for over 50 years, it is the blatant ignorance of the American public that disturbs me. The expansion of waste caused just by ATVs, first introduced in the U.S. in 1973, or four-wheel drive vehicles, first commercially available in 1947, or the expansion of destructive “mountain bike” trails are all for recreation as well, and just as lethal as any group with archery or firearms, in fact, they’re much MORE lethal! The claim these things are “traditional use” by recreationists, is absurd, but their prime selling point.
Yep, I have a lot of nominees for that trophy.