Trophy hunting has been a very controversial debate. It only recently gained popularity in the past few years. The intense debate on trophy hunting goes back and forth between people who defend the rights of animals, and the hunters to pay to kill them. The argument against big game hunting is based on moral correctness as well as the value of animal life. On the opposing side, the hunters make the argument that their killing activities are supposedly beneficial to poor communities as well as the population of the species. However, where do we draw that moral line? How can we say we are putting the effort forth in preserving the lives of animals when we are selling their lives to the highest bidder to kill them. The message that this sends
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Their population. During the 1940’s the estimated wild lion population was around 450,000. Their current population is estimated to be at about 20,000. The wild lions of Africa have experienced 95.5 percent population loss. Lions are not the only species suffering in Africa. Other species like elephants and rhinos are experiencing similar or worse declines in their population. While many factors of their population loss are due to other threats like habitat loss, illegal poaching, and conflicts with neighboring communities, trophy hunting also plays a part. Big game hunters kill around 600 wild lions each year. Every year that takes about 2 to 3 percent of their population away. That calculation only counts the legal deaths. If you add in the deaths caused by illegal poaching, habitat loss, and natural causes the death rate among lions is too high to sustain the wild lion population. Trophy hunters pay big money. Each year trophy hunters pay about $200 million. Big game hunters try to justify their hunting activities by saying their money helps the local communities as well as conservation of animals in Africa. However, Economists at Large gave a report that shows that very little of the money they spend actually goes towards local communities. Reports show that only 3% of all their money actually reaches the local communities. Conservation efforts, on the other hand, receive even less than that
Their population. During the 1940’s the estimated wild lion population was around 450,000. Their current population is estimated to be at about 20,000. The wild lions of Africa have experienced 95.5 percent population loss. Lions are not the only species suffering in Africa. Other species like elephants and rhinos are experiencing similar or worse declines in their population. While many factors of their population loss are due to other threats like habitat loss, illegal poaching, and conflicts with neighboring communities, trophy hunting also plays a part. Big game hunters kill around 600 wild lions each year. Every year that takes about 2 to 3 percent of their population away. That calculation only counts the legal deaths. If you add in the deaths caused by illegal poaching, habitat loss, and natural causes the death rate among lions is too high to sustain the wild lion population. Trophy hunters pay big money. Each year trophy hunters pay about $200 million. Big game hunters try to justify their hunting activities by saying their money helps the local communities as well as conservation of animals in Africa. However, Economists at Large gave a report that shows that very little of the money they spend actually goes towards local communities. Reports show that only 3% of all their money actually reaches the local communities. Conservation efforts, on the other hand, receive even less than that