In light of the uproar sparked by the death of South African hunter Theunis Botha, Letaba Herald spoke to Francois Malan of the Bushveld Hunters and Game Conservation Association.
Read: Theunis Botha: A legend who lived the life he loved
“People are entitled to their own opinions, but if these opinions are to be shared with the world – even used to judge others – they must be justified by fact and reason”, said Malan.
The Association firmly believes that without hunting and trophy hunting within our borders the numbers of wild live will deteriorate and some species will be pushed to the brink of extinction.
Two irreversible events played a huge role in shaping the role of game farmers as conservationists as we know it today.
Fencing of privately owned pieces of land (for whatever reason, be it farming, game reserves etc.) disturbed the natural migration patterns of animals, especially in dry seasons.
Secondly the “Game Theft Act” granted ownership of the wild animals, and this placed a significant value on the animals – based on more than just their weight in meat for consumption.
Malan shared the following insightful video:
At that stage there was only around 500 000 head of game in our country. This brought in the need for property owners to manage the game. In short this newfound value led to the thriving hunting industry as we know it today. When an item is valued, it will be protected. Since then, the headcount has grown to more than 16 million outside of our national parks.
Take away the hunters and you will soon see a decline in numbers.
Just look at the catastrophic results in our neighbouring countries and the destruction caused by mismanagement of large herbivore animal numbers in certain areas within our borders. Eco-tourism does create income for game farm owners, but tourists are mainly after areas that have the Big Five animals. Only a small percentage of game farmers have this facility and they will not survive if hunting is banned.
This will also affect all the employees as well as huge revenue income this country enjoys. Research shows that more than 30 000 jobs will also be lost if hunting is banned. One can only think of where the food will come from to feed these people.
Read: Facebook users condemn post mocking hunter who had elephant fall on him
What then, would one consider an ethical hunter to be?
“In my opinion an ethical hunter is one that is effective and swift with the killing of the animal, which is only a small part of hunting and the experience thereof”, said Malan.
As is the case in all human movements, there are extremists, who tarnish the reputation of hunters and the dignity of the profession.
But these individuals do not act consistently with the moral code and ethical standards upheld by the profession. There are plenty of hunting courses provided, which enforce a dignified and ethical outlook as well as the necessary skills for the trade, according to Malan.
Also read:
Judge makes trunk call on export of elephants
No more hunting cargo on our planes- Agri Limpopo responds
