Busting myths around trophy hunting
Across the globe, the cruel practice of trophy hunting thrives under the guise of conservation for protected species. That is a lie. In this blog, we bust myths like this and set the record straight on trophy hunting.
There’s a lot of misinformation around the ‘sport’ of trophy hunting and the fate of several protected species that unfortunately become caught up in it, so we thought we’d bust those myths and clear the record, so together, we can tackle the cruelty and ensure a safer future for wild animals across the world.
Myth 1: Trophy hunting helps conservation of animals
THE FACT: Removing healthy animals from their group has a detrimental effect on the entire species, as well as the individual cruelly killed. Removing them from the gene pool means that, from generation to generation, animals like lions and elephants are shrinking in size. Rather than natural selection, trophy hunting is having a direct impact on the genetic development and variation (or lack thereof) of these species. Elephant tusks have shrunk notably over recent years. Between 2005-2013 Elephants surveyed in Kenya had tusks 1/5 smaller in males and 1/3 smaller in females in comparison to the tusks of elephants living in the1960s.1 Elephants need their tusks to find water, a problem that is already being exacerbated by climate change and drought. Trophy hunting of animals with these essential traits is actively driving populations to extinction, not helping conserve them.
Myth 2: The money from trophy hunting goes back to the local communities
THE FACT: It has been regularly proven that very little of the income received from expensive trophy hunts directly benefits local communities. Rather, large corporations receive the bulk, with local workers regularly receiving low wages, minimal rights, and experiencing poor working conditions.2
Myth 3: Without trophy hunting, local tourism wouldn't exist
THE FACT: There are a whole host of other, more animal and eco-friendly options for tourism that can ensure it is a viable thriving industry. Eco-tourism has seen a boom in recent years, offering photographic safaris and ethical experiences to witness and enjoy wildlife in its natural and untouched glory.
Myth 4: Trophy hunters only kill the smallest and weakest animal
THE FACT: Trophy hunters regularly compete to seek out and kill the largest, or strongest animal of the group. The stronger and bigger the animal, the better their ‘trophy’ is and the more likely they are to win certain hunting awards.
With money on the agenda for many, it is easy to see how misinformation can be shared and sold to unsuspecting public, keen to support declining numbers in protected species.
We hope that by sharing these myth-busting truths, more of us can be savvy, stay alert to false ‘facts’ and place protection over profit to end trophy hunting for good.
Take a look at the latest report from Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting here.
