Categories: Conservation | Global Health | Suitability | Tourism It’s no secret that species rates are declining as we hear more and more reports of animals going extinct or being added to endangered species lists. I feel that it is important we learn compassion for the other beings on this planet as the climate continues to change. There are many reasons why species can go extinct, but we have a responsibility to take action for the things we have the power to change, such as big game and trophy hunting. In the last decade (2010-2019) the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared the extinction of 160 species alone. These include animals such as The Spix's macaw, also known as the “Little Blue Macaw,” the Northern white rhinoceros, and the Pinta Island tortoise. Against our best efforts, too many animals have become endangered or extinct in recent years. The IUCN reports that biodiversity is declining, with 28,000 species threatened with extinction, including 25 percent of mammals. In their last Red List report, no species improved enough to move to a less threatened category. Between endangered and critically endangered animals, 23,884 species make up this category alone. How are animals becoming endangered so quickly? As people kill these wild animals, through pesticides, accidents such as collisions with cars, or hunting, native species may become endangered. Hunting is a popular sport and a reason many populations are declining. We can see this mainly through big game hunting or trophy hunting. Trophy hunting is hunting of wild animals as prized possessions, with the whole or parts of the hunted animal kept and usually displayed to represent the success of the hunter. The preferred target animal, known as the game, is typically a large or impressively ornamented male, such as one having large horns or antlers. There are three types of trophy hunting, which are ranch hunting, African trophy hunting, and North American trophy hunting.
10 species have been hunted to extinction, or near it, in recent years. These animals include Woolly Mammoths, Caspian Tigers, Thylacines (Tasmanian Tigers), Dodos, Passenger Pigeons, Polar Bears, Muskox, American Crocodiles, Flying Foxes, and Great White Sharks. These animals are hunted for sport for their parts and their value rather than for food or survival, and unfortunately, it’s legal. There are places in the world where animal species considered “vulnerable” or even “endangered” that still may be legally hunted. With the freedoms granted in the United States and the booming voices with opinions, regulations for these actions are hard to create. Pro-trophy hunting organizations, such as Safari Club International (SCI), Dallas Safari Club (DSC), and the National Rifle Association (NRA), have successfully used their wealth, power, and privileges to rally for more hunting rights and fewer regulations or restrictions on trophy imports. These organizations have won their battles in the name of conservation and hunting rights. But are conservation and hunting the same? Conservation in hunting can be defined as “prevention of wasteful use of a resource.” So, in terms of hunting and wild places, they are working to practice helpfulness and sustainability to both animals and habitats. With the logic that these are natural resources, they see that the resources can naturally replenish themselves. I personally don’t believe that hunters are conservationists; they are doing this maliciously for sport and not taking population rates into account. Big game hunting is selfish and done for profit, trophies, and fame. There is a difference between conservation and reservation. To reserve is to keep back and to retain. To conserve is to save for later use, and is sometimes accompanied by the use of preservations. We can see good examples of this through Michigan’s hunting season which is open through specific dates for particular animals and is restricted for population control. Overall, hunting is an effective means of regulating animal populations, while providing a natural source of meat to hunters and their families and funding toward conservation. Countries like France have made efforts to stop the problem in its tracks. France has banned marine parks from stealing or breeding orcas and other dolphins. For Orcas, this has begun a 2 year transition period to allow the replacement of these animals to sanctuaries and stable living areas, and a 7 to 10 year transition period for dolphins. This time allows the government and marine industry to find suitable living conditions in a timely manner, rather than rushing them into less than ideal circumstances. France has also enacted an outright ban on traveling circuses using wild animals. While they are without a formal timeline, they plan to be removing over 500 animals who have suffered in this industry. Almost 60,000 people have signed petitions against animal abusing circuses and are refusing to host shows that exploit animals. New mink farms are now illegal in France, and current ones will be closed by 2025. After a poll taken in 2020 showed that 91% of people in France oppose the fur trade. How can I help? Through renewing our knowledge on how animals are treated, we can step up to become the change. As species population rates decrease, exploitation and needless killing increases, and neglect and abuse become more prevalent in the hospitality industry, our voice can make a difference. Writing letters, boycotting animal tested products and brands, joining protests, and signing petitions can push us in the right direction to create laws to help these animals. Relatable Movie Picks:
Sources Used:Brenna, Lorenzo. Animal and plant species declared extinct between 2010 and 2019, the full list, Life Gate, 11 Feb. 2020, www.lifegate.com/extinct-species-list-decade-2010-2019#mammals.
Czartoryski, Alex. 10 Animals Hunted (or Nearly Hunted) To Extinction, Hunter Course, 28 Sept. 2011, www.huntercourse.com/blog/2011/08/10-animals-hunted-or-nearly-hunted-to-extinction/. Department of Natural Resources. Season Information, DNR, 2021, www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79119_79147_82106---,00.html. Extinction & Trophy Hunting, The Conscious Club, 25 June 2019, www.theconsciouschallenge.org/ecologicalfootprintbibleoverview/extinction-trophy-hunting. In Defense of Animals. Hunting – The Murderous Business, IDAUSA, 2021, www.idausa.org/campaign/wild-animals-and-habitats/hunting/. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Red List, IUCNNR, 2021, www.iucnredlist.org/search?taxonLevel=Amazing&searchType=species. Kirchner, Josh. How Hunting Helps Conservation Efforts, Go Hunt, 22 Oct. 2020, www.gohunt.com/read/life/how-hunting-helps-conservation-efforts#gs.cyjpxo. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Mink Farms, Dolphin Captivity and Wild Animal Circuses Will be Shut Down in France, PETA, 30 Sept. 2020, www.petaasia.com/news/france-victories-mink-fur-dolphin-captivity-animal-circuses/. Stanley, Mogan. Endangered species, National Geographic, 2021, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/endangered-species/. The Humane Society of the United States. Banning Trophy Hunting, HSUSA, 2021, www.humanesociety.org/all-our-fights/banning-trophy-hunting.
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Sydney BrzezinskiSenior undergraduate student at Grand Valley State University studying Business Management, Hospitality & Tourism, and Meeting & Events Management. Through my enrollment in HTM 202 International Tourism, I have maintained this blog as a portion of my required class work from September to December 2021. - Sydney Brzezinski
Oxford & Allendale, MI |