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Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Daily Maverick
Loaded for Bear: Much of the reaction to US hunter killed by buffalo in SA is callous and ignorant
If you don't like trophy hunting, fine. But it is important to base opposition on facts. And even if trophy hunting makes you see red, that is no reason to celebrate the death of a human with mocking commentary. On Sunday, 3 August, a US trophy hunter was killed by a charging Cape buffalo at a reserve in Limpopo. Asher Watkins (52) was a Texas millionaire and rancher – a demographic that, combined with his status as a hunter, makes him a barn door-sized target for vilification by animal rights activists. 'Is there a picture of the buffalo standing behind his trophy,' was one of the many disparaging comments made on the Facebook link to the Times' story. 'Sounds like poetic justice,' read one. 'What the phrase tough shit was invented for,' was another. One person posted: 'The comments section is renewing my faith in humanity.' These are just a few samples, and it boils down to a celebration of 'poetic justice' because a reviled trophy hunter was gored to death by an animal he was hunting. A lot of people simply detest hunting, and a lot of people who don't mind hunting in general dislike trophy hunting. This is fuelling campaigns to ban the import of hunted trophies – with Africa the main focus – in countries such as the UK. Distaste for trophy hunting is understandable. But many of the campaigns against it are rooted in misinformation and conceal the spoor of the vital role that hunting plays in conservation. Such campaigns ignore the demonstrable conservation benefits of hunting and in a misleading manner often say things like 'endangered animals can still be hunted', implying that charismatic species such as elephants and lions are 'endangered' by trophy hunting. No species of African animal is being driven to extinction because of trophy hunting – I have yet to find a peer-reviewed article in a reputable scientific journal making that case – and there are countless examples of how the revenue raised provides incentives to landowners and communities to protect and conserve dangerous wildlife. If you don't like trophy hunting, fine. But base your opposition on facts. If it comes down to revulsion at images of hunters standing over animals with rifles, fine. Just keep in mind that this is the vein of emotion that NGOs mine when they ask for a donation beneath an image of 'Cecil the Lion'. Also keep in mind the role that trophy hunting plays in conservation. It is true that the hunting industry can inflate its economic and conservation contributions. But the ecological value of alternatives such as photographic wildlife tourism are also often inflated. Indeed, there is a mountain of evidence that 'non-consumptive' wildlife tourism has a massive ecological footprint and can disturb animals. Take the mad stampede of vehicles so tourists can take pictures of the Serengeti wildebeest migration. Safari guide Nick Kleer expressed his outrag e last month when he witnessed more than 100 vehicles converging on a river crossing point in Tanzania, causing mayhem and confusion for humans and wildebeest alike. 'This morning in Serengeti National Park, I witnessed some of the most shocking behaviour I've ever seen. Not from the animals, but from the people meant to protect them,' Kleer wrote on Instagram. 'Guides and rangers were allowing, and even encouraging, their guests to block wildebeest river crossings. Guests were out of their vehicles. Hundreds of people were crowding the banks. The wildebeest tried again and again to cross, but access was cut off repeatedly.' This may be an extreme example, but non-consumptive wildlife tourism has a bigger negative ecological impact than hunting on many fronts: reserves to accommodate game watchers tend to have more roads and amenities than hunting lodges and because many more people 'shoot at' animals with a camera than a rifle, the carbon emissions linked to the sector are far larger. It is also revealing to note that tourists who want to explore Big Five country on foot are almost always guided by armed rangers trained to shoot to kill a dangerous animal if it charges. And yet it is somehow acceptable to risk an encounter with a large animal that might prove fatal to it so that tourists can seek the thrill of walking in a dangerous game country. That does not mean non-consumptive wildlife tourism does not have an important place in conservation – it does. It's simply to point out that it is not a panacea and can have questionable environmental outcomes. I'm also not trying to 'greenwash' the hunting industry. Trophy hunting, for example, can negatively impact local populations of species such as lions and there is legitimate debate about things such as the 'six-old-year' rule for harvesting males. Watkins, the Texan killed by a buffalo in the Limpopo bush, would have been aware of the risks of stalking Cape buffalo on foot. Part of the allure of trophy hunting potentially menacing game, is the same thing that attracts many of the people who embark on walking photographic safaris in big-critter country – the element of danger. Would anyone make sarcastic social media comments about a tourist killed on such a walking excursion by a charging buffalo? I would guess not, but that animal was probably shot dead moments later, or tracked down and killed later – and it is only dead because humans chose to walk in its terrain. Watkins paid for his passion with his life, but even if trophy hunting makes you see red, that is no reason to celebrate the death of a human with mocking commentary. I have also seen this when a suspected rhino poacher has been killed by lions or elephants in the Kruger National Park – glib mockery along the lines of 'the bastard had it coming to him'. For rhino poachers, their motive is not the pleasure derived from killing protected animals – it is usually poverty, which underscores the point that the Kruger is hardly generating sufficient jobs and revenue for its surrounding communities. In Watkins's case, he was a visiting overseas tourist making a small but positive legal contribution to South Africa's economy and conservation efforts. And that Cape buffalo probably would not have been in that area if it was not for the hunting industry. Celebrating Watkins's death sheds light on the dark side of animal rights activism, and the callousness and ignorance that drives much of it. DM
NBC News
01-08-2025
- NBC News
Beloved lion killed by trophy hunter in ‘harrowing echo' of Cecil the Lion's death in 2015
A lion that was being tracked by Oxford University researchers in western Zimbabwe has been killed by a trophy hunter, in what one wildlife campaigner called a 'harrowing echo' of Cecil the Lion 's death in 2015. Blondie, a tourist favorite, was hunted down after being lured and baited out of Gwayi Conservancy, near Hwange National Park, according to the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting (CBTH), an advocacy organization based in the U.K. While lion hunting is not illegal in Zimbabwe, Blondie's killing was because he was under the country's minimum age of 6, according to Eduardo Gonçalves, the organization's founder. 'Blondie was a father, a leader, a national treasure, not a plaything for a rich Westerner with a gun,' Gonçalves said. 'Governments must act now.' The beloved feline was killed in late June but his death only began to garner international attention in the last week. Some 10,000 lions have been shot by trophy hunters in the last decade, according to CBTH, which said African lion populations have declined by more than 90% in the last century. The safari company Africa Geographic sponsored the GPS collar that was fitted on Blondie. Africa Geographic's CEO, Simon Epsley, said the organization was 'dismayed and angered' at the killing. 'That Blondie's prominent collar did not prevent him from being offered to a hunting client confirms the stark reality that no lion is safe from trophy hunting guns,' he said. Collars are used to track the animals, limit wildlife-human conflict and support conservation. Zimbabwean law allows a maximum of 100 lions above the age of 6 to be hunted each year in the country, where safaris and big game hunting are important sources of income. A spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks Agency, the government hunting regulator, denied that Blondie's killing had broken the law because he was older than 6. 'This allegation that these people are saying the lion was less than 6 years? We don't know that. Was there any DNA which was taken to prove that the lion was less than 6 years? The answer is definitely no,' Tinashe Farawo told NBC News. This claim was backed up by Michael Blignaut, co-owner of Victoria Falls Safari Service, the company allegedly behind the killing of Blondie. 'Unfortunately at this time I cannot comment,' he told NBC News via the WhatsApp messaging service. 'I wanna assure you the hunt was done ethically and it was legal.' The identity of the hunter, who presumptively paid thousands of dollars to kill the lion, has not been released. But Farawo denied that anything illegal happened, and said these sorts of hunts paid for conservation efforts. Born Free, another U.K.-based advocacy group, has expressed concern for Blondie's pride, saying the fate of its three female partners and a number of cubs was 'seriously in doubt.' In 2015, Minnesota dentist Walter James Palmer sparked outrage when he admittedly killed Cecil the Lion after paying $50,000 for the experience. At the time, Palmer said he had the correct permits, worked with local guides, and had no reason to question the legitimacy of the hunt until after it was over. Zimbabwean authorities charged Theo Bronchorst, a professional hunter who allegedly took Palmer on the hunt, but later dropped them. Cecil was also being tracked by researchers at the University of Oxford's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. After the worldwide outrage caused by Cecil's killing, Zimbabwean authorities vowed to crack down on trophy hunting — but pressure groups say it hasn't worked. Mark Jones, Born Free's head of policy, said that that little has been learned since Cecil's death. 'The very fact that they lure lions out of national parks suggests that there are no lions remaining in the hunting areas for them to hunt, reflecting the massive damage to lion populations that trophy hunting is doing,' Jones said.
Economic Times
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Legendary lion Blondie lured from reserve and killed by trophy hunter in £35K shocking hunt
Synopsis Blondie, a collared and well-known lion from Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, was tragically killed by a trophy hunter who paid a substantial fee. Lured from the park with bait over several weeks, his death has sparked outrage and renewed calls for stricter hunting regulations. This incident echoes the killing of Cecil the Lion, highlighting the ongoing threat to iconic wildlife. TIL Creatives Blondie, the legendary lion from Hwange National Park, was tragically killed in a £35,000 trophy hunt, drawing comparisons to Cecil the Lion and sparking global backlash. Blondie, a famous lion in Zimbabwe, was lured out of the safe zone of Hwange National Park and shot dead by a trophy hunter who paid at least £35,000. The lion was just 5 years old and wore a GPS collar placed by Oxford University researchers only three months ago. The collar was part of a study to track Blondie, his 10 cubs, and 3 adult females. Despite the collar being clearly visible, it didn't stop him from being targeted. He was reportedly baited with chunks of rotting meat from a truck for up to 3 or 4 weeks to lead him away from park protection, as per The Sun report. ALSO READ: Zootopia 2 Trailer: Ke Huy Quan voices snake villain Gary De'Snake as Judy and Nick return in Disney's big sequel releasing November 26 A photo of the hunter posing with Blondie's body was posted online, then later deleted. Simon Espley, who sponsored Blondie's GPS collar, said: "No lion is safe from trophy hunting guns," and that Blondie was a breeding male, not an old non-breeding one as often claimed by says hunters sometimes stalk famous lions for up to 2 years, waiting for the right moment to strike. They also claim that hunters use social media to spot and track popular lions, which puts a target and price on their heads. Roar Wildlife News said Blondie's death is another case of a beloved lion killed just to become a trophy for someone's wall. They compared this incident to Cecil the Lion, who was killed in 2015 in a similar way by a US trophy hunter who paid £37,500. That killing caused global outrage and led to tighter hunting rules in Zimbabwe, but campaigners now feel those efforts didn't last. Roar Wildlife News stated: "A living breathing icon like Blondie is no more. Promises were made after Cecil, but here we are again." ALSO READ: Klyuchevskoy volcano erupts in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula after earthquake triggers lava flow and explosions Trophy hunting continues in Zimbabwe, where a lion hunt can cost £26,300, with other animals like giraffes, zebras, and leopards also listed at high prices. These prices don't include shipping or taxidermy, making the true cost even higher. A retired hunter said that someone could pay between £37,000 and £60,000 just for the chance to shoot a lion as rare as Blondie. Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit is asking for a three-mile no-kill buffer zone around Hwange are now only around 20,000 wild lions left across Africa. In the past ten years, 24 lions have been trophy hunted from the Hwange area alone. Mike Blignaut, co-owner of Victoria Falls Safari Services, is believed to have organized the hunt, but said he couldn't comment yet. He added, "The hunt was legal and conducted ethically."Q1. Who was Blondie the lion and why was he killed? Blondie was a famous lion in Zimbabwe, lured out of Hwange National Park and shot by a trophy hunter who paid over £35,000. Q2. What happened after Blondie the lion was killed? His death caused global anger, with experts saying it shows trophy hunting rules are still too weak despite past promises.
Daily Maverick
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Documentary explores elephant issues in Botswana from a pro-hunting perspective
A new documentary explores the thorny issue of elephant hunting in Botswana, giving voice to the rural poor who are often voiceless in the polarising debates around such issues. In 2014, former Botswana president Ian Khama banned elephant hunting. The measure, imposed the year before Cecil the Lion's demise in neighbouring Zimbabwe put African trophy hunting firmly in the crosshairs of Western public opinion, was lauded by animal welfare organisations. Botswana has an elephant population of about 130,000 by most estimates and trophy hunting was not a threat to the species' survival in the country. But it was a source of income and meat for poor rural communities that had to actually share their living space – including their fields for crops and livestock grazing and water sources – with the world's largest living land mammal. Their voices are heard in a short but insightful and vividly shot documentary, A Fine Balance: A Botswana Elephant Documentary, released on 22 April. 'Animals are now roaming the streets and we are basically ploughing for the elephants,' Anthony Karabo, a resident of the remote Sankuyo village, says through a translator. The documentary is a product of Blood Origins, a nonprofit 'whose mission is to convey the truth about hunting and promote conservation efforts'. That will be a red flag to some. But the Humane Society and other animal welfare NGOs also make documentaries in pursuit of an agenda and they all contribute to the complex debates around wildlife and conservation issues. And in the case of this Blood Origins documentary, it is rural Batswana – the people whose views on Botswana's elephants should have the most weight but are seldom considered – who are the subject matter. The narrative spun by the authorities when the ban was imposed was that photographic tourism – which does generate income and jobs in some regions of Botswana such as the Okavango Delta – would replace the revenue and employment that had flowed from hunting. 'Money would continue to come into the trusts to support the local communities. All the good things would happen,' says narrator Robbie Kroger. That scenario was a mirage as most of Botswana's hunting concessions are unsuitable for game viewing because of their remoteness, lack of amenities, relatively dull landscapes and dearth of the teeming herds of visible game that are the magnets for the photographic crowd. In 2019, Khama's successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi, lifted the ban in response to the demands of rural communities and the new government has not reimposed it. Against the backdrop of a renewed push by the UK government – with broad bipartisan support – to ban the import of hunting trophies, this documentary is a timely reminder that while much of the British public backs the initiative, Africans do not. The documentary takes viewers to Sepako village where the locals gather water by bucket from a watering hole in the sand. '… over the past few years there has been a lot of conflict with the elephants. When there is no water anywhere else, they come here. The residents of the village end up spending the night here guarding the water,' Chief Joseph Ramaditse says. 'Because when the elephants come they destroy everything and then bury it (the water). Then the cows end up with no water to drink.' While gathering water, one young lady says the community is afraid of the elephants 'because they pose a danger to our lives'. Elephants and buffalo are a constant presence and menace in the village, with spoor seen right next to houses and people afraid to walk after dark. People have given up farming because of the damage that the big critters inflict on their crops. Isaac Tshwaane was killed by an elephant in the area and his daughter Kelebeletse Paolosi says the animals 'destroy people's lives'. Amid this conflict, the consensus among the rural inhabitants is that hunting is essential. 'The years 2014 to 2018 (when the ban was in place) were very difficult years for us. And then, the current president opened hunting again… and life has changed for the better,' says Timex Moalosi, the chief of Sankuyo village. At another village where hunting and photographic tourism both take place in the area, Tuelo Kebuelemang, a board member of the Mababe Trust, says the coffers would be bare without hunting. 'Hunting is the one that pays money into the trust. So if hunting stops, no money goes into the trust,' she says. Kroger and his crew also visit a massive hunting concession known as NG13 where the hunting of a big tusker in 2022 sparked a wave of Western outrage which echoed the furore over Cecil the Lion. That led to calls for hunting to be banned in the area and replaced with photographic safaris, prompting Kroger to go and see for himself if that was a viable option. Spoiler alert: it's not. For one thing, it takes a long time to get there – an uncomfortable journey on rough sand roads which one of the crew's vehicles at one point gets stuck in. Kroger notes that during the ban on hunting, no one had expressed any interest in setting up shop in the area to offer photographic tourism. 'I've seen two impala,' Kroger says along the way, holding two fingers up for emphasis. 'You can try to convert this to ecotourism, sink waterholes, wildlife will come. But why would someone come here? It's mopane raisin bushveld that has elephant, zebra, ostrich, it will then have impala, sable, roan. But you can see that anywhere.' Leon Kachelhoffer, a hunting outfitter in NG13, says no one was interested in developing it for photographic tourism before he came long because 'it's a marginal area, it's completely undeveloped. It doesn't have any permanent water so the game moves out… It's not a great site for ecotourism.' Kroger and his crew then proceed to take a game drive over the deep sand roads and after almost 17 minutes they catch sight of a wildebeest bull. After 45 minutes the second animal, a bull giraffe, emerges from the bush. There are animals about – there is plenty of scat and spoor – but you just do not see them, which is the point of a photographic safari. The documentary also records the aftermath of an elephant hunt in the area – footage that many viewers will no doubt find upsetting. 'It's fucking sad,' Kroger admits. 'But then you realise what this animal is going to do, where this animal is going, the mouths that it's going to feed. There's 130,000 of these things in Botswana. Is it not a resource that they can use? It is, but it's an elephant, it's not a cow.' Several members of the local community butcher the elephant for food – a welcome source of protein. The tusks will be mounted as a trophy in some foreign land, but the animal is not wasted. At just under 40 minutes, A Fine Balance is crisply narrated and the camerawork is superb. One minor quibble that this reviewer has is Kroger's use of the term 'ecotourism' as a separate activity from hunting. In my view hunting and fishing are both forms of ecotourism. Many critics will dismiss this documentary as pro-hunting propaganda and that point is fair game. But how does one dismiss the views of Botswana's rural communities? The animal welfare and rights narrative is almost entirely a Western construction, reflecting the views of a demographic that is overwhelmingly white, urban, educated and middle class. It is a discourse that is largely alien to rural Africa, one fashioned to advance an agenda driven by folks up north who do not have to live with the harsh reality of sharing space with elephants. A Fine Balance has done a fine job of balancing that perspective with the one that obtains in rural Africa. DM
