Calgary, Alberta -- The Calgary Alberta Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI), along with the organizer of the Africa Show, file court proceedings for an injunction against Calgarian Mike Donovan, the protester who organized January’s disruptive anti-hunting protests at the Coast Plaza Hotel.


Calgary, Alberta -- SCI and African Events Inc. of Bracebridge, Ontario, an organizer of Africa Events trade shows, filed court proceedings yesterday for an injunction in Calgary Court to stop a repeat of the harmful statements and conduct which they say occurred as part of the protests in January, 2016 when African Events staged its annual trade show in Calgary. The show is planning to return to Calgary in January, 2017.

Mr. Donovan is the owner of Lion Dog African Safaris, an African photo safari outfitter, and after allegedly interfering with the host venues in Toronto and Saskatoon, it is asserted that he organized protesters who showed up last year at the Coast Plaza Hotel to harass hunters and others attending the show with disparaging and reputationally harmful statements. Attendees and organizers have reported that they were intimidated and harassed by the extreme conduct and statements of protesters in spite of it being a legal trade show attended by outdoors enthusiasts thinking of travelling to Africa for hunting, fishing, photography and adventure.

Mr. Donovan is also a founder of the Facebook page "Ban African Trophy Hunting" (BATH) which wants to stop African hunting without any apparent appreciation of the tangible and significant conservation benefits that are derived from hunting in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and many other Southern African countries.

Documents filed yesterday support the injunction and highlight and allege the harm caused by Donovan and others through disparaging statements and disruptive behaviour. Research shows that the conservation of habitat and wildlife population from hunting-related tourism amounts to $426,000,000 in contributions to GDP in Eastern and Southern Africa, $326,000,000 of which is direct spending that supports over 53,000 jobs and facilitates the conservation of 1.4 million square kilometres of land.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network says that photo safaris like Donovan’s are not a good replacement for hunting in this regard.

Donovan and countless groups like BATH have raised hundreds of millions since the Cecil affair, where a lion was hunted near Hwange Park in Zimbabwe in 2015. Whether any significant donations to Zimbabwe Parks for lion conservation by these same groups have been made is unknown.

Campaigns to reduce hunting in these areas of Africa have resulted in animal populations getting out of control and increased poaching. The anti-hunting groups are doing more harm than good on the ground in Zimbabwe, alleges SCI.


About SCI and African Events Inc.

SCI is the only national hunter advocacy group in Canada. The Calgary Chapter has approximately 415 active members. There are 4 Chapters in Alberta, including Red Deer, Drayton Valley and Edmonton; and there are 15 Chapters across Canada.

Birgit Johnstone founded African Events Inc. which organizes and co-presents with African Hunting Gazette the Africa Shows, annual events that travel across Canada and parts of the United States to provide sportsmen, fishermen and photo safari enthusiasts a venue to discover hunting and travel related opportunities, including photo tourism, in Africa.

Hope the carry the day in court!

About time some stood up to these freaks!

Damn straight!!! Thanks for posting Sheep.

Support your local chapters! Now we fight fire with fire. Let this help unite us as hunters and fight for all our rights to hunt!!