SA Jagters- en Wildbewaringsvereniging
SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association



Plot 3, Mountain Drive 7 E-Mail: sahunt@mweb.co.za Tel: (012) 808-2145
Derdepoort Website: www.sahunt.co.za (012) 808-2148

P.O. Box 18108 Fax: (012) 808-3177
Pretoria North, 0116
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SAHGCA on “canned lion hunting†and “cleaning up the hunting industryâ€

The South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) is, like the Minister, fundamentally opposed to “canned lion huntingâ€, and any form of irresponsible or unethical hunting. However, we are thoroughly disappointed by the way in which Minister Van Schalkwyk has dealt with the issue of the hunting of animals that were bred and raised in captivity and with the hunting industry in general.

“Canned lion huntingâ€

The Minister has grossly failed the wildlife and conservation industry in South Africa by:

· Not appropriately consulting with the breeders of predatory animals, in spite of his claims that all role players were consulted;
· Potentially liquidating an industry (now worth in the region of R1.5 billion) that was created with the active support and participation of his department, providing thousands of job opportunities and other forms of income to many people;
· Not distinguishing between what he refers to as “rogue practices†and responsible hunting of animals that were bred and raised in captivity, which is an internationally accepted practice; [“Canned hunting†might be a convenient political slogan, but it is totally inadequate as basis for legislation. The concept is not defined either in the legislation or the regulations. In principle, all hunting on exempted game farms may then potentially also be “canned huntingâ€]
· Not providing the industry with the values and norms that his decision on “canned lion hunting†was based upon prior to implementing the regulations in this regard. The Minister, in fact, did appoint a “committee of experts†to do just that. The committee’s report, however, got lost somewhere along the line. Fact of the matter is that, as the regulations stand today, they will be implemented on 1 June 2007 without the norms and standards existing. No hunter will thus really know what the acceptable norms and standards are. [Why are the lion and rhinoceros singled out for this kind of treatment? How are they, in conservation terms, different from sable, roan, etc., which are also bred in captivity and then “hunted†legally with the required permits] The industry is crying out for clarity regarding national norms and standards for the hunting and wildlife industry and that clarity is not forthcoming from DEAT. Until then, all regulations cutting as deep as the latest are arbitrary and unjustified, regardless of the Minister’s power to promulgate them.

Similarly we also believe the Minister has failed the wildlife and conservation industry by:
· Allowing the lion population in the Kruger Park to be reduced significantly by bovine tuberculosis without taking any action whatsoever;
· Allowing the elephant population in the Kruger Park to grow beyond the ability of the Park to in the long term sustain the ecology of the Park without recourse

“Cleaning up the hunting industryâ€

The hunting industry in South Africa has made an invaluable contribution to the conservation of our natural resources.
· It is because of commercial hunting that there is currently more private land under conservation than all the state reserves combined
· It is because of commercial hunting that there are more wild animals on private land than the sum total of all game in all the reserves combined
· It is because of commercial breeding and hunting that the white rhino could be taken off the endangered list.
· It is because of commercial breeding and hunting that there are thousands of lion outside the national parks. And they might soon be used to replace the fast dwindling lion population in Kruger National Park.
· The commercialization of hunting in South Africa has made hunting sustainable and this has been acknowledged by CITES in Bankok. What is needed in South Africa, is not selective interventions (“canned lionsâ€), but a comprehensive wildlife strategy starting with Norms and Standards, fully and transparently developed by all stakeholders.

The responsible hunting industry in South Africa is soundly supported by the view of the IUCN, the most authoritative conservation organization in the world, that responsible commercial hunting must be regarded as one of the most important conservation strategies currently available because it provides sustainable utilization of natural resources also to the benefit of local communities. The IUCN’s definition of sustainable utilization has no problem at all with the principle of responsible hunting of animals that were bred and raised in captivity. Why should the Minister?

We find it unacceptable that the Minister does not seem to differentiate at all in his press statement between irresponsible hunters and hunting and responsible hunters and hunting. This is extremely concerning to all hunters in the RSA who are by virtue of their ethical and responsible hunting practices the biggest contributors to conservation in the RSA. In a similar way the Minister simply states in his press statement that a two-step process will follow to clean up the hunting and game farming industry thereby also implying that all game farmers are irresponsible and need “cleaning upâ€. This is just not true. We furthermore find it unacceptable that the Minister does not differentiate between professional hunters and outfitters and the recreational hunting fraternity.

The Minister’s responsibility is to define, together with the relevant role players, what ethically acceptable and what ethically unacceptable modes of hunting or hunting practices of those animals are and to regulate accordingly. Selectively killing off one whole industry because of “rogue practices†by some breeders and/or irresponsible hunters or hunting operators, is irresponsible and not conducive to South Africa’s image as a hunting destination.

One wonders how the Minister has reached the conclusion that the hunting industry in South Africa needs to be cleaned up? By making statements like these he implies that the whole industry and therefore all hunters in the RSA and also all hunters visiting the RSA are irresponsible. How can he come to such a conclusion if he has failed to produce the norms and standards on which such a conclusion could be founded? By prohibiting all hunting from vehicles he clearly indicates that he has no knowledge at all of hunting practices in South African conditions. The Minister could certainly gain some wisdom and some discretion by listening and looking more closely towards the private role players in the hunting and wildlife industry is saying and doing in stead of being overly sensitive to the green lobby.

We suggest that the Minister take note of the hunting practices and regulations in our neighboring country Namibia. Conditions in Namibia ensure that thousands of South African hunters cross the border annually to hunt in Namibia. The new proposed regulations of the Minister is going to hurt the hunting industry even more, because more and more hunters from South Africa will opt for the "greener grass" on the other side of the "fence".

SAHGCA, on behalf of its members, and on behalf of the responsible hunting and wildlife industry in general, demands some real informed leadership and concern for the many thousands of South Africans who are negatively affected by these regulations. We offer our full assistance and cooperation in developing the norms and standards that are necessary to guide all regulations.


Pieter JJS Potgieter
President: SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association
2007-02-27

Very well said. I for one will be hunting Namibia this year, as will others I'm sure.

Yup, just like the firearms control act.

We designed it, so what if it is largely unworkable, have it and you will like it,
kind regards,
the guvvermint!

Let's hope they can pay off the right people in government.