Statement from today...

DSC Calls for Lifting of Air Freight Bans on Hunted Trophies

DALLAS (Aug. 4, 2015) − In the increasingly lucrative illicit global market for poached animal products, it is understandable that an airline/freight carrier does not want to be caught transporting illegal goods. However, this week, Delta, American, and United airlines all declared an immediate and unconditional ban on transporting any trophy parts from five African species – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo (also known as the African Big Five). This includes legitimate hunting trophies from legal, regulated hunts.

DSC is urging the airlines to reconsider. These bans are arbitrary and ill-informed. There is a clear distinction between legitimately hunted trophies and poached game products, and there are already rules, laws, and international treaties in place to ensure legal transport of hunted trophies. Import/export of trophies is administered by various government and non-government agencies – CITES and IUCN at the top of that list.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the leading authority in the world on the importation of animals. Their rigorous process requires certain controls on international trade in specimens of selected species. “All import, export, re-export and introduction … has to be authorized through a licensing system:” (from www.cites.org).

Additionally, the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) is responsible for categorizing animals as “endangered, threatened, vulnerable,” depending on many markers. Lions, leopards, elephants are hunted legally under conditions determined by biologsts and sanctioned by national and international governments. Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) populations are very abundant and are of “Least Concern.” (www.iucnredlist.org)

DSC Executive Director Ben Carter said, “Legal hunting for these species is a conservation tool that sustains and enhances, not threatens, populations of these animals. In fact, the inclusion of buffalo in the freight ban suggests that misinformation and emotion, not science or common sense, seem to be influencing this decision.”

The black rhino is critically endangered, but populations are increasing, thanks to conservation measures that include selective hunting. In 2014, a hunter paid $350,000 at the DSC Convention for the privilege of a rare government-issued hunting permit, in accordance with CITES. The proceeds, 100 percent, went to the issuing government agency in Namibia to continue their conservation efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed the import of this trophy after a public comment period.

The hunting industry in Africa alone, by some reports, puts as much as $200 million into the economy.

Nice letter Karl. Thank you.

Thank you, Karl.

Good statement but much more needs done at this time. We need an all out PR and lobbying effort by the organizations we belong to and support. This is more important than shows now. We are at a crucial juncture IMO and everyone that supports hunting needs to step up and be heard or we will lose our hunting priviledges.

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Originally posted by blackdogsrule:
Good statement but much more needs done at this time. We need an all out PR and lobbying effort by the organizations we belong to and support. This is more important than shows now. We are at a crucial juncture IMO and everyone that supports hunting needs to step up and be heard or we will lose our hunting priviledges.

You are right.

But, at least this statement does point out the real facts, which I hope some in the media will pick up on and spread as coming out from a leading hunting organization.

Sadly, our other, and bigger, hunting organization has been totally oblivious to what is actually good for hunting for years, and instead have been putting all their efforts in utterly stupid circles!

Instead of actually doing something useful for us as hunters.

Good letter. Let's make sure this is just the start of cooler heads prevailing.

Nice point on the cape buffalo, by the way - nothing like a nice, polite poke in the eye.

Good note, Karl. A definite step in the right direction.

Wonder what's been taking the other Safari Club so long to put out a similar statement.

Very good letter.
I hope all of us send letters to Delta Airlines.
One letter from DSC carries some serious weight. Putting several hundred or thousand letters from individuals on top of the DSC Letter will compound the impact.
I sent my letter (e mail) several days ago.
Thanks

Other measures are in the works, another way to get their attention, if you use a AMEX Delta Skymiles card (as my wife and I do for business and personal use and it is used a lot), voice your displeasure to AMEX about this decision. Delta may act like they don't care but AMEX damn sure cares. I don't know if other credit card companies have such an arrangement with Delta (or American or United) but if they do, a letter or call certainly can't hurt.

Great idea Karl.

Karl

Thanks, once again you are making me proud to be a DSC member.

The good works of DSC continue! Well done.


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