I just read that SAA is no longer going to be shipping hunting trophies. Is this a rumor or in fact true?

I've heard the same and don't know if it is true or not, or when it will take affect. What I do know is one of my best friends had a shipment on SAA arrive at DFW on April 17th.

Hummmm - Maybe if SAA stops shipping hunting trophies, hunters will stop using SAA for hunting trips? Doubt that SAA really cares if hunters stop using their airlines though.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

quote:

Originally posted by robncolorado:
I just read that SAA is no longer going to be shipping hunting trophies. Is this a rumor or in fact true?

I don't believe it is all trophies. Lion, elephant, and rhino is what I remember.

Air Emirates is reason enough not to fly SAA. Let alone the fact that they will not ship your trophies to not fly SAA.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Hummmm - Maybe if SAA stops shipping hunting trophies, hunters will stop using SAA for hunting trips? Doubt that SAA really cares if hunters stop using their airlines though.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

quote:

Originally posted by robncolorado:
I just read that SAA is no longer going to be shipping hunting trophies. Is this a rumor or in fact true?

South African Airways bans the transport of hunting trophies on all their carriers


It’s a leap in the right direction and conservationists have hailed SAA as a beacon of action among major corporations.

Our local carrier and the largest in Africa has put a total block on hunting trophies, meaning whatever wealthy foreigners come to shoot here won’t be going home with them.


Said Tim Clyde-Smith of SAA: “Hunting of endangered species has become a major problem in Africa and elsewhere with the depletion to near extinction of wildlife that once roamed in prolific numbers. SAA has taken the step of banning all transportation of animals killed in hunting activity as a result,” Tim said.



“In consultation with key authorities, SAA will no longer support game hunters by carrying their trophies back to their country of origin. The vast majority of tourists visit Africa in particular to witness the wonderful wildlife that remains. We consider it our duty to work to ensure this is preserved for future generations and that we deter activity that puts this wonderful resource in danger,” he said.



“We are actively involved in and supportive of preservation of African wildlife including rhino preservation, regeneration and anti-poaching activities. This is a logical extension of our approach.”
http://www.thesouthafrican.com...-all-their-carriers/

Hunting organization should send a circular to all their members urging them to not fly on SAA - and a copy to SAA!

And if the NRA does the same, I am sure those bloody idiots will see how things work!

They have banned shipping lions, elephants, rhino, and tigers...
Guess that means I will have to cancel my tiger hunt in SA....

Now another item to add to my ever growing list of why I most likely am through with African hunting. So sad it's come to all of this. Glad I had the chance to make and enjoy 17 trips to the Dark Continent over the years.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
TC Muzzle Loader
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

DSC is working with PHASA to correct this poorly thought out decision. Will know more in the coming days.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
DSC is working with PHASA to correct this poorly thought out decision. Will know more in the coming days.

Thank you Karl.

I am sure we all appreciate DSC involvement in this.

Gentleman, got this by email last night:

Dear PHASA members and fellow hunting associations

I am pleased to inform you that I met with representatives of South African Airways (SAA) on Wednesday afternoon, including the carrier’s Manager: Network Development and Aeropolitical Sam Ndlovu, to discuss the embargo of certain hunting trophies on its services worldwide.

As reported in the media, while the embargo was prompted by a shipment of elephant tusks misdeclared as machinery parts, PHASA was informed at this meeting that “ethical” considerations and general concern regarding the high level of poaching of iconic species such as rhino were also factored into the decision. SAA, they said, did not want to be seen as a conduit for the illicit trade in endangered wildlife products.

PHASA used the meeting to raise concern at the lack of consultation with the industry and government ahead of the decision and to explain the role of legal, sustainable hunting in South Africa’s wildlife management, which included sharing with them the many conservation success stories in which hunting played a major part. Furthermore, I strongly emphasized that an embargo on the transport of legally hunted sport hunted trophies with the necessary permits, will not address the issue of illegal trafficking.

Mr Ndlovu confirmed to PHASA that SAA now has a better understanding of South Africa’s policy of sustainable utilisation, which includes legal hunting, and how hunting permits are issued and how trophy exports are managed, following an earlier meeting with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).

Mr Ndlovu also said that SAA acknowledged the importance of hunting tourism to South Africa and the role PHASA played in promoting the country as a premier hunting and tourism destination. He assured PHASA that further consultation will take place next week with the DEA and other stakeholders with the aim of reviewing and possibly revoking the embargo.

PHASA also offered its support and assistance should the airline require more information about hunting in general or the issuance of permits in particular.

All in all, I believe the meeting proved to be highly beneficial for both PHASA and SAA which, in the process, has established a valuable line of communication between the professional hunting community and a key South African tourism player.

I will, of course, keep you abreast of developments as these arise.

Yours sincerely

Adri Kitshoff
PHASA chief executive

Gentlemen:

While posting and sharing info here is a great value, I think just pissing an moaning about it amongst ourselves is pretty must just preaching to the quire. The "anti", while fewer in overall numbers are just better organized and MUCH more vocal then "we" are as a hunting community. And while there are multiple national and international organizations that help represent us, WE as a wildlife conservation through well regulated hunting need to become more active and more vocal than the "anti" crowd. WE need to be dealing with facts and not playing on emotions as they do.

To that end, here is a link to the SAA website with the email addresses to its senior management. SAA Departments

And here is a letter I drafted and sent (slightly modified for each department) earlier this week.

SAA Customer Service – Please Forward To Executive Management

I recently read about SAA Cargo Department imposing a ban on the transport/shipment of hunting trophy taxidermy. While I understand SAA has every right to decide where it flies and what it carries, I think this ban was not fully thought through and was based on emotions and not logical or economic impact to both SAA and the RSA economy as a whole. Every legitimate sport hunter finds poachers and the act of poaching itself abhorrent and the penalty for those caught can’t be high enough.

The truth is, while the SAA ban may satisfy an emotional response, it will do little to nothing to stop poaching. Nearly all poached animals and animal parts are smuggled out by overland methods, cars, trucks, horseback etc., to other less or even unregulated points of air and sea departure. The other effect SAA’s ban will have is simply moving the LEGAL export of LEGALLY permitted and licensed sport hunted trophies to LEGAL surface (land and sea) export businesses. The net effect for the LEGAL hunter is lower overall shipping costs than by airfreight with just a few weeks longer for the shipments to arrive.

Every legitimate hunter willingly follows the laws, rules, regulations, licensing and permitting requirements established by governments. Sport hunters provide a significant economic benefit to the economy as well as the driving force behind the huge increases in wildlife populations in RSA as detailed in this article from RSA’s Finacial Mail website from 12 Apil 2012 - http://www.financialmail.co.za.../04/10/game-industry and an additional article from the American Hunter Web site - http://www.americanhunter.org/...g-africa-s-wildlife/

The bottom-line is, while SAA’s ban on LEGALLY hunted and LEGALLY exportable trophies will only be a minor unconvinced to the LEGAL sport hunter, the economic impact to SAA could be significant due to loss of cargo revenue but more importantly due to sport hunters choosing to boycott SAA passenger service. My wife and I travel several times a year to or through RSA to other destinations in southern Africa. Since there are other airlines available to reach our travel needs and destinations, if SAA is unwilling to carry our LEGAL cargo, then we will be unwilling to use SAA as our passenger airline in the future.

I sincerely hope the Executive Management of SAA seriously reconsiders it’s position on this and soon.

v/r


Will the above have any effect - who knows other then this is the kind of strategy the "antis" employ and it seems to be having a detrimental effect on us.

Nice letter M3, thanks for posting. Not to nitpick but I believe "unconvinced" in the second to last paragraph should be "inconvenience".

Jaglav:

No worries - it was late and I was a little pissed (both ways) when I typed it and sent it.

I hope everyone on here will cut/paste/edit it as they see fit and email their version to everyone in the SAA link.

Flying to Africa on SAA or Emirates is aiding and abetting the enemy. Delta stood firm and should be supported. It will be curious to see how many hunters support these jackasses and still give them their money to save a few extra bucks. Need to boycott emirates and SAA to show them how there bread is actually buttered

Guys, Guys:

First and foremost I lived in Africa for years and I saw what the poachers were doing. Ghastly. Crooks, criminals, gluttonous poachers selling body parts as aphrodisiacs, faking, lying, cheating, gaming the system, decimating species. I follow it closely.

Many of these are the poor indigenous natives, desperate for money and food, totally oblivious to the consequences. Local governments are trying but are under funded and under financed.

In reality it has always ALWAYS been the responsible hunters who propelled conservation and responsible protection. It is historically absolutely indisputable.

Just remember that the anti's are commonly and universally knows as lying, cheating, skunk Bass Turds that spew half truths and false propaganda.

Check it out CAREFULLY. Do NOT go off half cocked. If the skunks think they can run jive on you they will do it. They will try to leverage up prohibitions of protected, and endangered, species to encompass ALL wild game. It just is NOT the case.

You can speak to two different people and you can often get two different answers. Remember too that some of the propaganda may actually be illegal.

I think that if you follow the rules, comply totally and do everything right in most cases you will be OK. You have lots of carries to choose from.

Here is the USA over the years some enterprising employees had the bright idea to prohibit shipping guns on airplanes, It didn't take long to see them get their knuckles rapped hard. If it doesn't have legal standing it won't work.

If you want to contact the airlines by letter don't mess with the peons. Go to the top - the CEO.