Without the cash from hunting, that might not be possible. In northeast Namibia, the number of elephants living on hunting reserves increased from 12, in to 16, in Hunting helped increase the number of the rare desert elephants in the country from just in the early s to in Of course, there are also examples of the system failing elephants.
Trophy imports from Zimbabwe were banned by the DOI after elephants were poisoned by poachers there, and not enough of the cash from hunting has gone back into fighting poachers. One thing trophy hunting does not achieve is an economic benefit to local communities. Due largely to corruption, the profits from trophy hunting in Africa disappear into the pockets of rich land owners , and government officials.
By making elephants a source of revenue, the rich land owners that profit from elephant hunting are motivated to grow their populations. Teddy Roosevelt considered hunters the great conservationists.
He once wrote:. In a civilized and cultivated country wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen. Endangered Species Act, a step below being endangered. The idea that killing more elephants will help save the species is counterintuitive, and its line of reasoning is difficult for many conservation organizations to support: Let rich hunters pay hefty sums to shoot elephants, and use the money to help conservation efforts and local communities.
Still, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, a respected organization that sets the conservation status for all species, supports the notion. The hunting-safari business employs few people, and the money from fees that trickles down to the villagers is insignificant. A report from the IUCN revealed that sport hunting in West Africa does not provide significant benefits to the surrounding communities.
A more recent report by an Australian economic-analysis firm for Humane Society International found that trophy hunting amounts to less than 2 percent of tourism revenue in eight African countries that permit it.
If elephants are recognized as legal persons, a term the U. One thing elephants would not choose, Wise and elephant researchers agree, is to be hunted. Meet the people trying to help. Environment COP26 nears conclusion with mixed signals and frustration. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big.
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How viruses shape our world. The era of greyhound racing in the U. See how people have imagined life on Mars through history. See More. Some members of this group also cite ethical concerns. And Botswana is not immune to the the lure of illegal ivory trade; it is one of several African countries that has previously appealed for loosened restrictions on raw ivory trade. Many environmentalists fear that the lifted ban is simply a precursor to renewed efforts aimed at legalizing the ivory trade.
Many supporters of the ban also cite ethical concerns. President Masisi, for every person who wants to kill elephants, there are millions who want them protected. Adding to the pressure is outrage from prominent international celebrities: Ellen DeGeneres , for example, has previously spoken out in support of boycotting Botswana unless the ban stays in place.
Freely roaming elephants can also damage local ecosystems by tearing down trees.
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