Page 36 - Dispatches - June 2022

Tarnished Trophies
Call of the Wild

Trophy hunting is a hugely profitable

industry in Africa—but at what cost?

High profits might be the
By Sanction Joao,
Trip Experience most obvious upside to
Leader, Southern trophy hunting, but its
Africa supporters point to other
benefits as well. Trophy
hunters argue that their
Right: Zimbabwe, presence encourages
Akashinga (“Brave countries to conserve
Ones”) employs natural habitats. And local
disadvantaged villagers—who frequently
women as anti- have run-ins with the
poaching rangers abundant elephants in
as an alternative to Zimbabwe and Botswana—
trophy hunting. celebrate trophy hunts as
tools for population control.
very year, tens of millions of people visit
Lions of Zimbabwe
sub-Saharan Africa to marvel at our For animal lovers like myself, none of
Eincredible wildlife. Most of these visitors these arguments hold water. If the profits
leave with little more than photographs and from trophy hunting truly did benefit
memories, but a small portion desire physical local communities, most should be highly
reminders of the creatures they encountered. developed. To the contrary, some of the
They are trophy hunters, and their goal is to communities bordering hunting areas are the
acquire parts of an animal (usually the head, poorest in Zimbabwe.
Roam Zimbabwe’s horns, or hide) as souvenirs. What’s more, some hunting practices are
grasslands with prides These controversial hunts are carried out borderline illegal—and fully unethical—like
of lions as you learn all around the world—from Canada to New “baiting” big cats to come into range. Plus,
about the threats they
face and the hope for Zealand—but almost half of all trophy hunts unless it’s tightly regulated, this “sport”
their conservation. occur in African nations. South Africa is the has the potential to decimate certain species
leading exporter of trophies, followed by and affect the balance of the ecosystem. The
Watch Video Namibia, Botswana, and my home country of disappearance of the dodo bird, for example,
Zimbabwe. is directly attributed to recreational hunting.
In my opinion, killing for pleasure not only
These trophies are worth a lot of money: In impedes conservation, but is contrary to its
Learn more about 2015 alone, Zimbabwe earned $55 million very ideals.
the controversies from trophy hunting safaris, versus $10
surrounding trophy million from game-viewing safaris. Guides I’ve been a game-viewing guide for 20
hunting on our are the first to benefit, but according to the years—and sadly, I’ve watched the popularity
Ultimate Africa: government, the money is also funneled back of trophy hunting increase throughout my
Botswana, Zambia into local communities. career. As the world becomes more in-tune
& Zimbabwe Safari with our fragile environment, I hope the tides
adventure. will eventually turn.

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