Last week, the Internet was up in arms about an American dentist named Walter Palmer stalking and killing a beloved Zimbabwean lion named Cecil by luring it off protected land, shooting it with an arrow, and then stalking it for 40 hours before shooting it.
I just want to get this out of the way right now: personally, I’m against trophy hunting. I don’t understand the mindset of anyone that enjoys killing for fun, especially when the animal in question is threatened or endangered. However, as with anything people online get outraged about, this specific issue is a bit more complex.
First of all, hunting lions is legal with the proper permits. To me, that sucks, but it’s true. Things get a little dicey here because there’s a lot of he-said-she-said over whether this particular hunt had the proper permits – Palmer claims he was under the impression the hunt was legal and aboveboard. Since he’s an American relying on the expertise of his guides, he was naïve, but perhaps not deliberately malicious. Is he morally and ethically correct in wanting to hunt a lion? That’s debatable. Did he do everything he could to ensure the hunt was legal? He probably thought hiring guides did that. Does he maybe deserve a fine or something for his part in the killing? Maybe. But does Palmer deserve to be stalked and shot and then beheaded, as many of his detractors are saying? No.
Trophy hunting can also have conservation benefits. It seems counterintuitive, but the trophy hunting industry can actually encourage protection of animals – if an organization wants to keep getting revenue from rich Americans coming into the country to hunt, it’s in the organization’s best interest to ensure good numbers and high quality animals. Several species have gone from being critically endangered to being reintroduced for the purpose of getting the revenue from trophy hunting, such as the white rhinoceros and black wildebeest. However, it is important to note that hunting as conservation relies on regulation and everyone following the rules, and sometimes that just doesn’t happen. But still, it shows that trophy hunting is not as black and white as “evil white man comes over to kill beautiful animals.”
Which brings me to my next point: directing outrage at poachers is a lot more effective than going after one man who killed one lion. On July 27, five elephants were killed by poachers in a national park in Kenya. Lion populations may be dwindling, but that’s due to habitat encroachment, not poaching, whereas elephant populations are dwindling because of poaching. But it’s a lot easier to hate the clichéd villain of the rich American hunter than people far away in Africa. People like things to be straightforward: they can feel they’re making a difference by taking five minutes to leave an angry Yelp review on Palmer’s business, but trying to fight against the real problem of poaching is just too difficult.
Alex Magaisa, writing a column for the Zimbabwe Herald, discussed Zimbabweans’ view on the controversy and how they see the outrage unfolding half a world away in North America. First, he said that neither he nor anybody in his circle knew about Cecil, despite the fact that the media is saying he was much-loved and a symbol of Zimbabwe. He wrote that the international outrage “seems somewhat far removed from the lived realities of most of the local people.” He writes about the elitism of the tourism industry; Cecil probably was famous, but only to those rich enough to be able to go to a game preserve to see him. From politicians to local hunters and guides, many people benefit from the hunting industry in Zimbabwe. As Magaisa said, “While the world mourns Cecil the lion, do remember that Cecil is just but one victim in a horrible blood industry that unites friends and foes alike … a challenge to journalists – local and international – is to expose the anatomy of the hunting industry … now that would make a really good story and would expose the rot that goes on in the industry.”
So if you’re outraged about Cecil – and that’s not inherently a bad thing – tweeting about your outrage is doing nothing to save thousands of animals like him. Focus on the real problem instead of trying ruin one guy’s life – either be an activist for change in regulations around the hunting industry or try donating to a wildlife NGO.
