Top conservationist backs game hunting

Posted on 16 January 2012 by Content Manager

Ian Player, a major figure in wildlife preservation, has put his weight behind hunting as a conservation measure, and says a game reserve that auctioned off a rhino hunt would be a "new frontier in conservation".

Hunters "have played a big role in the recovery of the white rhino," Player told a South African newspaper.

Player founded Operation Rhino in the 1960s, which was credited with saving the last of southern Africa's white rhino, and was responsible for the establishment of the first two protected wilderness areas in South Africa.

The 84-year-old has played a role in conservation in Africa since the 1950s and believed it was important not to be sentimental in the debate about game hunting and conservation.

After animal rights activists slammed the hunt auctioned by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, which has raised $115,000 for the Makhasa Community Reserve, Player praised the Makhasa community for its efforts and said they should be able to raise the money after establishing the 1800ha reserve.

"I have spent my life protecting the rhino," Player said, "but as far as Makhasa is concerned, it would be a very serious mistake not to help those people.

"I really believe that if they make a success at Makhasa, this will be the new frontier for conservation and will encourage other communities to bring in other land for conservation.

"I'm 100% in favour of this," he said.

He noted the apparent irony that hunting helps to rebuild game populations but pointed out that the white rhino had made a dramatic recovery because of financial incentives that had encouraged people to establish private reserves, then build and manage herds that could earn an income from hunters.

Player's comments were a response to attacks on the Ezemvelo hunt by Simon Bloch of Outraged South African Citizens Against Poaching (Oscap), who criticised the high price paid in the auction. The R960,000 figure was three or four times higher than white rhino normally fetched, and the auction had begun at R750,000.

Oscap's Alison Thomson attempted to clarify the organisation's position, saying it believed the high price was based on horn prices on the black market.

Oscap feared the "species was being commoditised at a time of threat to its survival".

"We believe in socioeconomic community development for those adjacent to our rich, protected biospheres, where local infrastructure is poor," Thomson said.

"We are also supporters of Ezemvelo for its proud legacy of conservation in KwaZulu-Natal."