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DINSDAG 21 MEI 2013
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In defence of hunting
Expert says an animal with no value, has no future Tharine Geldenhuys “AN animal with no value, has no future,” says Ivan Carter, world-renowned TV-show host on the USA Outdoor Channel known as Safari Classic. He has a website, www.ivancarter.com, where the ethical hunting and conservation of game are promoted. Together with his two Texan partners, Safari Classic Productions keep their followers up to date with video clips on ethical conservation and hunting practices. With nearly 200 000 followers on their Facebook page and website, this former Zimbabwian makes an impact on safari’s and ethical hunting in the world. He is currently in Kroonstad to lead professional shooting of rock pigeons in the region. “Overseas tourists enjoy the shooting of these birds, which some farmers and dwellers see as a pest. “I believe wild places are misunderstood. It goes a lot deeper than spending your money in the Kruger National Park, look at an animal or two, take a photo and come back again. One old rhino bull from the Timbavati, hunted according to ethical practices by professional hunters as myself, brings in more income to the area than 1 800 paying tourists,” Carter claims. Dr Niekie Nel, a medical doctor from Kroonstad, joins Johan Calitz Safari’s on hunting excursions, sets up camp and gives free medical treatment to villagers. All medication is funded by the hunters on such safaris. In Botswana and Tanzania, the elephant population is simply destroying nature due to overpopulation. “When we hunt an elephant, it is for culling purposes and a taxidermist preserves the Big Five dream of many a hunter. All the meat, some 1 400 kg, is given to the villagers. This is a source of protein. If the elephants are not hunted professionally with a substantial income for both the land owners and hunters, poaching will reign supreme in Africa,” Carter said. An elephant bull eats between 300 kg and 400 kg per day, but destroys far more than that. South Africa is the only country in the world where the legal hunting of rhinos is permitted. It is said that Mozambique has no more rhinos left due to poaching. Professional hunting, a great income for Botswana, will end this year. “The Botswana government took an emotional decision to stop hunting in the country,” Carter says. According to Carter, ethical hunting must give the animal an equal chance to escape. If an animal is wounded, the hunting safari must go out to look, find and hunt the animal. Carter strives to make people understand what the value of wildlife must be and spends thousands of hours doing this. People ought to
IVAN CARTER, international professional hunter and TVshow host on Outdoor Channel in America, visiting in Africa together with Dr Niekie Nel, a medical doctor from Kroonstad. Photo: Ivan Carter.com be able to come and see it, come and hunt it, or come and just conserve the environment with their interest and passion. The African population is reaching the highest mark ever, with a healthy food chain kept in control and under strict rules, the wild life and animals of Africa have value. Just publishing the unkind video clips of canned hunting or unethical hunting, is not enough to save wild life. “Shooting an animal from the back of a truck is not what we stand for. Hunting can be so elegant,” Carter says. “Hunting cannot be banned simply because of emotions. Then wild life will suffer. Science and
research on wild life must reign. If hunting in certain areas must be used, wild life will survive,” Carter said. “Conservation is not just for one species. It is the preservation of the diversity of species. The food chain must be kept in balance. One with a passion for wild life must see conserving the biodiversity. The whole idea of everything I represent in hunting and conserving wild life has nothing to do with the breeding of lions and other so-called endangered animals in captivity. However, I stand for capturing animals to be relocated to other wild places where they can live in harmony in the natural environment,” Carter
said. “Make sure that our children’s children see wild life in areas where they belong and not areas filled with humans. My job is to educate people on conservation. The Kruger National Park has too many animals. Professional management, which includes culling and quotas, means the area can be conserved where animals can live in harmony.” Some 60% of Carter’s safari clients to Africa is American, 25% Europeans and Australians. “Don’t forget South African hunters who enjoy hunting for biltong and trophies,” Carter said.