SultanOfSwing

For certain species, hunting can be beneficial. I believe this is why the deer hunting season is regulated in the way it is.

I don't think it would imply to a species whose numbers are decreasing at the rate of the lion though, but maybe that's not the case if there are issues of overpopulation in areas where there are more lions than the local prey can support. Though, arguably relocation would be a better method of dealing with that.

Pulaski

Deer hunting in the US is pretty much necessary, for lack, across most of the US, of top predators other than man. Deer populations in many states have grown steadily and substantially over the past 30-40 years.

SultanOfSwing

That's what I had thought, or along those lines anyway.

Steerpike

I would also, reluctantly, support the idea of properly licensed and controlled hunting as a way to fund conservation/preservation. The situation we have here demonstrates why this is a challenging task, though. Let's say for a moment that the 'official' program in Zimbabwe is appropriate - maybe those fees go towards building more preserves, saving more animals, etc - so that could be a net positive. But the huge sums of money involved make this such an obvious target for abuse, and that's exactly what happened in this situation.

I just saw a report on this on CNN ... this is getting massive coverage, which is a good thing.

Jericho79

One might also argue that by charging fees like this (E.g $50-60k), it limits the number of animals which are hunted. If they were offering hunting permits for $1000, there'd be no animals left.

scrubbedexpat099

I am going to a social tomorrow and will ask, most will be hunters.

From a practical perspective this story will be gone in a week and most people will not remember his name in 2. and that is the small number who took notice in the first place, and who care.

Pulaski

The problem with the pricing argument is that while there are a small number of individuals willing to pay, say, $50,000 to kill Cecil, there are probably rather more than 1,000 people willing to pay $50 to see Cecil alive. Those 1,000 would also add rather more to the local economy in terms of expenditure at hotels and restaurants than one gun, or bow, toting idiot. In short, there is much more to be made from conservation than hunting.

The only circumstance under which I would concede that commercial hunting of big game animals is acceptable would be similar to the accompanied deer stalking in Scotland, where the game keeper determines which animals will be killed, guides the hunter to where target animals can be found, and directs the hunter on which animal to kill. Under these circumstances I would envisage that the old, ill, and injured animals be culled, or those which carry genes already amply represented (siblings of animals already successfully breeding).

scrubbedexpat099

Both Scotland and Africa are different to the US where it is not seen as an elitist past time.

Pulaski

I agree, hunting deer or other animals that inhabit the US in their tens of thousands or more is not elitist, but paying $50,000 to kill a lion isn't elitist?

scrubbedexpat099

Going on a hunt in Africa or Scotland is an elitist past time.

Pulaski

Correct, but what has that got to do with Cecil, who did live in Africa?

scrubbedexpat099

It is outside the norm for hunters in the US, a different demographic.

scrubbedexpat091

I would have thought a felony would keep someone out of the medical field. If it doesn't it should. I don't want a dentist or doctor with a felony criminal record.

Giantaxe

He also purportedly shelled out over $100k to settle a sexual harassment claim, so $50k to hunt a lion was probably a "bargain".

RoadWarriorFromLP

According to Alexa, Yelp is the 34th most popular website in the US. It gets about 160 million hits per month. So sure, nobody uses it.