South Africa’s Draft Regulations Allow Canned Hunting of Large Predators
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 19, 2006) – The Species Survival Network (SSN)—an international coalition of more than 75 conservation and animal protection organizations from around the world—submitted comments today to the South Africa Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) regarding proposed regulations on the hunting industry and the exploitation of threatened and protected species (including captive breeding and canned hunting of large predators). According to Will Travers, SSN President and CEO of the UK-based Born Free Foundation, “Bizarrely, the draft regulations on threatened and protected species will allow the captive breeding and canned hunting of large predators to continue.”
Mr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, stated on 2 May 2006 that the intention of the regulations was to stop “immoral activities like canned hunting” and to stop the “captive breeding of listed species for any purposes except science and conservation”. However, the draft regulations allow large predators to be funneled from captive-breeding operations, rehabilitation facilities and even so-called sanctuaries into ‘extensive wildlife systems’ where they can be ‘rehabilitated’ and hunted just two years later.
Furthermore, hunting will be allowed to take place on ‘extensive wildlife systems’ where the animals are confined within fenced areas of any size. In addition, the canned hunting and captive breeding aspects set out in the draft regulations apply only to six species of ‘listed large predators’ and not to all species. “These regulations do exactly the opposite of what was apparently intended,” said Dr. Teresa Telecky, Chair of the Trophy Hunting Working Group of the Species Survival Network. “They are woefully inadequate, suffer from a lack of clarity and precision and will require significant revision in order to effectively stamp out captive breeding for canned hunting rather than enshrine it.”
The proposed regulations on the hunting industry also require redrafting as they would allow hunting in protected areas, as well as on private land adjacent to protected areas, and would furthermore fail to firmly establish control of the hunting industry at the national level.
“We appreciate that the government of South Africa has requested comments from the public on these important regulations,” Travers added. “We certainly hope that the government addresses the serious inadequacies that we have identified in our comments on these proposed regulations.”