P R E S S R E L E A S E....P R E S S R E L E A S E...P R E S S R E
L E A S E....P R E S S R E L E A S E...

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POSTPONEMENT OF NEW SOUTH AFRICAN CANNED HUNTING REGULATIONS.

The Minister's decision to postpone the effective date of the new
canned hunting regulations is entirely to be expected. The hunting
industry which controls conservation in South Africa would never allow
any policy which impacts adversely on it. The new regulations
actually legalise canned hunting in all respects except one: the
situation with mature lions who are still being kept in small
enclosures and fed. As can be seen below, there is no hardship for
the two-year 'wilding' rule in the case of young lions because they
will simply be placed in a camp with a few unfortunate springbok for
the two years it takes for them to grow out to huntable size. The
extension until February 2008 is designed to remove the only
inconvenience to the canned hunting industry, and allow hunters to
shoot out existing stocks of mature lions before the two year
'wilding' rule comes in to effect.

Let’s examine a few sections of the new canned hunting regulations,
which were due to come into effect on 1st June, now postponed to
February 2008, to see how they will improve hunting practices in this
Paradise for hunters, South Africa. The quoted regulations are in
Italics. The Minister says he has ‘banned canned hunting.’ His boast
has been uncritically reported by some journalists. Read the
sections below and judge for yourself. There is no definition of
canned hunting at all, and the regulations go on to confer
self-regulation of the hunting industry. The surrender of all our
wildlife to the tender mercies of the canned hunting industry is thus
complete.



24. (1) The following are prohibited activities
involving a listed large predator, Ceratotherium simum (White
rhinoceros) or Diceros bicornis (Black rhinoceros):

(b) the hunting of a listed large predator, Ceratotherium simum
(White rhinoceros) or Diceros bicornis (Black rhinoceros) in a
controlled environment;

(e) the hunting of a listed large predator, Ceratotherium simum
(White rhinoceros) or Diceros bicornis (Black rhinoceros) by making
use of a gin trap;

OK so what does all this legalese mean in plain English? It means
that, from 1st June, sorry, Feb 2008, you will no longer be permitted
to restrain a rhino or large predator by means of a gin trap. You can
continue to use a gin trap on all other species, such as elephant,
buffalo and hippo, as well as exotic species such as tigers. The use
of gin traps, banned in over ninety countries because of the extreme,
indiscriminate cruelty involved, is a favoured instrument of South
African conservationists, and so its use is not being banned, merely
‘regulated.’

As can be seen above, you may no longer from 1st June, sorry, Feb
2008, shoot lions in their cages, or rhinos in their boma. If you
cannot live without killing lions and rhinos, you can turn them out
into a fenced camp which has a few springbok grazing in it, let them
grow out into huntable size for two years, and then kill them. The
fenced camp must fall within the definition of ‘extensive wildlife
system.’ Here it is:

“extensive wildlife system” means a system that is large enough, and
suitable for the management of self-sustaining wildlife populations in
a natural environment which requires minimal human intervention…”

As you see there is no minimum size for the hunting camp. 50, 500 or
5000 hectares, it does not specify. And you can supplement the
feeding of the captive-but-free-roaming animals, but only minimally,
whatever that means. And guess who has the discretion of deciding if
your fenced camp is adequate to be an ‘extensive wildlife system’?
Yes, how did you guess - the very same conservation official who is in
many cases himself a professional hunter, favours the use of gin
traps, particularly on so-called problem animals, and has been giving
permits all these years to hunters to allow them to shoot arrows into
elephants, rhino and lions. Oh, and crocodiles too.

(2) Subregulation (1) does not apply to a listed large
predator, Ceratotherium simum (White rhinoceros) or Diceros bicornis
(Black rhinoceros) bred or kept in captivity which –

(a) has been rehabilitated in an extensive wildlife system; and
(b) has been fending for itself in an extensive wildlife system for
at least twenty four months.



FAIR CHASE

(b) listed threatened or protected species may not be hunted by
luring it, by means of –

(i) bait, except in the case of -

(aa) lions, leopards and hyena, where dead bait may be used;
Hey, what happened to fair chase? The new regulations allow you to
drag a carcase around the hunting camp, and then hide and wait at the
carcase for lions, leopards and hyena to show up. If this is not
canned hunting, then what is? Oh yes, and you can still kill
leopards and hyena for fun by first blinding them with a dazzling
light:

(7) Subregulation (1)(c) does not prevent the use of flood
or spotlights for the purpose of –

(c) hunting of leopards and hyenas.



USING DOG PACKS FOR HUNTING

One of the more interesting methods of restraining target animals in
South Africa so that they cannot run away when the hunters with their
entourage approach is to set a pack of dogs onto the hapless victim.
This method is currently used even on tame, captive-bred animals. As
can be seen from the sub-section above, it is perfectly legal under
the new regulations to set a pack of dogs on to any helpless animal,
from an elephant down, only from Feb 2008, the animal must first be
wounded, however slightly:

(3) Subregulation (1)(a)(iv) does not prevent the use of
dogs for the purpose of –

(a) tracking a wounded animal;

How’s that for ‘regulation?’ Again, guess what sort of conservation
officials will be monitoring and supervising these new regulations?
Right again - the same sort of conservationists who have been giving
Mr Strydom his permits for years, allowing him to set his dogs onto
hand-reared animals. See e.g. www.africancats-hounds.co.za



PITY THE POOR BUFFALO

(8) An issuing authority may not issue a permit
to hunt a listed large predator, Ceratotherium simum (white
rhinoceros), Crocodylus niloticus (Nile crocodile), Diceros bicornis
(black rhinoceros) or Loxodonta africana (African elephant) by means
of or by the use of a bow and arrow.

What is missing here? Well, just about every other living creature,
starting with buffalo, who will continue to be used for target
practice by bow hunters and other animal abusers. Buffalo,
hippopotamus, Eland, Kudu, wildebeest, gemsbok; all kept in fenced
camps, awaiting execution. The arrows will thud into them day in and
day out, while South Africans sing the praises of the rainbow nation.

This is a very brief and random expose of some of the horrors for
South African wildlife in this new legislation.



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CHRIS MERCER

CAMPAIGN AGAINST CANNED HUNTING

www.cannedlion.co.za


Angus Macmillan
www.roots-of-blood.org.uk
www.killhunting.org
www.con-servation.org.uk

All truth passes through three stages:
First, it is ridiculed;
Second, it is violently opposed; and
Third, it is accepted as self-evident.
-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)