Beendare
WKR
For those that aren't SCI members- yet- here is the latest in the African elephant saga. It seems the Africans know that if the USA bans elephants a significant source of not only revenue is lost but its harder on the species with rampant poaching. Plenty of background on the SCI website and you will also see their legal battles here in the US against closed hunts, species transport, etc.
For those that aren't familiar with SCI, they are a high powered politically connected organization strictly backing hunting rights in the US and other countries. Before I joined, I was of the impression of SCI as a bunch of millionaire safari guys- there are some of those but the majority are guys like you and me- sportsmen. Many have money and political connections...and I'm glad they are on our side. Arguably the best pure sportsmans org and I'm proud to be a member.
If you just scan items highlighted- USFWS making totally arbitrary political decisions with no basis in facts on wildlife should stick in your craw
Latest news release;
African Wildlife Conservationists, U.S. Hunters Advocate for Elephant Sustainability
Washington, D.C. – On May 7 and 8, African conservation officials and advisors traveled to Washington, D.C. to demand that the U.S. government reverse its recent decision to ban sport-hunted elephant imports from Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Secretary General Edson Chidiyza of Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife, along with fellow wildlife conservation advisors from Tanzania and Zimbabwe met with the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. State Department to demand a reversal of this arbitrary change in U.S. import policy. They pointed out in the meetings that the ban will have a tremendous negative impact on wildlife conservation in their countries.
“As hunters, we have been the most significant funders for wildlife conservation and management in Africa, more so than any other tourists over the past 50 years,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “I find it distressing and shameful that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made a scientifically baseless decision that will financially devastate the people and communities that depend on safari hunters for their livelihoods.”
Despite the fact that 800,000 families in Zimbabwe depend on the safari hunting industry, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) bureaucracy freely admitted they instituted their ban on sport-hunted elephants from Zimbabwe and Tanzania without any basis in scientific data. This admission that “anecdotal evidence” was the basis for their decision was made in their own announcement of the ban, then repeated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe on May 7th and subsequently repeated by FWS Deputy Director Steve Guertin on May 8th. Even Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Nominee Rhea Suh echoed the lack of scientific justification they had for their policy decision.
“As an American conservationist, I’m proud that our entire system of wildlife management in North America is based on science. Yet somehow, the U.S. government felt compelled in their decision to ban sport-hunted elephant imports to the U.S. without any data or consultation with local officials. We will be requesting an oversight hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming weeks to investigate the arbitrary nature of the decision making process,” said SCI Foundation President Joe Hosmer.
The following conservation officials were in Washington, D.C. to fight against this decision: Director General Edson Chidiyza, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife; Director General Charles Jonga, CAMPFIRE Foundation, Chairman Emmanuel Fundira, Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe; Ms. Adri Kitshoff, Chief Executive Officer of Professional Hunters Association of South Africa and Secretary General of Outfitters and Professional Hunters’ Associations of Southern Africa; Chairman Louis Muller, Zimbabwean Professional Hunters and Guides Association; Secretary General Mike Angelides, Tanzania Professional Hunters Association also representing Tanzania Hunting Operators Association; Board Member Piet Fourie, Tanzania Professional Hunters Association; and Wildlife Management Specialist Rowan Martin.
For those that aren't familiar with SCI, they are a high powered politically connected organization strictly backing hunting rights in the US and other countries. Before I joined, I was of the impression of SCI as a bunch of millionaire safari guys- there are some of those but the majority are guys like you and me- sportsmen. Many have money and political connections...and I'm glad they are on our side. Arguably the best pure sportsmans org and I'm proud to be a member.
If you just scan items highlighted- USFWS making totally arbitrary political decisions with no basis in facts on wildlife should stick in your craw
Latest news release;
African Wildlife Conservationists, U.S. Hunters Advocate for Elephant Sustainability
Washington, D.C. – On May 7 and 8, African conservation officials and advisors traveled to Washington, D.C. to demand that the U.S. government reverse its recent decision to ban sport-hunted elephant imports from Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Secretary General Edson Chidiyza of Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife, along with fellow wildlife conservation advisors from Tanzania and Zimbabwe met with the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. State Department to demand a reversal of this arbitrary change in U.S. import policy. They pointed out in the meetings that the ban will have a tremendous negative impact on wildlife conservation in their countries.
“As hunters, we have been the most significant funders for wildlife conservation and management in Africa, more so than any other tourists over the past 50 years,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “I find it distressing and shameful that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made a scientifically baseless decision that will financially devastate the people and communities that depend on safari hunters for their livelihoods.”
Despite the fact that 800,000 families in Zimbabwe depend on the safari hunting industry, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) bureaucracy freely admitted they instituted their ban on sport-hunted elephants from Zimbabwe and Tanzania without any basis in scientific data. This admission that “anecdotal evidence” was the basis for their decision was made in their own announcement of the ban, then repeated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe on May 7th and subsequently repeated by FWS Deputy Director Steve Guertin on May 8th. Even Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Nominee Rhea Suh echoed the lack of scientific justification they had for their policy decision.
“As an American conservationist, I’m proud that our entire system of wildlife management in North America is based on science. Yet somehow, the U.S. government felt compelled in their decision to ban sport-hunted elephant imports to the U.S. without any data or consultation with local officials. We will be requesting an oversight hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming weeks to investigate the arbitrary nature of the decision making process,” said SCI Foundation President Joe Hosmer.
The following conservation officials were in Washington, D.C. to fight against this decision: Director General Edson Chidiyza, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife; Director General Charles Jonga, CAMPFIRE Foundation, Chairman Emmanuel Fundira, Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe; Ms. Adri Kitshoff, Chief Executive Officer of Professional Hunters Association of South Africa and Secretary General of Outfitters and Professional Hunters’ Associations of Southern Africa; Chairman Louis Muller, Zimbabwean Professional Hunters and Guides Association; Secretary General Mike Angelides, Tanzania Professional Hunters Association also representing Tanzania Hunting Operators Association; Board Member Piet Fourie, Tanzania Professional Hunters Association; and Wildlife Management Specialist Rowan Martin.
Not really news that our current administration really sucks and that they will probably not reverse the decision because it panders to their base which is all they have come November. If they can whip the base into a frenzy and De motivate the the middle with platitudes and double speak they might be able to keep the Senate at least deadlocked. I'm voting and I hope everyone else does too. If the Republicans can take the Senate and pad their lead in the house the AIC will have a miserable last two years and maybe even get impeached. Most importantly Obama couldn't get a dog catcher comfimed much less a supreme court nominee if the Senate is Republican.
