By Chad Love

There was an interesting op/ed in The New York Times about how American hunters, and the dollars they bring with them, play an important role in protecting wildlife in Tanzania. But the potential addition of the African lion to the endangered species list could put a big dent in the country's economy.

From this story in The New York Times:
Odd as it may sound, American trophy hunters play a critical role in protecting wildlife in Tanzania. The millions of dollars that hunters spend to go on safari here each year help finance the game reserves, wildlife management areas and conservation efforts in our rapidly growing country. This is why we are alarmed that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing the African lion as endangered. Doing so would make it illegal for American hunters to bring their trophies home. Those hunters constitute 60 percent of our trophy-hunting market, and losing them would be disastrous to our conservation efforts.

According to the story, written by the Director of Wildlife for the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the country has 16,800 lions, the largest lion population in the world, which constitutes about 40 percent of the entire African lion population. Of those lions, about 200 are taken each year by hunters, who spend, on average, 10 to 25 times more than regular tourists. Lion hunting generates about $1.96 million in revenue each year. If the US Fish & Wildlife Service lists the lion as endangered, the piece argues, American hunters will choose to hunt other species elsewhere, which of course will dry up that revenue and further inhibit lion conservation efforts.

From the story:
As Tanzania’s highest-ranking wildlife official, I ask on behalf of my country and all of our wildlife: do not list the African lion as endangered. Instead, help us make the most from the revenues we generate. Help us make trophy hunting more sustainable and more valuable. In short, please work with us to conserve wildlife, rather than against us, which only diminishes our capacity to protect Tanzania’s global treasures.

Comments (10)

from 2Poppa wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

The Lion used to be King of the Jungle, but now, Cash is King, no matter what the language or country.

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from clinchknot wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I'd say the plains cops need to wear the same nite vision goggles as those antelopes wore in the commercial exposing the King from eating them.

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from buckhunter wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

In it's purist sense, the concept of hunters protecting wildlife applies to many game animals all over the world.

We have discussed the African Lion on here before and it's biggest threat is loss of habitat and loss of protection.

I believe the US policies behind many species abroad is based more on political pressure (animal rights groups) rather than sound biological and economic data.

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from Horseapples wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Woe, that translates to about a million bucks per lion!! Won't add that to my bucket list!

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from Horseapples wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Oops, thought it said 196 million not 1.96 million. Still at $100k it's out of my reach.

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from MaxPower wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

American hunters are the saving grace for many African game animals. It's true that camera/viewing safaris generate a lot of money, but nowhere near what hunters and sportsman generate, but no one knows this except for the hunting community and those that benefit directly in Africa.

The lion is just the latest animal to be in the limelight. The last animal to garner a lot of attention was the elephant, and elementary schools are still teaching that they're endangered despite the fact that they're destructively over-populated in many countries.

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from Hexfly wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Horseapples, $1.96M divided by 200 is actually a little less than $10,000. So maybe you can add it to your bucket list.

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from Happy Myles wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

A Tanzania lion hunt requires paying for a 21 day hunt whether you pop a cap or not. That cost alone will be around $50,000, give or take a few thou. A lion hunt today is a serious investment.

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from SMC1986 wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

Look at the Oryx. There are more on game farms than in the wild. Without hunters money these animals would likely go extinct. When an animal has true value like hunting there is an incentive to protect it.

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from JamesD wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

Pay no attention to the wildlife officials in Tanzania we know what's best for the lions. This is the big problem with these un-elected government agencies. Aside from their blatant arrogance these agencies are full of ideologues with agendas that more often than not have nothing to do with good sound management. When they screw it up as they always do nobody will take any responsibility they'll just sweep it under the rug and tell us how they had good intentions but were under funded.

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from buckhunter wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

In it's purist sense, the concept of hunters protecting wildlife applies to many game animals all over the world.

We have discussed the African Lion on here before and it's biggest threat is loss of habitat and loss of protection.

I believe the US policies behind many species abroad is based more on political pressure (animal rights groups) rather than sound biological and economic data.

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 2Poppa wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

The Lion used to be King of the Jungle, but now, Cash is King, no matter what the language or country.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from clinchknot wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I'd say the plains cops need to wear the same nite vision goggles as those antelopes wore in the commercial exposing the King from eating them.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Horseapples wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Woe, that translates to about a million bucks per lion!! Won't add that to my bucket list!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Horseapples wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Oops, thought it said 196 million not 1.96 million. Still at $100k it's out of my reach.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MaxPower wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

American hunters are the saving grace for many African game animals. It's true that camera/viewing safaris generate a lot of money, but nowhere near what hunters and sportsman generate, but no one knows this except for the hunting community and those that benefit directly in Africa.

The lion is just the latest animal to be in the limelight. The last animal to garner a lot of attention was the elephant, and elementary schools are still teaching that they're endangered despite the fact that they're destructively over-populated in many countries.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Hexfly wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Horseapples, $1.96M divided by 200 is actually a little less than $10,000. So maybe you can add it to your bucket list.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Happy Myles wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

A Tanzania lion hunt requires paying for a 21 day hunt whether you pop a cap or not. That cost alone will be around $50,000, give or take a few thou. A lion hunt today is a serious investment.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from SMC1986 wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

Look at the Oryx. There are more on game farms than in the wild. Without hunters money these animals would likely go extinct. When an animal has true value like hunting there is an incentive to protect it.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from JamesD wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

Pay no attention to the wildlife officials in Tanzania we know what's best for the lions. This is the big problem with these un-elected government agencies. Aside from their blatant arrogance these agencies are full of ideologues with agendas that more often than not have nothing to do with good sound management. When they screw it up as they always do nobody will take any responsibility they'll just sweep it under the rug and tell us how they had good intentions but were under funded.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.