Do you know how many species are becoming more and more extinct because of big-game hunting? In almost 100 years, we have hunted just over eight animal species to extinction. My topic is big-game hunting, and should it be legal? Many people think that big-game hunting is excellent; it gives a lot of money and benefits local communities. However, some people believe that big-game hunting should be banned because we are killing so many animals every year, and they could go extinct. What do you think the purpose of big-game hunting is? Do you think it should be legal, or illegal?

So, many may ask, what is big-game hunting? Here is the definition: “Big-game hunting is the hunting of large game animals for meat, commercially valuable by-products (such as horns/antlers, furs, tusks, bones, body fat/oil, or special organs and contents), trophy/taxidermy, or simply just for recreation ("sporting").”( Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation). Big-game hunting happens the most in the southern parts of Africa, where the population of the game is considerably a lot.

Many people have said that big-game hunting should be legal. People say that it is a sport that can provide a financial incitement that helps conservation efforts. People also say that conservation hunting is a benefit of big-game hunting; “This is a process where hunting down an animal is sanctioned by authorities, for the preservation and betterment of the pack.”(Conserve Energy Future). 

Trophy hunting also can benefit a country financially. Trophy hunting is mainly done in Southern parts of Africa because there is a lot of game in those parts of Africa. Trophy hunting in these countries, which is legal, occurs at a fee. People pay different amounts for different animals. “Trophy hunters will also leave money to the economy through accommodation, food, clothing, and in the purchase of hunting equipment. In South Africa, for instance, trophy hunters inject about $250 million year.” (Conserve Energy Future). 

People also say that trophy hunting contributes to taxidermy, which is fine, as long as that species does not go extinct, and we don’t make those species endangered just because of money. This is also a great contribution because people can learn from these animals but wouldn’t it be better if we learned about these animals whilst they are still living and in the wild. “Trophy hunting contributes to taxidermy, which in turn is used to record species, including those that are extinct and threatened. It also serves to educate, especially the young ones on animals and their parts.” (Conserve Energy Future).

Finally, people say it provides help to communities surrounding the area where the big game is. It increases the tolerance between the people who live around these big, dangerous animals. Hunting these animals will help benefit the communities in a way that they do not interfere with the wildlife in a way or ways where people from the local community are harmed. Banning big-game hunting will increase the tension between the animals and the local communities, so supporters say that big-game hunting shouldn’t be banned in these areas.

However, on the other hand, there are many controversies about big-game hunting, and based on my research there are more cons than pros to big-game hunting. There are quite a few examples that have impacted the world, not only Africa. For example, almost a month ago, a trophy hunter paid $50,000 to hunt Botswana’s biggest elephant. Deebie Peake, the director of a trophy export business based in Botswana, was completely on the side of the trophy hunter and said that his actions were correct and that these actions will benefit the community. “Debbie Peake, the director of a trophy export business based in Botswana, attempted to defend Kachelhoffer’s actions by claiming that the hunt “will make a huge difference to a community”.” (Born Free Organisation). Also, on June 1st 2015, one of Zimbabwe’s most famous lions, Cecil the lion, had been hunted by Dentist Walter Palmer. The news was that Cecil was dragged into a sanctuary forcing him to leave his home, and then was killed with a bow and arrow.

No matter how the animals were killed, we are still losing these animals, and animals who have big names. For example, the elephant was the biggest in Botswana, and Cecil was the most popular lion in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Yes, owners of the hunting companies are getting paid high amounts of money, but that has no reason for you to go out and hunt these amazing creatures. The fact that this money is supposed to go towards conservation, does not help the conservation because people are still killing the animals, and not conserving them.

One other point is that trophy hunting is aristocratic. What this means is that the hunting takes place in more remote areas where people have to fly into, and this is not an open activity. This does not mean that if it is an open activity it will help the conservation of animals. This is more intended towards richer people who enjoy the chase of the animals and then hunting them. For example, the Trump Brothers posted a picture of themselves after hunting a leopard in Southern Africa. The media immediately pounced on them and asked why they hunted and killed the animals, instead of helping the people of the local communities in a different way. “ True conservation activities should involve the local community in a way that is sustainable, and trophy hunting does not accomplish this ideal.”(One Green Planet).

I personally think that big-game hunting should not be allowed. It should not be allowed. I, myself, am personally close to animals, and to see that people are hunting animals just for pleasure, to keep their heads on display, or even to just stuff them and use them in a museum. When people do this I feel very sad indeed, for example, when I first heard of the killing of the elephant in Botswana, I felt deeply saddened, and then for people to go and brag about it, I felt that it wasn’t the right attitude. I think we should keep animals in the wild so that we can show them to people and teach them about the animals and their behaviours while the animals are still alive, not dead.

I also think that we do not conserve the population of the species. While more and more animals are being hunted for trophies, and for other purposes, their population is going down. For example, the population of lions in Southern Africa is going down drastically. “Though hunting groups often claim that a small amount of controlled trophy hunting does not harm populations, the opposite appears to be true. In the case of African lions, “Approximately 600 lions are killed every year on trophy hunts, including lions in populations that are already declining from other threats…The adult male lion is the most sought-after trophy by wealthy foreign hunters. And when an adult male lion is killed, the destabilization of that lion’s pride can lead to more lion deaths as outside males compete to take over the pride.” (One Green Planet).

Finally, there needs to be more than one reason for one to hunt these animals. You cannot have the reason that either you have been told to, or you just want to achieve something. Find out more about the animal, think about your moves, and think about their population. You cannot just think about the money you make out of it, or whether you can say you have hunted a big cat. You have to have a good reason to do it, it always has to be for the food, not the bad.

In conclusion, I think that there needs to be something done about big-game hunting. We cannot allow this to happen, even to control animal populations, we should not kill them. We can relocate these animals into different parks or countries for that matter. I think that we should put a ban on big-game hunting. We cannot afford to lose these animals before future generations get to see them. The world is only thinking about now, but what about the future, do we want wild animals only to be seen in zoos? I don’t think so, big game hunting should be illegal. The evidence above shows that, obviously, there are more cons than pros to big-game hunting, and that we should put a stop to this.