When you think of Africa and it’s wildlife, people dream of one day being able to experience it, many take it further and make it a reality by going on a safari and experiencing the wildlife up close and personal. For some though, Africa’s wildlife has them dreaming about visiting the continent for a hunting trip. Some hunters have made their way to Zimbabwe to indulge in their guilty pleasure and have left with more than they bargained for.
High profile personalities such as Bob Parsons and Eric and Donald Trump have found themselves in a storm of controversy after their hunts in Zimbabwe. More recently, a teenage Texan hunter, Kendal Jones found herself in a similar storm after posting photos of her hunt on Facebook.
The photos of the hunt sparked a lot of outcry with social media users, animal rights activists and some public figures expressing their disapproval. The protest have come in all shapes and forms from her being called names, being threatened with rape and death, a petition (currently with 330,000+ signatures) to take down her Facebook page as well as a “Kill Kendall Jones” Facebook page which was recently removed by the social network. On the other side of the coin, a number of proponents have come to her defence and stood by her and her actions.
Kendall’s justification for her actions are pretty much that what she did was done legally, was fair chase hunting and not canned hunting as what some people have said and that it contributed to conservation and communities within the areas of the hunts.
When push comes to shove, she and everyone else who had something to say about her hunting are entitled to their own opinions. At the end of the day some thought does have to put in to thinking about who benefits from it all.
As far as communities benefiting from the money spent by tourists who go hunting, that could be questionable. Tour operators, guides and maybe the government department that issues necessary permits would be the ones most likely to see the most benefit. As far as the people in the communities around the hunting area goes, it is difficult to see how they would realise any economic benefit.
Yes, a number of species are on the brink of extinction and when it comes to hunting such animals, then there can’t be any justification to it. Earlier in the year, the US suspended the import of elephant trophies from Zimbabwe which must mean that they recognised some species as being in danger and condone their killing (some look at this move as another way of adding sanctions on the country).
But, you do have to ask yourself, why the big fuss about what she did? Was it because she posted images of her successful hunt? Do people really care about the few animals that were killed? Because, as all of this has been going on and as you are reading this, there is someone or someones in Zimbabwe’s savanna hunting!
What are your thoughts?
If it is controlled and legal, I don’t see what the problem is.
Killing the animals for fun is wrong, it’s been going on for years and it’s still going on right now but I think it should be stopped. I remember there was similar outrage to Bob Parson’s elephant killing video.
Properly managed, big game hunting could increase revenue to Zimbabwe. It’s not the fault of the hunters if that doesn’t happen. I’m not a hunter – except with a camera – but, I support the right of others to do so as long as they don’t kill endangered species or take part in ‘canned’ hunts. Those opposed are entitled to their opinion, but taking it to the extent opponents of this woman did is over the line.
Although i do not like the idea of a little rich school girl from America killing our animals, what bothers me the Most, is how she talks about our people and the sheer level of Disrespect for our ways and culture evident on her Facebook page.
It is almost as if she views our people as part of the natural “wildlife”.
That is exactly right, Charles O.!! I do not have a problem with hunting as such, provided it is done in a sustained manner and with species that aren’t endangered etc. So a woman hunting here is fine BUT!! Posting the pictures in the way she did, plus the condescending manner in which she implies that foreigners are the sole source of protein for villagers…it all smacks of shallowness and arrogant naivety.
I wonder though, why won’t the Zimbabwe government intervene? I doubt the american government will sit back and just watch a 19yr old Nigerian girl tourist go around killing bald eagles, post disrespectful pictures with bald eagle carcasses, and say disrespectful things about American culture and people, without taking action.
The population of Zimbabwe is increasing and more and more people are now settling in areas where previously wild life roamed. This has resulted in wild animals like elephants foraging on the farm food so carefully grown by the people through hard work. There are also times when elephant population has increased so much that they are becoming a menace to the human population. Given this situation the local government gives a go ahead for what they call elephant “culling”. This is the time they could invite hunters to hunt the elephants for thrill or whatever they call it. The hunters could be charged a certain amount for this and the income so generated be used for welfare of the community. As for the American girl Jones Kendall hunting a lion, she probably did not do it without the support of the local people who also do this as business. What she posted about the local people is definitely wrong and should be discouraged. Nobody should be permitted to be disrespectful to other peoples ways and culture. It is obnoxious to say the least and an apology should be demanded from this girl/lady.
Zimbabwe has a way of ensuring that community members benefit from wild animals found in their areas. In all local government jurisdictions where there is wildlife there is a program called CAMPFIRE. The Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources(CAMPFIRE) is a Zimbabwean community-based natural resource management programme. It is one of the first programs to consider wildlife as renewable natural resources, while addressing the allocation of its ownership to indigenous peoples in and around conservation protected areas. Through local councils running the program, Safari operators buy animals in those areas which in turn are sold to hunters. Due to conflicts of human versus animal settlements this program has come in handy in controlling marauding animals that escape from game parks and conservatives. So communities do benefit through funds that are channeled back to them through CAMPFIRE and prioritise the use of such monies themselves.
It is indeed poor thinking to think that such killings are the only source of protein and thinking Zimbabwe has no way of beneficiation for its communities where wildlife is found.
Zimbabwe is actually one of the African countries that are strong on laws that govern the use of the environment and natural resources, having passed a number of acts
Zim government knows what must be done and when what must be done is not being done, then its a beyond control scenario. Donald trump says Africa needs to be colonised again, what a cursed man. institutions can do that if they serve their Master’s purpose and not their people. Power and money are inseperable, so the people who make decision in government know who they are serving and how to handle these situations. I pray that we serve our people though it has to be in balance.
I grew up with hunting. I have killed deer, elk, and antelope. My justification was that there is a management need to control populations now the predators are reduced or gone and second that I eat what I kill and it helps with the grocery bill, but I guess if I add up gas and other expenses I am not sure how much is saved. Finally when we eat meat animals die. The animals I have killed led better lives than the pigs and chickens we treat poorly and the animals died quickly. Still, the lion she killed is a predator, she likely did not eat the meat, so the need to manage to control numbers does not fit or for food does not fit. This is trophy hunting and to me is just killing for sport, which I think is a reflection of a person with a misaligned moral compass and ability to judge right from wrong at higher intellectual level. Her desires to kill a lion with her bow are selfish and fails to take in considerations of her actions on the whole including the welfare of the life form she killed and the reasoning for that loss of life. I believe we can kill for management and food as long as we do not endanger the population from collapse, but any life form that is killed has value and the choice to kill should consider the suffering and value of the life form. Sport killing ‘s reward for the hunter does not justify the loss of the animals life. The life is of higher value than reward of the sport and this is why people are bothered because to see it the other way is selfish and the world is growing ill of all the selfishness we endure.
Killing of any animal for fun or sport is disgusting and can only mean a deep level of insecurity and the need for control or power! Selfish, foolish and insecure and anyone who tries to justify or defend killing an animal for sport probably fits into one of these categories ! It shouldn’t be forgotten that children who kill animals at times become psychopaths!
I am very empathic person, I always can imagine what others feel inside of theirselves in every single of all various situations and I still live with this imagining, I still have it on my mind and still act due to that. I am able to see their pains, their fears, their shame…etc. There is only one kind of personality which is impossible to me to empathize with – the heartless personality. It is clear why it is impossible to anybody to empathize with heartless person – to empathize means feel what other feels… heartless person feels nothing.
Humans got a gift from Mother Nature… Huge unique and dangerous gift which involves responsibility if it is used.
Humans got intelligence. That gift means we can see the beauty of Nature, we can look up to it, admire it, love it and protect it. It brings unlimited power with no competitors in the game, but also it brings the biggest need of responsibility, prudence and sensitivity…
But unfortunately, humans did never take care… and one day, humans will have to face the consequences. Fortunately.
This was clearly a canned hunt. One look at that lion and you can see it was pen raised. She’s lying.