'We Do Not Condone Canned Lion Hunting'

'We Do Not Condone Canned Lion Hunting'

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Richard York, spokesperson for the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA), wrote the following letter on behalf of the association in response to the Namibia Professional Hunting Association’s (NAPHA) claim that the change in PHASA’s constitution condones canned lion hunting (see FW, 8 December).

It is very sad that NAPHA decided to make such a hasty and irrational public statement without proper consultation. The Operators and Professional Hunting Associations of Africa (OPHAA) has since issued a similar statement, with both statements having been written by Danene van der Westhuyzen, president of NAPHA. These statements are akin to irresponsible story telling, and have caused untold damage not only to the South African professional hunting industry, but also to our combined international hunting fellowship in general.

ACCOUNTABILITY

NAPHA’s allegation that the recent amendment to PHASA’s constitution condones the practices of canned hunting, a deliberate animal rights tactic to discredit what PHASA is trying to achieve, is profoundly concerning. PHASA vehemently rejects any and all forms of canned or illegal hunting. As an association we did not vote for canned hunting, which is against the law; we voted for the collective involvement with a new constitution in line with that of the South African Constitution. Furthermore, we decided to honour our duty as custodians of wildlife in South Africa and become involved in the decision-making process of managed ranched lions.

As the largest professional hunting association in the world, it was exceptionally irresponsible to distance ourselves from legal activity within our country, while expecting a positive outcome for lion conservation. During the time in which PHASA distanced itself from captive-bred lion hunting, the practice continued with no consequence.