Leading scientists warned that global conservation is being hampered by the power of celebrities after they suffered death threats and abuse in a hostile dispute over the trophy hunt.
Groups such as Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting and Born Free are pressing the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States to ban trophy hunting, with the support of many famous names, much of the public and more than 150 parliamentarians across the spectrum political.
Many of them signed an open letter calling for a ban, which scientists say contains misleading information.
Several scientists told the Guardian that poor political decision-making and the abuses directed at them are being fueled by what they describe as “myths driven by emotion and morality that ignore critical facts”.
They also warn that a well-intentioned but ill-informed campaign on the emotional issue risks putting millions of acres of wildlife habitat and livelihoods in Africa.
Although poorly regulated trophy hunting has historically had a negative impact on some wildlife populations, there is ample evidence, including from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), that for many endangered species like the black rhino, white rhino , lion and markhor, well-regulated trophy hunting has brought population increases and reduced greater threats. Conservationists say that when habitats are managed for hunting, it can protect many other endangered species that live in the same area.
In 2019, 133 leading scientists and community representatives warned in a letter to Science magazine that banning hunting without implementing viable alternatives to protect habitat and generate revenue for local communities would endanger biodiversity.
The scientists involved say it has sparked a wave of abuse, including from anti-hunting campaign groups and celebrities. Dr. Amy Dickman, a lion conservationist at Oxford University who received funding from pro and anti-hunting groups, was the first author of the Science letter and said she received numerous verbal attacks.
Actor and animal welfare activist Peter Egan called her “a very limited scientist”, while others accused her of being a “paid spokesperson” for hunting or called her “a monster” and “a distorted sadistic bitch”. Dickman says another said he would love to see his face plucked out by lions.
She was also asked to leave a meeting in the parliament of politicians, activists and the media organized by the Campaign to Ban the Trophy Hunt. She is not alone: other signatories to the letter have reported similar abuses.
Scientists say that such attacks prevent people from pointing out when misleading information is being disseminated.
Adam Hart, professor of scientific communication at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “Many conservation scientists are afraid to get involved in this debate because it is so toxic. Some people called me a liar to the hunting industry, which is absolute nonsense. We receive personal insults against our professional integrity just for trying to involve people with science and trying to limit the loss of wildlife that will occur if trophy hunting is prohibited ”.
Q&A
What are the biggest threats to biodiversity?
In May 2019, the most comprehensive study on life on Earth ever carried out was launched by the Intergovernmental Science and Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The report was compiled from more than 1,500 academic articles and reports by indigenous groups. The general message is that the world’s life support systems, on which humans depend, are in trouble. Remedies are possible, but they require urgent and transformative action because policies have so far failed to stem the tide of man-made extinctions. The authors hope that the mega-report will guide policymakers and generate public discussion on biodiversity (including wildlife, food crops, livestock and ecosystems) in the same way that the climate debate is shaped by reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .
The report also examines five major factors of unprecedented change in biodiversity and the ecosystem over the past 50 years, identifying them as: changes in land and sea use; direct exploration of organisms; Climate Change; pollution; and invasion of exotic species.
Born free in the United States and the United Kingdom, the campaign to ban trophy hunting claims that trophy hunting does not support conservation.
Dickman said: “The activists’ narrative – suggesting that trophy hunting is driving species to extinction and banning it will make things better – is false. I do not know of any species in which the current trophy hunt is the main threat to its persistence. The main threats are the overwhelming loss of habitat, poaching, loss of prey and conflict with humans – all of which will be exacerbated if the land used for trophy hunting is converted into agriculture or settlement.
She added: “I can fully sympathize with how these images of smiling hunters upset people’s stomachs – they do the same to me – but the types of deaths we see in areas where wildlife has no economic value are even worse” .
Many species listed in red and their habitats are assessed by the IUCN to be supported to some extent by trophy hunting, including the giant eland, black rhino, white rhino, African elephant and minor kudu. A UN report found that trophy hunting is preserving millions of hectares of wildlife habitat in sub-Saharan Africa.
Kenya’s hunting ban in 1977 was followed by 70-88% declines in some monitored wildlife species, including wild boar, kudu minor, Thomson’s gazelle, eland, oryx and impala, while livestock increased substantially. Tanzania lost anti-poaching units and millions of hectares of hunting grounds after imports of elephant trophies were banned in the United States.
Over a million people have signed a 2020 petition submitted to Downing Street to ban the import of trophy hunts, and the results of a government consultation are pending.
In July, more than 50 African community leaders, who claim to represent the views of millions of people across southern Africa, signed an open letter criticizing British celebrities for using their influence to ban trophy hunting – naming Ricky Gervais, Joanna Lumley, Peter Egan, Ed Sheeran, Dame Judi Dench and Piers Morgan.
They asked them to “stop undermining our globally recognized conservation efforts and our basic human right to sustainably use the natural resources on which our communities’ livelihoods depend”.
They added: “The imposition of worldviews and value systems from distant places, amplified through their powerful and influential voices, results in disastrous policies that undermine our rights and the success of conservation.”
Dickman agreed: “I find it strange that people listen to more actors and comedians than trained conservation scientists or, more importantly, local stakeholders.”
Born Free Chief Policy Officer Dr. Mark Jones said: “Trophy hunting is an exciting issue. However, Born Free does not tolerate abuse of any kind. “
He added: “We challenge the claims made by the proponents of the trophy hunt that it brings significant benefits to conservation and the community, or that it contributes positively to the sustainable use of wildlife. Trophy hunting is a cruel relic from a colonial era that results in intense animal suffering and disruption to wildlife populations, while contributing little or nothing to local economies or wildlife conservation. It is also destroyed by corruption and greed. “
The campaign to ban hunting the trophy did not respond to requests for comment.