Category: Poachers

DSC Praises Tanzania’s Crackdown on Green Mile Safari Co.

DALLAS — Reacting to egregious, alleged violations in hunting ethics and laws, Tanzanian wildlife officials have revoked all hunting licenses and concessions for Green Mile Safari Co. The Dallas Safari Club (DSC) had urged the crackdown and is praising the move as a strong step for hunting and conservation.

According to media reports, the safari company, a private outfit owned by United Arab Emirates families, is threatening to sue the Tanzanian government for lost revenue caused by the revocation.

Allegations against Green Mile include hunting with automatic weapons, hunting female and young animals, using vehicles to chase and knock down animals and hunting protected species. Read more

Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

SCI Keeps Pressure on FWS to Reverse Ban on Elephant Importation

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the House Natural Resources Sub-Committee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs held a hearing on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) policies regarding the importation of sport hunted elephants and other lawful ivory trade. Safari Club International (SCI) was represented by Air Force Veteran Scott O’Grady who highlighted the impact that the importation ban has on conservation in Africa Former Congressman Jack Fields and Itai Hilary Tendaupenyu, principal ecologist of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority also testified as to the important role that hunting plays in conservation and the devastating effect that the importation ban is having on conservation funding in Zimbabwe.

“Today’s hearing before the sub-committee gave hunter-conservationists the opportunity to express how important sustainable wildlife management is in Africa and around the world,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “SCI is proud of the Members of Congress who understand that funding generated by hunting is absolutely essential to conservation in Africa.” Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

SCI Foundation Hosts Director Of CAMPFIRE Association To Address White House Council, Congressional Caucus

June 13, 2014

Washington, D.C. – This week, Charles Jonga, Director of the Community Areas Management Program for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) in Zimbabwe came to Washington as a guest of the SCI Foundation.  He discussed the necessity of community involvement in wildlife management before the Presidential Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking (Advisory Council) and shared how hunting is an integral source of funding for CAMPFIRE programs. Additionally, Director Jonga addressed over 150 U.S. Congressional staffers at the International Conservation Caucus Foundation to inform policy makers on CAMPFIRE’s anti-poaching efforts, and to demonstrate the negative impacts created by the recent U.S. ban of elephant imports.

“The CAMPFIRE program benefits over 750,000 households across Zimbabwe. I was very thankful for the opportunity to speak, so that I could articulate just how severe an impact would occur if U.S. government policies continue to undermine our funding base,” Jonga said. “Organizations such as CAMPFIRE rely on American hunters as a primary revenue source to fund anti-poaching programs. The current ban will severely cut CAMPFIRE’s budget and our ability to protect elephants.” Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

Geneticists Banking DNA to Ensure Future of African Animals

DALLAS — Dallas Safari Club (DSC) is continuing its financial support of a Texas A&M University effort to build a DNA repository of African game species. The growing bank of DNA samples can be used to track the genetic heritage and health of wildlife. DSC has awarded grants for this effort since 2011. “Biologists say this program is an insurance policy for the future of wildlife,” said Ben Carter, DSC executive director. “And it’s passionate, generous hunters, mainly from the U.S., who are making it go.” Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

Why All Hunters Should Care About Ban on Elephant Trophies

DALLAS — Relatively few hunters will ever hunt an elephant. But every hunter who supports science-based wildlife conservation and management has reason for concern about the Obama administration’s recent ban on importing lawfully hunted elephant trophies.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in April that elephants hunted in Tanzania and Zimbabwe in 2014 may not be imported to the U.S.

Citizens who are ignorant of the differences between legal hunting and illegal poaching, “May have cheered the ban,” said Dallas Safari Club (DSC) Executive Director Ben Carter, “given all the recent headlines about elephant poaching, wildlife trafficking and the federal government destroying its confiscated stockpile of smuggled ivory.”

“Even most sportsmen, who usually are offended when they’re treated like poachers, didn’t pay much attention, as if the ban would affect only those few hunters interested enough, and wealthy enough, to actually hunt an elephant,” he added.

But Carter said the ban sets a dangerous precedent for hunting and conservation overall.

Here’s why: Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Poachers

Safari Club International Files Motion For Preliminary Injunction Against Elephant Importation Bans

Washington, DC – Yesterday, April 30, 2014, Safari Club International’s (SCI) litigation team took the second step in its challenge to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) bans on the importation of sport-hunted elephants from Zimbabwe and Tanzania.  SCI filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking the court to immediately lift the importation bans.  SCI’s motion explained that emergency relief is necessary to prevent harm to those who have elephant hunts planned for 2014 and to the elephants whose conservation has been placed at risk by the FWS’s actions.   Read more

Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

Third suspect in Upper Peninsula cougar poaching case pleads no contest

The third suspect involved in the illegal killing of a cougar in Schoolcraft County in December has pleaded no contest to taking/possession of an endangered species.

Todd Anthony Richard, 40, of Burt, appeared in court Monday to enter his plea and was sentenced to $625 in fines and costs, along with 24 hours of community service for his role in the poaching incident.

During sentencing, 93rd District Court Judge Mark Luoma made clear that he did not believe the cougar killing was a case of self-defense. Last month, Troy Anthony Richard and Theodore Robert Richard pleaded guilty to their involvement in the case.

Poachers

Expected Announcement From U.S. FWS Will Close Elephant Imports From Zimbabwe, Tanzania

Washington, D.C. – Statement By Safari Club International President Craig Kauffman   “Safari Club International’s advocacy team is alerting the international conservation community that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to soon announce a new policy to reject all elephant ivory imports from Zimbabwe and Tanzania. It is unknown precisely when the decision by the U.S. FWS will occur, but SCI will do everything in its power to fight this reckless decision that has no basis in law, science, or conservation policy. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

Conservation officers arrest man who allegedly poached bear in Manistee County

A Macomb County man was arraigned recently in 85th District Court in Manistee County on charges of illegally taking a black bear without a permit and excessive use of deer bait. The charges stem from a Nov. 16 bear poaching incident in Manistee County during the firearm deer hunting season. James Earl May, 33, allegedly shot and killed a bear and left it to die in the woods. May will appear at a pre-trial exam in 85th District Court on April 9. Read more

Poachers
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