NitroSteel
.275 member
Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 50
Loc: Georgia, USA
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I saw this article on yahoo:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040928/ap_on_re_af/kenya_african_lions
Kenya Pushes for Ban on Hunting Lions
Tue Sep 28, 3:15 PM ET World - AP Africa
By RODRIQUE NGOWI, Associated Press Writer
NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya said it will push for an international ban on trade in lion trophies and skins, expressing concern Tuesday that the African lion is "under threat."
Neighboring Tanzania disagreed with the idea of a ban, citing potential loss of revenue from trophy hunters.
Kenya will press world governments to give the African lion maximum protection under an international treaty governing trade in endangered or threatened plants and animals, a Kenyan official said Tuesday.
Edward Indakwa, spokesman of the Kenya Wildlife Service, said hunting, loss of habitat and lack of prey have drastically reduced the African lion population.
"The number of lions in Africa has declined by between 30 and 50 percent in the past 30 years," he said.
For many years, African tribesmen hunted lions and ate their hearts, hoping this would give them strength and courage. Others kept claws of the big cats, believing this would keep off evil spells from witch doctors. Trophy hunters sought the animals to display their hunting prowess.
Experts estimated there were 200,000 lions across Africa in 1975, Indakwa said, adding that the number fell to an estimated 76,000 in 1980. By 2002, the number had dropped to about 39,000, he said.
Lions are found only in Africa and Asia. The European, Middle Eastern and Cape lions are extinct.
Hunting of the Asiatic lion is prohibited under the voluntary treaty, known as CITES, because only a few hundred members of the subspecies are left in the wild.
The treaty permits regulated hunting of the African lion. Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia sell lucrative hunting licenses to trophy hunters.
Kenya plans to ask the CITES meeting in Bangkok next month to list the African lion in its appendix of most endangered species.
Half the African lion population lives protected inside national parks, but the others are often short of food and are sometimes killed by villagers, Indakwa said.
"A total ban (on hunting) is a solution to this problem," Indakwa said. "Then the lion should have a chance."
But Tanzania opposed the idea.
"The ban on trade in lion trophies will hurt us a lot," said Zakia Meghji, Tanzania's minister for tourism and natural resources.
The lion's image as a strong and courageous animal may not work in its favor, Indakwa said.
"Very few guys would understand that the lion is under threat, it being a lion," he said. "It makes it a target of hunters and tourists."
-------------------- "Life is hard. It's even harder if you're stupid."
John Wayne
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470Nitro
.333 member
Reged: 17/09/03
Posts: 467
Loc: Madrid - Spain
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Since long time ago in Africa are talking about it. Botswana, Zambia and some more already have a ban. I'm feeling this year is my last chance to hunt a nice Lion, so I hope to do it.
-------------------- -----
down by the river on a friday night
pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight
talkin' 'bout guns and dreamin 'bout women
never had a plan just a livin' for the minute
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3708
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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Kenya is simply trying to blame everyone else for its own failure to manage the lion population in the absence of legal safari hunting.
Stuff 'em!
-------------------- Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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cowboy
.275 member
Reged: 20/03/04
Posts: 60
Loc: Northern Wyoming, USA
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I recently returned from a safari in Zimbabwe & was lucky enough to get a "lioness" as a tag became available. I had been looking at booking a lion hunt but the safari company I was using is booked up through 2006 for lion.
There certainly didn't seem to be any shortage of cats in the area I was hunting. Hope they don't put a ban on lions as I would eventually like to get a mate for the lioness.
The best thing about my hunt was that I got to use my 450/400 Lancaster Double & took her stalking, not over bait. It was quite an experience!
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Martin
.224 member
Reged: 15/09/04
Posts: 24
Loc: British
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That could well be an ultimate compromise solution - tracking only? Light-years from ideal of course, compromises often are. Unfortunately the anti-lion hunt lobby is not going to go away, but if push comes to shove, as eventually I fear it shall, then it's better than a total ban. It will certainly sort out the "men from the boys", so start saving for a shortish barrelled double!
Martin
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DETCORD
.224 member
Reged: 20/04/04
Posts: 8
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KENYA ATTEMPTED TO PRESENT THIS PROPOSAL AT THE CITES MEETING IN BANKOK, THAILAND LAST MONTH. THEY WITHDREW THE PROPOSAL AFTER INTENSE PRESSURE FROM OTHER CITES NATIONS, BUT MAY ATTEMPT ANOTHER TRY AT A FUTURE TIME.
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