xausa
.400 member
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 2037
Loc: Tennessee, USA
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/30/world/...tml?hp&_r=0
My PH employed two gun bearers and a tracker who were all reformed poachers. One belonged to a tribe which hunted elephants with bows and arrows. Their bushcraft was fantastic.
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albertan
.333 member
Reged: 13/06/06
Posts: 432
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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The Economist just did a write up Kenya and its wildlife problem, and another on lions. With Kenya's population growing from 8 million in 1964 to 45 million today, something had to give way. There is no doubt what was going to give.
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Sasquatch
.224 member
Reged: 02/04/06
Posts: 31
Loc: Canada
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Sadly you are right. You can piss and moan all you want and create conservation programs by the hundreds, but if the populations in many African countries just continue to grow at the rate they are currently there is little hope for the wildlife.......... especially the predators. All those people need space to live and food production, livestock and firewood are going to take precedence unless the wildlife fills the void with tangible benefits. When you take away the ability for wildlife to pay its way, goodwill and wishful thinking are not going to save them.
I don't see the countries slowing their population growth anytime soon. Lions and elephants are just going to get in trouble when the space set aside for them is encroached upon or habitat quality diminished. Period. Then throw politics and human greed into the mix............. the outcome is certain unless there are some radical changes in thinking and political will.
-------------------- Skyline Adventures
www.canadianblackbearhunt.com
Edited by Sasquatch (19/02/13 09:14 AM)
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Caprivi
.375 member
Reged: 30/09/08
Posts: 811
Loc: America's Serengeti, Buffalo W...
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Africa's (and the World's) population started with colonialism. The abolishment of in-fighting stemmed the tide of genocide. A good thing on paper, and indeed good if you are the "clan" being cleansed. Not so good for population growth.
Big, bloody, ugly, protracted War's work just about the best for a global population problem. Small ethnic skirmishs work okay and can really add up the body count fast. With so many global relief groups (heck, I am part of the problem, I do mission work) nowadys, these are quelled pretty fast. Famine, AIDs, Malaria, water bourne disease...........just don't make the numbers to stem the tide.
Don't just point to the African continent, we are doing a fair job here in the States. India and China are holding there own. Malaysia and South America are certainly doing fine, population growth wise, as well.
-------------------- To live life as it is handed to me from God
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