Canned Hunting and Captive Breeding Report Regarded a “Good Start”

“The report is a good start in paving the way to a better regulated, if still totally abhorrent industry and which no-one - except those most likely to profit – would disagree is in dire need of an overhaul.

“The “canned” hunters and those who force breed animals for profit need to know once and for all that their unethical behaviour is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated any longer,” he said.

The report of a Panel of Experts on Professional and Recreational Hunting in South Africa was released by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) earlier today.

The report admits that hunting in South Africa is poorly regulated due to different policies set by different provinces, and differing capacity to enforce them. It describes various unethical practices such as intensive breeding of large predators, genetic manipulation and “canned” hunting – the practice of a hunting an animal in a confined area.

It also proposes that professional hunting bodies should be self-regulatory to ensure that their members properly observe Norms and Standards and legislation governing hunting practices.

“IFAW’s investigations have shown that in many cases members of the hunting associations are part of the problem in the industry,” said Bell-Leask.  “So the adoption of laws intended to manage the hunting industry properly must first and foremost fall to authorities who can only be as effective as their determination to enforce them,” said Bell-Leask.

“In the meanwhile IFAW will continue to support and lobby for the strongest possible set of Norms and Standards to be adopted into law and to stamp out unethical hunting practices and the industries that support them including captive breeding.”