Big game hunting
Big game hunting refers to the practice of hunting large animals, often for sport, trophies, meat, or by-products like horns. Animals typically classified as big game include lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards, among others. This activity has a long history, dating back to early human societies where hunting large prey was a demonstration of skill and a source of sustenance. In modern times, big game hunting has evolved into a costly hobby predominantly pursued by affluent individuals, who often travel internationally, particularly to Africa, to hunt these animals.
The practice is controversial, with animal rights groups opposing it on ethical grounds, mainly due to concerns about the conservation status of many hunted species and the potential for inflicting unnecessary suffering. Proponents, however, argue that regulated hunting can contribute to conservation efforts, as fees from hunts are sometimes allocated to wildlife preservation initiatives. Critics further assert that big game hunting can encourage poaching and may lead to the deaths of both hunters and innocent bystanders. Overall, big game hunting elicits strong opinions and raises significant ethical and ecological debates.
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Big game hunting
Big game hunting is the hunting of large animals for sport, trophy, meat, or animal by-products such as horns. Lions, elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards are commonly considered big game although any large, dangerous animal may be included in this category.
Animal rights groups protest big game hunting because many of the desired species are endangered. However, proponents of big game hunting argue that most of the proceeds from legal and controlled hunts go to animal conservatories, which help to preserve or increase the population of most animal species.
Background
Humans have hunted large animals throughout time. As early as two million years ago, ancient peoples developed complex ambush tactics that allowed them to hunt and kill antelopes and wildebeests. While hunting such animals with primitive tools was likely extremely dangerous, a single animal provided a great deal of meat. Its bones and hide could also be put to good use.
In past hunting-based societies, such as hunter-gatherer tribes and some Native American societies, successfully hunting and killing a large animal was a sign of skill. It was celebrated by the rest of the tribe and brought glory to the successful hunter. These hunts were often dangerous and carried out by multiple hunters at a time. In many cases, the more challenging or difficult the hunt, the more glory the hunter received if he succeeded.
In later cultures, hunting large animals became a hobby of the rich and famous. Only wealthy individuals were able to afford the resources required to hunt exotic animals, which included the tools needed to kill them. Numerous famous historical figures practiced big game hunting. US President Theodore Roosevelt was an avid big game hunter who killed rhinos, hippos, zebras, lions, and ostriches. The writer Ernest Hemingway traveled to Africa to hunt lions, leopards, and zebras. He also traversed the American West, where he hunted bears, bighorn sheep, and other large animals.
Overview
Big game hunting is the process of hunting and killing large animals. In most cases, the animals hunted are large enough to harm or kill the hunter. For this reason, hunters commonly believe that big game hunting requires better equipment and more skill than less threatening forms of hunting. Animals commonly considered big game include lions, bears, buffalos, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, bison, and rhinos. However, any large, potentially dangerous animal may be considered big game.
Modern big game hunting is a very expensive hobby primarily practiced by the wealthy. Big game hunters travel long distances, sometimes to other continents, in particular Africa, to find suitably large and dangerous prey. These hunters must pay for high-quality weaponry with which to hunt large animals as well as an instructor to teach them how to use such weapons. Additionally, big game hunters who travel to other countries often have to pay exorbitant fees for the right to hunt big game. Afterward, they must pay large sums of money to return home with their trophy.
Animal rights groups oppose big game hunting. They contend that many of the large animal species targeted by big game hunters are endangered, making it illegal and unethical to hunt them. Animal advocates also feel that the practice inflicts unnecessary pain and suffering on the large animals that are hunted. An example is Cecil, a black-maimed lion that was killed in 2015 in Zimbabwe. Cecil was baited by hunters and then shot with an arrow. He suffered for more than ten hours before hunters tracked and killed him. His death sparked international outrage.
In some cases, big game hunting involves little actual hunting. Participants can pay to hunt in a park, where the animals have been raised to have little fear of humans. This significantly reduces the danger associated with hunting big game and most often ensures that the hunter will find the animal he is tracking. Many animal rights groups find this type of big game hunting particularly reprehensible.
Some supporters of big game hunting argue that regulated hunting practices can help protect the population of some species. In some countries, the fees paid by big game hunters must be donated to conservation efforts. Such fees might often total tens of thousands of dollars. Additionally, during some controlled hunts, big game hunters are only allowed to kill animals that are no longer reproducing; these animals therefore cannot help any recovery efforts for their species. In this way, supporters consider big game hunting as helping, rather than harming, endangered species, as long as the practice is carried out under carefully controlled conditions. However, most animal rights activists consider it immoral to hunt any endangered species, regardless of whether or not a particular animal is able to reproduce. They also feel that permitting big game hunting encourages poaching, the act of illegally hunting a species. Poaching can lead to the deaths of more animals than a population can sustain, hastening the decline of a species.
Big game hunting also claims human lives. Furthermore, hundreds of big game hunters are killed or injured each year. The practice has also claimed the lives of innocent bystanders.
Bibliography
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