Follow in footsteps of global powers by viewing this chilling docufilm at The White House

PLETT has among its many talented citizens Ian Michler, special consultant and lead character in the full-length documentary Blood Lions. Launched in July, it has significantly ramped up the trophy hunting and predator breeding debate ever since.

The film has now been seen in over 170 countries and territories and has had 45 public screenings around the world, and National Geographic listed it as one of the 12 most powerful stories on conservation and wildlife in the last decade.

Already viewed by Australian and European parliamentarians, it is set for screening in Italian, Spanish and Finnish parliaments next year. In South Africa, Blood Lions has been showed to the Departments of Tourism and Environmental Affairs.

In addition, the President of Botswana along with various cabinet members have seen the film.

Australia banned the import of lion body parts into their country earlier this year, and has now been joined by France who recently imposed import restrictions on lion trophies. With further country initiatives underway, this number will grow.

The wider trophy hunting community has certainly taken notice of Blood Lions, with engagement taking place at various levels in different countries.

Particularly welcome was the outcome of the recent PHASA AGM (visit http:// phasa. co.z a/what-is-in-thenew s/pha s a-pre ss-rele a se/ item/682-position-paperon-captive-b red-lion- hunting.html), where a majority of members voted against captive breeding and canned hunting.

Here, recognition must go to the few operators who broke away to drive the causes of ethical hunting. The film-makers and their lawyers have seen off a High Court attempt to have the screenings stopped.

While the film is generating significant global attention, the foremost consideration has always been the campaign aimed at bringing an end to all exploitative breeding practices, as well as canned or captive hunting.

For anyone interested in conservation issues or lions, this is a film and discussion not to be missed. Please join Eden to Addo, Joan Berning and Ian Michler at The White House on December 28 at 7:30pm for a screening of the full-length documentary. There will be a cash bar and cash snack bar by the Nguni team.

Ian will conduct a full Q&A after the screening and discuss any aspect of the film, including feedback on his recent lobbying trip to the European Parliament and New York.

Visit www. edento addo. co.za for more information and email admin@eden toaddo.co.za or SMS 082 771 3744 to book.

Kul jou bier kul jou daar jou land is kaal

As ‘n mens terugkyk op die jaar wat verby is, was daar gebeure wat in die natuurlike omgewing plaasgevind het wat ‘n vonk aangesteek het. Dit het hewige debatte ontlok, protesoptogte aan die gang gesit, aanlyn versoekskrifte laat posvat en Twitter- en Facebook-veldtogte begin.

Een so ‘n vonk wat ‘n veldbrand veroorsaak het, was die jagtog deur dr. Walter Palmer, ryk Amerikaanse tandarts en grootwildjagter, wat Cecil die swartmaanhaarleeu van Hwange in Julie vanjaar in Zimbabwe met ‘n kruisboog doodgeskiet het.

Honderde aanlyn versoekskrifte is in Augustus teen Palmer begin en duisende mense wereldwyd (baie in Suid-Afrika) het dit onderteken. Hulle het gevra vir die uitlewering van Palmer aan Zimbabwe, waar hy hopelik gestraf sou word. Hulle het sover gegaan om daarop aan te dring dat sy praktyk in Minnesota gesluit word. Hy is ook by sy huis geteister waar woorde soos “moordenaar” met rooi verf op die motorhuis se deure gespuit is.

Hoewel Palmer nie aan Zimbabwe uitgelewer is nie, is hy waarskynlik deeglik daarvan bewus dat hy een van die mees gehate mense in die wereld is. Aktiviste vergeet nooit nie.

So treiter Twittter-gebruikers Palmer steeds. Hulle breek gereeld op sy webblad in en sorg so dat hy nooit sal vergeet nie.

Cecil het die wereld weer aan die dink gesit oor trofee, sport- en biltongjag, veral in Afrika waar wild soveel werk skep as deel van die toerismebedryf. Begrippe soos “oneties” en “onvolhoubaar” het nuwe betekenis gekry. Mense vra hulle af hoe dit moontlik is dat trofeejag in dieselfde asem as bewaring gebruik kan word.

Op eie bodem word debatte gevoer oor die gonswoorde “volhoubare benutting”, wat ons eie Edna Molewa, minister van omgewingsake, so graag gebruik wanneer sy die handel in renosterhoring probeer regverdig. In 2016 word ‘n groot Cites-beraad in Johannesburg gehou en die internasionale oopstel van die handel in renosterhoring is op die agenda.

Lande wat bewaringsgesind is, lig reeds die wenkbroue oor hierdie Suid-Afrikaanse voorstel.

Die dokumentere rolprent Blood Lions het vanjaar ook opslae gemaak en die kwessie van geblikte leeujag in die kollig geplaas.

Die onetiese bedryf het lang tentakels en begin reeds wanneer leeuwelpies gebore word en mense toegelaat word om aan hulle te vat en met hulle te speel. Hier begin die geldmakery reeds. Welpies is oulik as hulle so klein is, maar dit is waar die doodskoot begin. Hierdie welpies word net geteel om in klein kampies gejag te word. Molewa het gou besef hierdie is ‘n warm patat en nou sit Senzeni Zokwana, minister van landbou, bosbou en visserye met die probleem: Wat gaan word van 7 000 halfmak leeus wat geen bewaringswaarde het nie? Wat eens bestempel is as die koning van die diere het nou die status van ‘n plaasdier.

Daar is baie omgewingskwessies wat in 2016 aandag moet kry. Van die belangrikste wentel om ons minerale.

Terwyl ons soveel energie bestee aan groot politieke gebeure wat ons aandag aftrek, word ons land stuk-stuk opgemyn.

The turning tide: Blood Lions v lion breeding and canned hunting

The documentary film Blood Lions: Bred for the Bullet is making an extraordinary impact around the world. Even the European Parliament is sitting up and taking notice of the unholy alliance between lion breeding and canned hunting. The hunting industry is not enjoying the attention, and here in South Africa the Professional Hunter’s Association is turning against the purveyors of such practices.

The last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind for the makers and producers of Blood Lions, especially so for Ian Michler, conservationist, safari operator and special consultant to the hard-hitting documentary. It began with the first screenings at the Durban International Film Festival in Durban in July, and hasn’t stopped. Since then Ian has been in Brussels, Helsinki, Turku, London, New York, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Gaborone and Bogota to promote the feature film that digs deeply into South Africa’s predator breeding and canned trophy hunting industry. And an industry it certainly is, with more than 200 predator breeding farms raising lions for the bullet, the lion bone demand in eastern Asia, and the lucrative petting and voluntourism sectors.

Overwhelming support

I caught up with Michler on a short break back in South Africa before heading back into the fray, and was eager to ask him about the reaction of audiences around the world. “In a word, fantastic,” he responds. “Wherever we’ve been the reception has been overwhelmingly supportive, both of the film and the campaign behind it to end the breeding and canned hunting industry.”

“Even in the United States?” I ask. “Absolutely,” says Michler. “As you know, like here in South Africa, the States has a very strong trophy hunting lobby. But no one took us on at any of the screenings. Hunters know about the film of course and I know they are worried about at the groundswell of opinion against them. This comes through in social media and in other discussions within hunting groups around the world. Clearly Blood Lions and the events around the killing of Cecil in Zimbabwe have thrown their activities into the spotlight and they have been back-footed as a result.

“By contrast,” Michler continues, “while we have to deal with powerful pro trophy hunting voices in South Africa and the US, Europe presents itself rather differently. In Europe the trophy hunting lobby seems to represent the minority of hunters. In fact there is a strong sentiment against trophy hunting per se, not just the canned hunting element of it. European hunters are mostly after meat – what we would call the biltong hunters. We had hunters come to screenings of Blood Lions and they were completely in agreement with the film and the campaign.

Majority of SA hunters vote against canned hunting

Michler’s experiences “on tour” and at screenings in South Africa seem to have been remarkably similar. Public reaction to the documentary – outrage in fact – has been huge and the South African Professional Hunting Association (PHASA) have been squarely confronted by the less savoury aspects of their world. So much so in fact that their president admitted to the urgent need to rethink their “untenable” position on the matter of canned lion hunting. Well, the re-thinking has happened apace as PHASA certainly hasn’t wasted time in formally turning its back on the controversial practice of captive-bred lion hunting. At the association’s recent AGM a majority of its members voted to distance the association from the practice “until such time as the South African Predators Association could prove its conservation value to PHASA as well as the IUCN”.

Contravention means expulsion

PHASA also resolved that any of its members found to be involved in the hunting or marketing of captive-bred lions would face expulsion. Strong words and seemingly a victory for the Blood Lions campaign. But Michler is cautious. “Many of us have been on the issue of predator breeding and canned lion hunting for 15 plus years, and we need to remember that for all that time PHASA has pretty much thumbed their noses at any opposition. Most of South Africa’s lions spend their lives in captivity – only 30% are truly wild. The film tells the story of how lion breeding, canned trophy hunting, and increasingly the lion bone trade, are intertwined.

“Also, we must not forget that when in 2010 the predator breeders were successful in overturning a law aimed at banning canned lion hunting, PHASA were quick to jump on the bandwagon.

“Having said that, I completely welcome the about face on the part of PHASA since the release of Blood Lions. In fact, I would go so far as to congratulate the courage and commitment of the current leaders of PHASA to take on their own membership in this manner. Two members of PHASA deserve especial praise: Paul Stones and Garry Kelly have long led a debate around ethics within hunting circles, so much so that they were ostracized by their own organization and had to break away to form their own group. Although belittled at the time, they have carried the day.

Now for the real test

“But now comes the real test”, says Michler. “From now PHASA will be judged not on their statement but their actions – how they go about it from here. Are we going to see them actually take on errant members? Are we going to start seeing the collapse of canned hunting and the closing down of breeding farms? We wait to see. The point is that the hunting industry has had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the table to make this decision in the face of what the world sees as appalling, horrific, and without any conservation merit”

While Michler was abroad things took a bit of a bumpy turn back home. One of the farms featured in Blood Lions took action against the documentary’s producers for harming their reputation as a “sanctuary” and a lucrative voluntourism destination. “It must have been a little disquieting being so far from home when this was going on,” I ask Michler.

“Interestingly, we expected to be taken on by someone,” he replies. “We just weren’t sure which facility would do it. I expect there was communication amongst all of them in the run up to lodging the case. But the fact is that the judge threw the case out in its entirety and also awarded us all costs.

“But, yes, it was disconcerting. Our lawyers, Bowman Gilfillan did an outstanding job in presenting our case. Added to that, Pippa Hankinson – without whose determination the film would never have been made – and fellow producer Andrew Venter also did an excellent job in our defence.

Just asking the questions

“The reason we were confident we hadn’t overstepped the mark, and it is an important point to make, is that although we openly oppose the breeding and canned lion hunting industry and unashamedly want it stopped, the film doesn’t accuse individuals or places. The judge took the point that we simply ask legitimate questions and listen to the answers we are given.”

To do this, Michler and cameraman Nick Chevalier had to dig in some pretty sensitive and threatening places. “We had to,” Michler acknowledges. “This industry isn’t transparent, you know, it’s murky and deceitful. There has to be a reason as to how we have gone from a few hundred captive predators to 8,000 in 15 years. At the same time we also know that more than 800 lions have been shot annually in canned hunts. Where have they come from? Who is providing them? Yet if you go from farm to farm few admit to breeding and none will admit to supplying lions for canned hunts. I imagine what they do is put a so-called trading agent between themselves and the property on which a lion will be hunted. So it is easy for them to say with feigned indignation that ‘We don’t breed or hunt our lions’.”

Sustainable use or sustained abuse?

Michler believes that although Blood Lions has proved to be a catalyst for a rapid rethink about hunting and hunting ethics, he avers that it is part of a much bigger sea change. “The stage has been set. We have had decades of the trophy hunting arguments and hard-core sustainable use proponents being in the ascendency. But now there is a growing force within conservation and the wider public saying that we need to reassess our approach to wilderness and wild species. We see this not only in the response to Blood Lions and Cecil, but to poaching and the illegal wildlife trade too – indeed, in the way we treat the planet as a whole. There is a strong sense that a more considered stance is gathering momentum.

“I’m not saying that we need to throw out the whole concept of sustainable use but, as Will Travers of Born Free points out in the film, ‘we need to reinterpret it’. I agree wholeheartedly. Much of what we have seen over the past decade here in South Africa and all over is not sustainable use, but sustained abuse.

“I firmly believe that at end of the day the conservation, economic and community issues have nothing to do with it. The root of it is whether we choose to have an abusive relationship with the planet or not. And this is a deep-seated philosophical matter. The rest is all smoke and mirrors.”

Michler is the first to admit that the battle against the breeders and canned trophy hunting is far from over but hopefully, in the words of Churchill, “it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”.

So where to next?

“Well, the presentation to the EU parliament has been the most significant to date so we plan to return in the new year to secure even more commitment. In particular we have been invited to talk to the governments of Spain, Italy and Finland. Once we can get some consolidation in Europe we’ll turn the focus to the United States. But while it is critical to get countries around the world to get legislation in place to ban the import of trophies, it is also vitally important to keep the dialogue open across the spectrum of conservation, political and hunting opinion. And then we also need to be bringing far greater awareness around the fraudulent conservation messages sent out by breeders and petting facilities.”

One of the greatest challenges seems to be to get the attention of the South African government. Its reaction to Blood Lions: silence. Rather strange given the fact National Geographic cited the documentary as one of the decade’s 12 top exposés of endangered and abused wildlife. But maybe not …

 Peter has a career in publishing and conservation spanning more than four decades. His most recent project has been the development of Untold Africa, a meeting place for intelligent, engrossing and entertaining dialogue for a global community of like-minded people – people who share a common passion for the wild places of Africa, the creatures that inhabit them, and the breadth of African culture. DM

Boodskap van SAJWV President – Desember 2015

Geagte mede-jagters
Die einde van 2015 is in sig en as mens terugkyk was dit ‘n uitdagende jaar vir Suid-Afrika. Vir ons in die jagters- en bewaringsarena was dit ook nie ‘n maklike jaar nie want die aanslag teen jag is uit verskeie oorde met onaanvaarbare praktyke besaai. Ongelukkig het dit ook op die gewone geleentheidsjagter ‘n impak sonder dat ons ooit daarvoor gevra het of dit verdien.
Who will ever forget how the shooting of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe created an outcry? For those that saw the Blood Lions documentary the bitter aftertaste will remain for long. Airlines who closed shop on trophy transporting nailed the coffin closed for some outfitters and professional hunters while banning the import of certain trophies has been instituted by Australia. Locally the Central Firearms Registry has developed its own problems with a negative impact on those who applied for licenses. The tides seem to have turned against us. Finally a debilitating drought is crippling the country and the future of livestock, crop and game farmers seems nothing less than precarious.

Benewens al die uitdagings wat tydens 2015 kop uitgesteek het was daar tog vir ons as lede van die SAJWV baie positiewe dinge. Meeste het darem ‘n jaggeleentheid ingepas, die skietentoesiaste het weer eens die rekords laat spat en die Verenging se ledetal raak-raak aan die 40,000 kerf. Die HuntEx skoue in die Oos-Kaap en Gauteng was geseën met ‘n ongekende toeloop van vuurwapen- en jagentoesiaste en het ook vir die Vereniging goeie finansiële dividend gelewer. Die twee tydskrifte in ons kamp naamlik SA Jagter en ManMagnum het ook besonder goed gevaar.

With the current economic realities of the world and the sharp decline in the value of the Rand against major currencies we are all faced with financial hardship. It is even more so for those who are the victims of the terrible drought. Many rural South Africans have lost all their cattle, while farmers are on the brink of financial collapse. In view of this we should open our hearts to those who are less privileged than us and share some of our own well-being even though those in need may not be of our own cultural group. It is not going to impoverish anyone to buy a Christmas hamper for the person who knocks on our door for a slice of bread. It can only bring much needed relief to a family that is facing total disaster over the festive season. Yes, we all pray for rain and for a better life for all, but let us remind ourselves of the wisdom of the Messiah when He spoke about the lady who gave all of her last few cents to the collections at the synagogue. He said that she gave all that she had and not from the excess of what she had. I am sure we all have some excess and a few Rands here and there may just break the desperation of some people in need.

Ek vertrou dat almal van u die Kersfeestyd saam met die familie gaan deurbring en wens u almal ‘n welverdiende ruskans, ‘n blaaskans en ook tyd om te besin oor dit waarmee ons as jagters onsself besig hou. Die wilde diere van die veld gaan ook deur die ernstige droogte geraak word en ons moet ook maar saans as ons die Bybel toemaak aan hulle in ons gebede dink. Vir die van u wat in die droogtegeteisterde dele van Suid-Afrika die mas probeer opkom is daar net een boodskap naamlik dat ons wat die droogte ontkom het elke dag vir u bid en smeek dat dit binnekort sal reën.

We need to reflect on the past to plan for the future: each of us need to reconcile our hunting experiences of 2015 and learn from it to be better hunters, better conservationists and better neighbours to our fellow hunters. Just pick up the phone and call the person who hunted with you this past year and wish him or her a blessed Christmas. Call the landowner where you hunted and thank him for the opportunity to hunt. Above all call upon God our Supreme Ruler to guide you into the new year with a commitment to be an even better person in the times to come.

I wish you all of the very best for the Christmas season. May you experience peace, joy and fulfilment while you spend time with your family.

I trust that we will have a prosperous 2016 and that as an Association of hunters and conservationists we will change the world into a better place for humankind and the creatures of the wild.

Lifting the ban on rhino horn trade is no victory for rhino owners

Canned hunting is unethical. The practice has not reduced hunting pressure on wild lions. The marketing of breeding facilities and hunting operations confuses the conservation message and priorities, and results in a misdirection of funding that impacts negatively on wildlife. Captive rhino breeding and canned hunting would simply make matters far worse.

A judgement lifting the 2009 moratorium on domestic rhino horn trade was made in the Pretoria High Court last week. The judgement is considered a victory in pro-trade circles, but it may well lead to their defeat.

Applicants for the removal of the moratorium were rhino owners John Hume and Johan Kruger. The argument they won was that the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa “failed to comply with her obligation to properly notify the public about the proposed ban or to give members of the public a chance to make meaningful submissions.”

Hume also moved that, because he is the largest rhino breeder in South Africa, the Minister was obliged to give him personal notice of the moratorium, and that failure to do so renders the moratorium reviewable, and subject to be set aside. The Minister indeed did not follow proper procedure, and the judge rightfully set aside the moratorium based on this technicality.

But Judge Francis Legodi did not disagree with the Minister’s reasons for imposing the moratorium. He maintains that the moratorium is rational, reasonable, lawful and constitutional. In his judgement he states that, had it not been for the finding with regard to non-compliance with consultative process and participation of the members of the public, he would have found no unlawfulness in the introduction of the moratorium.

Rhino may owners have embarrassed the Minister, but they have also brought attention to the sound principles of her moratorium. Soon after the judgement, the Minister announced her decision to appeal, effectively suspending the execution of the judgement. Because of their actions, it is likely that they and other pro-traders will receive less support from the government in their efforts to lift International trade ban. And ultimately it is becoming clearer just how dubious their motivations are.

It is safe to assume that rhino owners are motivated by the international black market value of rhino horn, which is said to be as much as US$65,000 per kilogram. But, whether rhino horn is traded domestically or not, there is no legal entry for South Africa into the international market. As John Sellar, former Chief of Enforcement for the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (CITES) explains, the Ministry of Environmental Affairs “cannot issue the necessary CITES documents for them to be transported for a primarily commercial purpose to, for example, China or Vietnam; which seem to be the countries most smugglers are heading towards for the moment.”

Even with legalisation of domestic trade, there would certainly be strict regulations and control. As Adam Weiz of WildAid quipped, “Hume is not going to set up a roadside stall selling rhino horn anytime soon.”

The only truly profitable course for traders would be to sell to the gangs running illegal poaching and smuggling networks. As Izak du Toit, a lawyer for a rhino owner, said: “We would sell to the poachers to prevent them from killing rhinos.” But at what price? If rhino owners intend to make a sizeable profit from selling horn, poaching rhinos might well be a more economical option. Fuelled by a legal domestic market where laundering of horn is simpler, it could in fact escalate the poaching crisis.

Opponents to trade may feel they are being forced in a certain direction. By overturning the ban, rhino owners might want to influence how nations vote at the CITES convention in Johannesburg in September 2016, where it is widely believed South Africa will seek authorisation for international trade in rhino horn. But this is extremely unlikely as the majority of voting nations are against lifting the ban on international trade. John Sellar, former Chief of Enforcement for CITES, says, “The impression I get is that most nations are extremely nervous about allowing such trade and vast numbers within non-governmental organizations will undoubtedly actively lobby against it.”

Sellar goes on to say that they risk alienating potential supporters, in and outside South Africa. “You will, for sure, encourage opponents to be more vociferous and you might even inspire those currently sitting on the fence to turn against you, on the basis that they’ll feel they are being forced in a certain direction.”

This appears to be a no-win situation for pro-traders. But it does not mean rhinos will be any any better off. Intensive farming of rhinos for profit will ultimately lead to domestication. A potentially legal course for rhino farmers is to profit from hunting operations. This perpetuates the avenue for laundering illegal rhino horn, and increases the potential for canned hunting of rhinos. This barbaric practice has drawn worldwide condemnation with the film exposé Blood Lions which highlights the horrors of captive lion breeding and hunting. The parallels between captive rhino and lion breeding cannot be ignored.

Protagonist of the film, conservationist Ian Michler says, “What this means for rhino as a wild species as we all know is that intensive farming for profit will ultimately lead to domestication. Blood Lions exposes the horrors and fraudulent conservation myths behind the farming model – we cannot have this entire process repeat itself with another iconic African species.”

Welfare conditions of animals kept in such facilities are deeply concerning. Canned hunting is unethical, and has not been proven to reduce hunting pressure on wild lions. The marketing of breeding facilities and hunting operations confuses the conservation message and priorities, and results in a misdirection of funding that impacts negatively on wildlife. Captive rhino breeding and canned hunting would make matters far worse. Promoting South Africa as an authentic, wild and rewarding destination is vital to tourism. The industry would suffer greatly if the perception of the country is one of a domestic feedlot where captive animals are slaughtered by unethical hunters.

Rhino owners like Hume have speculated on an investment that will almost certainly never see a proper return. It was a very dangerous plan from the get go, and its time to accept the losses and move on. If a rhino owner’s true motivation is to preserve the species, then the best course would be to sell or donate their rhinos to governments and organisations best equipped to protect the species in the wild. It would motivate the South African government and conservationists to focus their efforts, and send a clear message to criminals, and the world, that South Africans are not divided, that we are aligned in protecting our wildlife for prosperity. DM