Cecil the Lion killed by American poacher

[ernie]

Originally Posted by octothorp

The whole 'hunting them is an act of respect, some connection with the animal B.S.' is what really annoys me with trophy hunting. You know what would be even more of an act of respect? Not killing them, not taking photos of their dead body, not being happy or excited about taking a life. Heck, if you really, really respect the animals, how about actively working for and donating to their conservation and protection from poachers.

If you admit you just like the thrill of hunting and killing wild prey, or it makes you feel good about yourself, or you just like the way dead animals look on your wall, then I won't respect you but at least you're being honest. It feels to me like a perversion of native perspectives on hunting: as though trophy hunters have decided that if they talk some of the same language about respect for nature, they get a free pass.

That is exactly what many of them say and it is the case that many of the legal hunts are done to cull and the proceeds do go to conservation. I don't believe that many actually truly believe that in their hearts though. They want the kill. They want the head/skin. I think the best way is to, as you say, donate to the conservation of these animals and let the experts cull as needed. It won't get rid of the poaching issue and indeed might make it worse but at least then there are legal repercussions for all.

I still don't like the posing with the dead animal a person likely maimed, tormented and brutalized for hours and passing that off as "honoring" the animal. You aren't honoring the animal. You are bragging. I'm not sure what you're bragging about as these people don't even do the tracking. They hire guys to do it and all they do is pull a trigger. How sporting.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

So what do you do with a dead giraffe? I mean, besides taking pictures of it and posting it on Facebook. Take the head home and leave the rest of the body?

I get people that hunt for food. But I don't get people that kill exotic animals just so they can brag about it online and put the animal's head in their den at home. It's pretty disgusting.

[Yamer]

Taxidermy heads are one of the most creepy, morbid, and off-putting things in the world.

Why anyone would willingly choose to populate their homes with those death relics is completely beyond my comprehension.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Yamer

Taxidermy heads are one of the most creepy, morbid, and off-putting things in the world.

Why anyone would willingly choose to populate their homes with those death relics is completely beyond my comprehension.

[Rhettzky]

Did the Giraffe have a name? If not then I don't think I care as much.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Did the Giraffe have a name? If not then I don't think I care as much.

His name was Robert Paulson

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

His name was Robert Paulson

I understand. In death, an animal of Project Mayhem has a name. His name is Robert Paulson.

[nik-]

Are we sure it wasn't Robert Tallson?

[Hack&Lube]

His name was Geoffrey.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by nik-

Are we sure it wasn't Robert Tallson?

slow clap

[ken0042]

Air Canada bans African animal trophies as freight

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Air Canada bans African animal trophies as freight

What are you saying? My credit cards are no good to Air Canada?

[VladtheImpaler]

Just random musings from an old sick mind... I believe Max Hardcore is out of prison now, and I think it would be pretty cool if this accountant and that cheerleader from earlier in the thread were "honoured" by Mr. Hardcore. Call me a homophobe, but I do not think it would be as interesting with respect to the dentist. Or maybe I am not a homophobe, but just an anti-dentite. Carry on.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Did the Giraffe have a name? If not then I don't think I care as much.

Quoting this post because it was the easier to find (call it the "Cecil" of the posts like it), but this is a general response to this sentiment.


The issue isn't that the lion had a name. It's that after 13 years of being part of conservation study in a protected area, he had grown a trust and affinity for humans which allowed tourists to be able to get closer than they normally would. He was semi-domesticated and trusted humans enough to be enticed out of the park by people in a jeep. That's the part that people are finding the most offensive (not that trophy hunting in general isn't bad enough).


The analogy that I keep thinking of is how in our back yard, we have a community of chipmunks. Most of them are pretty indifferent or afraid of us, but there is one (my wife named him Crackers) that will climb right on top of us and lets us hand feed him. If someone killed any of the chipmunks for fun, I think that would be terrible. But if someone enticed Crackers into their hands by using the built up trust, then tortured him for 40 hours before twisting his head off and posting it online, I think that would be way more evil.

[EldrickOnIce]

There are always somewhat trivial things, in the big picture, that bother me about the way these stories are reported. The 40 hour thing is one.
By every account of what we must assume to be factual, court statements, they first shot and injured Cecil at 10pm, lost him in the dark, and returned the next morning and killed him. This makes sense, timewise. 40 hours does not at all.
The whole thing is terrible, evil and ugly enough without having to fabricate details.

Not a great link, but best I could find this morning.

They spotted Cecil around 10pm at which point Palmer fired his bow, but they couldn't be sure if the lion had been hit. The men left, returning the next morning. Palmer shot the wounded lion with his bow and arrow, killing it.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytim...heo-Bronkhorst

[KootenayFlamesFan]

It just says they returned the next morning. Didn't say they immediately found and shot him.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

It just says they returned the next morning. Didn't say they immediately found and shot him.

Got reported earlier they didn't come back to finish the job because it got late and the dentist was tired.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Got reported earlier they didn't come back to finish the job because it got late and the dentist was tired.

So I guess it's lucky that Cecil was the only one shot.

"Hmm well it's dark (likely too dark to be shooting at things in the first place. Seriously, 10 pm?) and my feet hurt even though I haven't left the jeep. Let's come back in the morning."

Lion is devoured by scavengers during the night.

"Hmm, well I guess we'll go find and bait another one! Yeah me!"

[Potty]

Large Image

Spoiler!

[DiracSpike]

In my village in Zimbabwe, surrounded by wildlife conservation areas, no lion has ever been beloved, or granted an affectionate nickname. They are objects of terror.

Really good article from the New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/op...ions.html?_r=0