Hi Jennifer,
Africa has unveiled a new plan to manage its swelling elephant numbers. This culling proposal has in recent years split conservation groups.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) opposes the culling programme stating that, “It is cruel and dividing elephant families.” They think cross-border megaparks and contraceptives programmes are the best solution.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), on the other hand, is applauding the government’s move stating that, “It is necessary to protect other species and especially native plants from the swelling numbers". They also state, “Given elephant's ability to transform an entire landscape, action is needed, or the result will be mass starvation of elephants and other species.”
The elephant culling will take place in the famous Kruger park. Thousands of the country’s 20,000 elephants are targeted for slaughter.
Animal rights organisations are warning and threatening with boycotts, mainly from European countries. Threats of boycotts have, however, had minimal impact in pro-whaling countries so far.
The animal rights organisations are concerned that commercial interests in elephant trade (meat, skin, ivory) are an underlying motive for the culling. South Africa wants to lift the ban on ivory trade.
The debate on elephant culling raises the issue: Is it acceptable to kill wild animals for utilization of natural resources?
There is some more information at Planet Ark.
Cheers,
Ann Novek
In Sweden.
Ann
fwiw, there is no ban on crocodile meat but it suffers a low supply. Australia even imports crocodile meat (from PNG) because they don't produce enough :-).
The low supply means prices are inflated- in NZ it's about $80 per kg in contrast to $30 per kg for roo. So most places won't stock it here (but will import it on special order).
Thanks Chthoniid and David,
I know they sell kangaroo meat in some stores in Sweden. I will actually try it! If I'm not mistaken I have also seen croc meat, but dunno if it is a ban on croc meat?
Anyway, sometimes during Christmas time you can even buy brown bear meat, I'm not especially found of that... I stick to moose and reindeer, excellent meat , lean and tender , enviro-friendly as well as " animal friendly".
Ann
kangaroo is a typical game meat, very lean. IMO, best tried after a marinade overnight, then cooked very quickly for roughly 2 minutes a side at a high temperature. Given the lack of fat, overcooking it will turn it into 'tough leather'. So, medium-rare should have it almost 'melting' in your mouth.
Ann,
Someone I know had it in a restaurant not too far where I live (here in Tokyo). They weren't exactly raving about it, but then, like whale meat, everyone has their personal tastes 🙂
Much of the poaching is due to depletion of fisheries, espacially in West Africa by the EU fishing fleet. So northern rich countries are also blamed for the increase in trade of bush meat.
Another reason is war. Rebels in Kongo and West Africa are poaching elephants for meat as well for paying the costs of war. The elephant population in Virunga reserve ( Kongo?) has decreased dramatically due to poaching by rebels.
BTW, how does kangaroo meat taste, just curious...?
Ian
- your basic suspicion is correct. Most poaching is either for domestic consumption or a consequence of human-wildlife conflicts.
E.g. various species can be bought in markets in PNG (e.g. the dugong in the south) and enforcement can only charitably described as lax.
Some of the challenges here are a consequence of the 'nationalisation' of wildlife- or if you prefer a less rhetorical explanation- applying conservation strategies developed in the wealthy North to these countries. E.g. for some biziarre reason, PNG is trying to reach the target of 5% terrestrial area as reserves, aiming evcentually for the IUCN 10% target. The fact this is impossible because 97% of PNG's area is community-owned, hasn't proved a hindrance to this ambition.
The Western 'fences and fines' approach can destroy the authority of local communities to manage and enforce their rights to wildlife.
This can be escalated by access to better technology (rifles, scuba gear) or increasing human populations.