The Dallas Safari Club is auctioning off a chance to hunt a critically endangered black rhino in a fundraiser to benefit the Save the Rhino Trust.
The auction will be held in January at the Kay Bailey-Hutchison Dallas Convention Center and is expected to bring anywhere from $250,000 to $1,000,000 to benefit rhino conservation.
The permit to hunt the animal will be issued by the Republic of Namibia, with all proceeds going to rhino conservation in that country. In the press release announcing the auction, the Dallas Safari Club pointed out that “Extremely aggressive bulls are known to be population-limiting factors in some areas. Selectively harvesting these animals can lead to population increases and greater survival.”
Critics have blasted the event. Rita Beving Griggs of the Sierra Club stated, “It seems counter-intuitive to sell the ability to shoot an animal as a means to save a species.”
Stephen Colbert took time out to blast the idea, “Or how about this? We shoot all 5,000 remaining rhinos. That’ll bring in $3.7 billion dollars. And we can use that cash to keep one last rhino safely confined.” Watch Colbert’s comments below:
The black rhino is currently listed as “critically endangered” with about 5000 specimens living in the wild. It has been pointed out that the specific rhino to be hunted will be an older, non-breeding male.
What do you think of this auction?
Source
- Rhino Permit to be Auctioned at DSC Convention (Dallas Safari Club: October 11, 2013)
- Group Auctions Off Chance to Hunt Endangered Rhino to Benefit Rhino Charity (Ben Russell, NBCDFW.com: October 26, 2013)