Prelude to Hunting

My next series of blogs will be about hunting. Legal and Illegal. 

It will be completed in a parts, due to my inability to manage word counts (as previously discussed) and the sheer size of the topics at hand. 

Part one will discuss legal hunting:

1.1 Trophy Hunting 

• Why they [trophy hunters] think they're conserving nature and what they're actually doing
• The stance of NGO's (non government organisations) on trophy hunting 
• The negative implications of trophy hunting on elephant and rhino populations, including its impact on the illegal trade in ivory and horn (permit loopholes, for example)
• Alternatives to Trophy Hunting

1.2 Canned Hunting

• What it actually is 
• The current conservation status of lions in the wild and how canned hunting is not necessarily the best alternative
• Alternatives to Canned Hunting

1.3 Sustenance Hunting

• What it is 
• Why it doesn't actually belong in the same category as the two above

Part two will discuss illegal hunting:

2.1 Bushmeat

• What is actually is and the species it affects
• Impact of bushmeat on the human population
• Why it differs from sustenance hunting 

2.2 Illegal trade in ivory and horn

• The impact on elephants and rhinos as well as the wider ecosystem 
• Population numbers and expected extinction in the wild
• Why it doesn't just affect African species: the impact on their Asian cousins
• A future without elephants and rhinos - more than just drawings in a picturebook
• What can be done to prevent our great land mammals from dying out

2.3 Trade in live animals and body parts

• The effects of western tourism to Asian countries (in particular) on its local fauna
• Links between tourism and the trade in tiger body parts
• The exotic pet trade 
• Traditional Asian Medicine
• This section will include marine and terrestrial species

Phew!

As much as I've discussed these subjects in assignments for uni, with friends and, well, anyone who will listen (I don't go busking with my opinions, by the way, I'm not like preaching on a street corner or anything, its just when people asked what I was studying and the conversation evolved, as it were!) and how much I think I know these subjects, new, pertinent issues, stories, statistics and revelations come up all the time; thus the list above is not exhaustive. 

Always make a cup of tea before reading my blog and schedule loo breaks. 

A happy Totoro, just for you! <3

Some of the images I will post are going to be abhorrent - I will put a warning at the top, for those of a sensitive deposition. 

I'll make sure I finish with a Disney or Ghibli image at the end, so you don't have too many nightmares! 

I want to make these topics more approachable to a wider audience; too often, scientists, conservationists and those working within such fields assume everyone knows what they're blabbering on about, but often they will come out with jargon, or they've gone a bit too thesaurus-happy on Word, so you end up having to Google half of what they're saying. 

They're also likely to curse me for discussing things in the first person and using abbreviations  - because its not scientific enough - I can and have done it, but again, it doesn't have a personable/relatable side to it , to approach a wider audience. I will be discussing the vital importance of community conservation and capacity building in a future post, and why altering the way and manner you discuss a topic with someone, can change conservation efforts (its about involvement!). 

If there is any terminology or jargon I've used and you do not think I've not made it clear enough, please leave a comment and I'll explain myself - if there is loads, then I'll set up a separate terminology/reference blog, where it can be discussed further.