PHASA Captive Bred Lion Hunting

[saeng101]

To start off with it has been a long time since I have been on this site. As such this could come across as a whine. That is not the intent.

The Professional Hunters Association of South Africa, PHASA, had their annual meeting this week. A group of lion farmers seems to have hijacked the organization. The PHASA constitution was changed to allow for captive bred lion hunting with essentially little restrictions. The outcome was that a number of PH's resigned the organization and Board as they see this an unethical and a violation of fair chase principles.

Several organizations have subsequently withdrawn their support of PHASA. The Wild Sheep Foundation from the US was first, followed shortly after by OPHAA. SCI has been silent so far. It was a bit distressing to find that an officer of SCI apparently participated in a canned captive bred lion hunt that was in violation of the SCI standards.

I for one will not hunt with any member of PHASA until they amend their rules to again ban captive bred lion hunting. There is a bit of a history in SA when ethical issues were overlooked. I was a long term member of KZN Hunting and Conservation. When they failed to support ethical hunting we formed a new organization that does. KZN has lost a significant number of members and we are nearing 100. My fondest hope is that the departing PH's will opt to form a new organization that will allow for censure of hunters that fail to meet standards for ethics and fair chase.

 

[BRICKBURN]

 

[BRICKBURN]

? @Leopards Valley Safaris

Any further news Dave?

 

[daved]

? @Leopards Valley Safaris

Any further news Dave?

Hi Wayne , I’m gutted.
Firstly I want to confirm that I no longer serve on the PHASA executive and have resigned as the Eastern Province provincial representative .

Yes PHASA has started hunting Captive Bred Lions again. The ripple effect has started and will be massive in my opinion.

Most sponsors who partnered with PHASA did so due to their fairchase policy and hunting ethics as per their code of conduct. When we stopped hunting CBL we got huge international and regional support as this practice is a stain on hunting and paints all hunters world wide with the same paintbrush.

So when this was voted in by ( in my opinion) a large proportion of Limpopo and North West members. They had large resignations of executive members , conservation and empowerment fund directors and provincial reps. There also seem to be unconfirmed mass resignations of members.

SITKA gear started packing up their booth during the AGM and will withdraw further sponsorship
Wild sheep foundation has withdrawn sponsorship
Sports Afield magazine has withdrawn sponsorship
Ripcord Travel insurance have withdrawn sponsorship
Leopards Valley Safaris will withdraw AGM sponsorship and conservation and empowerment fund contributions

That’s just what I know about.
They will also loose all credibility with wildlife sustainable advocacy groups like the CIC and CONSERVATION FORCE
and scientific organizations that support hunting as a conservation tool like the IUCN and WWF

As a fairchase outfitter that promotes the principles of sustainable utilization I will also be tending my resignation . Below is a statement


I cannot condone the turn around that PHASA has made this past AGM . The decision to open up CBL (Captive Bred Lion Hunts )
This practice is legal but completely socially unacceptable and unsupported by any of our international hunting associations or scientific bodies.
I have therefore stepped down from the executive 6 hrs before my term expired and resigned as the Eastern Cape representative.
This will be followed by a full resignation soon.

The Core members of PHASA are now homeless and we’ve been offered a home !! I urge all pro hunters and hunting Outfitters to join us . Dave Davenport , Leopards Valley Safaris

CONCERNED PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS

In light of the recent acceptance of the shooting of CBL (captive bred lions) as a legitimate form of hunting by PHASA ( The Professional Hunters Association of South Africa).
We, as a concerned group of professional hunters, distance ourselves completely from such acceptance and no longer view PHASA as the legitimate mouthpiece for professional hunting in South Africa.
A new association will be formed in the very near future and will once again reflect the traditions of responsible, ethical and conservation based hunting in South Africa.

23rd November 2017 shared from Paul Stones

 

[daved]

 

[ActionBob]

My fondest hope is that the departing PH's will opt to form a new organization that will allow for censure of hunters that fail to meet standards for ethics and fair chase.

Sounds good, but I sure hope that by "hunters" you mean PH's and Outfitters as well as clients.

 

[robertq]

Sounds good, but I sure hope that by "hunters" you mean PH's and Outfitters as well as clients.

There are also D&P and shippers in PHASA... USF&WL & CITES will never give a import permit.......

 

[BRICKBURN]

.......... CITES will never give a import permit.......

??? I assume you are speaking about US officials and US Imports.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

APHA Press Release

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

OPHAA Press Release

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

NAPHA Press Release

 

[robertq]

??? I assume you are speaking about US officials and US Imports.

YES....

 

[edward]

at 79 in 3 days i guess im retarded and dumb,but,why is it ok to hunt a captive bred plains game animal but not a lion???providing the animal in question is not in a squeeze shoot or in a small enclosure but is running free in what would be the same country as the wild animal is hunted in??not trying to start an argument,but,whats the difference?other than the captive lion might be more dangerous as they dont fear man as much as the wild animal does.not looking for sarcasm,just a straight answer.

 

[wesheltonj]

Does this only apply to CBL, or any “legal” method, ie, the back of a truck, in a fixed stand, baiting - hunting. I was not there but I can see why some might want that change. To some folks those three methods above are not ethical to them, but to others they are.

However, it does seem to have cause a sh*t storm, glad my stuff is out of RSA and waiting for Dennis to work his magic.

 

[LivingTheDream]

@edward I'm right there with you. I think the CBL issue is a proof of concept by anti hunting group to how to slowly implement their agenda. Before long it will be captive breed kudu and impala.

 

[SafariA]

Below the Press statement for your info .

PHASA ADOPTS NEW CONSTITUTION AND RESOLUTION AT 2017 AGM

Pretoria, 24 November 2017 –

At the 40th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA), a bold and brave step was taken by members within the Association to adopt a new constitution, which bring accountability and credibility to the Association. A total of 79% of our members who voted, endorsed the introduction of the new constitution. Under the new constitution the Executive Committee (EXCO), has the freedom to guide ad govern the Association on behalf of the members, but remains accountable for their actions, in accordance with terms and good corporate governance.

The driving factor that necessitated this change was that the previous constitution was no longer aligned with the current Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. PHASA identified an obligation to evolve and accordingly develop the new constitution of the Association in line with modern times. The new constitution is a living document that will enable the development of the Association in conjunction with the relevant Government Departments in a rapidly evolving hunting industry, for the benefit of the South African bio-diversity economy, our communities and our members.

The collective membership acknowledged the importance of being involved in the various segments of the industry. As one of the leading professional hunting association in the world, we need to take responsibility of our industry and provide guidance in the development of rules, regulations and standards. PHASA cannot merely distance itself from various stakeholders and activities occurring within the industry and expect to be in a position of influence.

A concern was that the new constitution would be perceived to condone the hunting of captive bred lions, which is currently a legal activity with in the Republic. Accordingly, a resolution was passed by 65% of voting members at the AGM, in which PHASA accepts the responsible hunting of ranched lions on South African Predator Association accredited hunting ranches within the relevant legal framework and/or according to recommendations of the applicable hunting association. This resolution provides for a more comprehensive standard of industry involvement and endorses industry input from both international and local hunting associations. It is the Association’s belief that the adopted resolution allows for the continuation and further development of close working relationships with local and international hunting associations.

PHASA reiterates its position in which it vehemently rejects any and all forms of canned or illegal hunting.

PHASA endorses all stakeholders to directly engage with our EXCO through the PHASA Office for further comment and/or clarity.

The PHASA EXCO realized the importance of the decisions to be made and introduced a new mobile app to make all relevant information and voting possible to all members.

PHASA realizes that there is a vast amount of misinformation and falsehoods out there and the EXCO plans to set the record straight with all relevant information within the near future.
We request that members realize the dangers of false information on social media and refrain from commenting on or behaving in an unprofessional manner or making uninformed statements.

For further information we request our members and the public to contact Dries van Coller, PHASA president, president@phasa.co.za or Tersia Du Plooy at phasa@phasa.co.za

 

[IvW]

Thankfully I resigned from PHASA many years ago and vowed not to become a member again.

 

[edward]

@edward I'm right there with you. I think the CBL issue is a proof of concept by anti hunting group to how to slowly implement their agenda. Before long it will be captive breed kudu and impala.

dont forget sable,cape buff,etc,etc.

 

[SafariA]

Hi everybody . I am going to post a reply to a journalists question just to give a little perspective . If anybody has any questions I would try and answer to the best of my ability.


On behalf of the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA) we would like to thank you for requesting clarity on an issue which has been taken vastly out of context.
Firstly, with regards to your heading “PHASA votes for canned lion hunting”. PHASA vehemently rejects any and all forms of canned or illegal hunting. As an Association we did not vote for canned hunting (which is against the law) we voted for the collective involvement in the decision making process of managed ranched lions.
Question 1 – Why did PHASA vote to allow Captive Bred lion hunting at its AGM on Wednesday? Why did it reverse its decision made in 2015 against canned lion hunting?
As the largest Professional Hunting Association in the world, it is exceptionally irresponsible to merely distance yourself from a legal activity within your country and expect a positive outcome for lion conservation. The 2015 resolution played a pivotal part in bringing about change within the industry; however by distancing ourselves we allowed rouge elements to continue unabated. There are over 6000 Lions in private ownership in the country and it is paramount that PHASA be involved guiding a collective process which brings accountability to the industry.
PHASA has adopted a new resolution which only accepts ranched lions (lions which are not hand reared and have minimal human imprinting) to be hunted on accredited South African Predator Association (SAPA) Ranches. Despite there been over 200 lion breeding facilities in the country, only 10 (5%) of these have ascertained the high standards required to be accredited hunting ranches. PHASA only accepts the responsible hunting of lions on these few properties and has insisted on even stricter norms and standards especially for our membership.
Question 2 - Please provide comment regarding being suspended from OPHAA and having sponsorship withdrawn from BookYourHunt.com – does PHASA think these actions were justified in reaction to the/it’s vote?
It is indeed very unfortunate that the Operators and Professional Hunters Association Africa (OPHAA) felt the need to suspend PHASA membership indefinitely. OPHAA have in our opinion made a hastily and irrational decision without proper consultation. PHASA has an unquestionable duty to be involved within the broader industry and guide principles that have direct or indirect influences on the industry and the boarder community. The South African Conservation model is very different to our fellow neighbouring countries and through the sustainable use of natural resources been immensely successful in establishing South Africa as one of the leading wildlife conservators of the world.
It is estimated that there are 6970 wild lions in Africa (including South Africa) according to the 2014 published IUCN Red Data list. South Africa in contrast is home to over 6000 lions in private ownership, 46% of the world’s lion population. It is reckless and irresponsible for OPHAA to condemn PHASA for making a concerted effort to become involved and take a leading role in the conservation of 46% of the world’s lion population.

Question 3 – What will PHASA do now? Will it still approve canned hunting or will it reverse its vote following being suspended and having sponsorship withdrawn?
The loss of any sponsorship and ill-informed suspension is of course concern but as an Association, we have a broader responsibility to the South African biodiversity economy, the socio-economic development of our communities and most importantly our members. We are a membership driven Association and have a duty to be accountable to the members.
As an Association it is paramount that we engage with all stakeholders to address the ill-informed public perception about lions and the position PHASA has taken to be an industry leader.

 

[IvW]

at 79 in 3 days i guess im retarded and dumb,but,why is it ok to hunt a captive bred plains game animal but not a lion???providing the animal in question is not in a squeeze shoot or in a small enclosure but is running free in what would be the same country as the wild animal is hunted in??not trying to start an argument,but,whats the difference?other than the captive lion might be more dangerous as they dont fear man as much as the wild animal does.not looking for sarcasm,just a straight answer.

@ Edward. Are you happy to hunt a lion that was darted in a small enclosure and then released into a larger area early in the morning and then been informed a short while later that the trackers have miraculously discovered fresh lion tracks at a water hole? You then start tracking this lion and shoot it a couple of hours after it has been released?