(Telegraph, Daily Mail & CNN) Oxford University research group Wildcru is under scrutiny for its discreet affiliation with hunting group. Daily Mail and Telegraph has reported on the founder of WildCRU admitting to allowing the organization to accepting donations from these groups and defended taking their donations. These groups included the Dallas Safari Club and pro hunting conservation group Panthera (Whose founder was active in the mining and oil & gas industry).
The presence of these groups surely are complicating the matters of the stage against poaching as these groups are not illegally killing animals but are killing them legally through paying a large sum of money to support conservation projects. Similar to cap and trade and the pollution Kyoto protocol where those with money can 'buy' you the rights to kill, these groups operate in the light and are pro conservation but are also pro hunting.
An investigation into Dallas Safari Club has shown that they are currently calling for DELTA, American Airlines and Air Canada to REVERSE the BAN on the transport of animal trophies which we have worked hard to achieve! The group is criticized for other controversial stunts like hosting a $350,000 Rhino hunt and an elephant shoot which they recently cancelled.
The affiliation of both of those group are going to cause WildCRU some turbulance especially after it had collected £500,000 in donations from Cecil lovers world wide, many of which are 100% against the killing of ANY animals. The founder of WildCRU, Professor David Macdonald, defended his stance claiming that there was no conflict of interest between its work and sources of funding. But the question is with groups like Dallas Safari Club that can pull out a third of a million from one auction, it would not be a surprise if they have deep roots in the WildCRU organization that we are not aware of.
We cannot don't blame WildCRU too much for accepting affiliation with these organizations as university groups are often strapped for funding and often accepted donations from its alumni in different fields including oil and gas, weapons and tobacco industry (through shell companies). Though it is fair game for us to place some degree of expectations for a world class university like Oxford to lead the way to ethical fundraising. My question is why didnt they disclose it right from the beginning. But it was RIGHT AFTER collecting all the money then they come out of the closet.
The revelation of groups like Panthera and Dallas Safari Club opens up a new can of worms: 'Sustainable' pro-hunting groups. These are groups owned by wealthy millionaires who pay hundreds of thousands to enjoy their activity of TROPHY HUNTING. They claim they are fine tuning the ecosystem by taking out invasive species and still keep a collection at home. These guys aren't fully the dark side but they're not fully pro-animals. It is important for donors to conduct sufficient research before jumping directly to a cause that others are tossing around.
Share with us in the comments below what you think of all these? Can WildCRU be trusted? Can these sustainable pro-hunting groups be allowed?
Our team at www.OurCecil.com will be investigating deeper into this issue as the WildCRU scandal unfolds.
Media sources:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/04/news/dallas-safari-club-african-game/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3185524/Oxford-University-research-team-studying-Cecil-lion-funded-pro-hunting-groups.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11784122/Cecil-the-lion-Oxford-University-defends-links-to-trophy-hunting-companies.html
Up Next:
Watch this brave ranger confronted this heavily armed poacher LIKE A BOSS (Left), This badass lion will scare the Sh!t out of you (middle), Watch Cecil's cousins in action (Right)
Watch this brave ranger confronted this heavily armed poacher LIKE A BOSS (Left), This badass lion will scare the Sh!t out of you (middle), Watch Cecil's cousins in action (Right)