Hunting: a controversial tradition A tradition that has been practiced since the beginning of humanity is now being questioned by many as to whether it is still necessary in our modern age world. This long human tradition is hunting. In recent years, many questions have arisen from this controversy: whether hunting is humane and ethical for animals or whether it actually helps the environment. There are many different positions on this topic, but I will present the best arguments that I have found during my research on this topic. In the article “Hunting is Critical to Conservation,” Dr. Richard Emslie and Dr. Michael H. Knight argue that animal ecosystems in African game parks would actually be worse off without trophy hunting and hunting in general . In fact, this claim was backed by the support of Prince William of the United Kingdom. Others, however, think that hunting and trophy hunting actually cause damage to animal ecosystems. Canadian academic David Suzuki talks about this in his article “Grizzly bear trophy hunting is a sport like dog fighting.” Mr. Suzuki takes a stand against trophy hunting by focusing on the problems it is causing in British Columbia. He states: “I am not against hunting and many of those who oppose trophy hunting agree that sustainable hunting can be a good way to put food on the table. But shooting an animal – often while it is going to feed and therefore an easy target – only to hang its head on the wall or put its skin on the floor is not hunting. It's killing for pleasure” (2016). While hunting can cause harm to animals and natural ecosystems when practiced illegally and abused by poachers, it can bring great benefits to humans and even animals when practiced correctly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Hunting, if done improperly, can cause irreparable damage to ecosystems and even drive endangered animals to extinction. An example of this can be found in the Canadian territory of British Columbia. There has been great controversy over the British Columbian government's apparent failure to enforce bans on trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest. This controversy is the premise of the aforementioned article by David Suzuki. He states that “the British Columbia government has never recognized the coastal First Nations' ban on trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest” (2016). This is of serious concern because killing these bears, solely for the purpose of obtaining a trophy to take home, jeopardizes their species and could deprive future generations of the opportunity to admire bears in their natural habitat. Mr. Suzuki also states that “Bears eat salmon and drag the carcasses into the forest, providing food for other animals, such as eagles, and fertilizer for the rainforest's huge trees” (2016). Due to the important role of these bears in British Columbia's ecosystem, the extinction or decline of bear populations would lead to a drastic change in British Columbia's ecosystem. This issue is a perfect example of how a government failing to enforce its animal conservation laws can lead to illegal hunting, which in turn can have a widespread and drastic effect on animal ecosystems, the natural environment and future generations. of human beings. Despite this story of how hunting can bring negative effects on animals and.
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