Thread: Donald Trump's regime reverses ban on elephant trophies..

NZ is in a very unusual situation worldwide with our hunting. In most countries hunting is very regulated with licences and seasons.
Kenya banned hunting sometime ago, their animal numbers have declined. South Africa have embraced trophy hunting and game ranching, their animal numbers have increased several fold.
In America at the turn of the century their animal numbers were in decline, through taxes on ammo and sporting goods going to wildlife management and licences and strick seasons their animal numbers have increased.

The thing about elephants is that they destroy their habitat. Elephants kill trees when they feed on them and open the bush up. This isn't a problem when they can wander over vast areas. By the time they come back the forest has recovered. By restricting them to national parks, unless their numbers are controlled they will turn it into a desert.
By having hunting areas outside of national parks the habitat is extended and animal numbers increase.
In Zimbabwe the CAMPFIRE program sees trophy fees and meat going back to local villages for schools etc and food. The locals see the value of animals.
With no hunting their are no trophy fees and the locals only see wildlife as something eating their crops or competing with their livestock.

and we in NZ don't exactly have any native mammals so all mammals are a pest that MUST be shot

This is not about elephants, but does explain the issues of lion conservation in Africa.