FOR the Maasai people of eastern Africa, killing a male lion is a rite of passage. Since it is 鈥渢raditional鈥� and lions are only classified as 鈥渧ulnerable鈥� by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), conservationists are relatively relaxed about it.
But what about wealthy trophy seekers from Texas or Shanghai? The pro-hunting argument is that the huge sums they are charged to shoot lions can be funnelled back into conservation 鈥� but many still harbour reservations about the morality of this practice.
Now the IUCN has upped the ante by sanctioning the hunting of a critically endangered black rhino (see 鈥�Conservation group backs killing rare rhino for cash鈥�). It says the money raised will go into anti-poaching measures. If effective 鈥� and that鈥檚 a big if 鈥� then conservationists may have to accept that killing rare species could be a way to save them.
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This article will appear in print under the headline 鈥淜illing for cash to save the rhino?鈥�
