David @ Tokyo

The BBC is running an article on the notion of sustainable use for conservation, after an opinion piece by the IWMC - World Conservation Trust's Eugene Lapointe was published in their "Green Room".

Lapointe uses developing countries in Africa as an example of where this approach has been successful, comparing positive outcomes in Southern African nations where consumptive use is embraced, with Kenya where consumptive use has been rejected but poaching remains an issue.

An IFAW spokesperson responding to the BBC was naturally outraged (the IFAW think that killing animals is not "morally justifiable"), but Dr. Peter Lindsey from the University of Zimbabwe agreed that overall the benefits of an approach embracing consumptive use, of which sport hunting is one manifestation, make it neccessary to retain for conservation purposes.

The IUCN (World Conservation Union) also broadly supports sustainable use as a conservation mechanism. Their sustainable use policy can be found here.

Labels: Eugene Lapointe, sustainable use