Corey Knowlton and the Black Rhino

Photo provided by NBC

A story has been in progress since Sunday, January 12, 2014, about a the Dallas Safari Club's auction in which they were selling the license to hunt a single black rhino. If the fault in this sale item doesn't strike you right away, here are a few facts to add some weight to the purchase:

• The African Black Rhino is extremely endangered (only 5,055 left in the wild)
• Females are pregnant for 15-17 months and calves stay with their mothers for 2-4 years (This means less babies less often)
• Black Rhinos live up to 30-35 years in the wild (35-45 in captivity)
• More male calves are born than female calves (less babies again)- however males tend to have a higher mortality rate (still not good)



Photo from Wikipedia

• Poachers are the biggest threat to the rhino population

Corey Knowlton paid $350,000 at the Dallas Safari Club auction for the license to kill a single black rhino. Knowlton is now receiving death threats from many activists for his intent to lessen the already declining participation that much more. However Knowlton shows no intention of backing down. In no way to I condone or justify the threats targeting the hunter's life, I disagree with the situation entirely. The Safari club should not have the right to sell the life of another creature, especially not one so rare and endangered. There is already a major fine in place for poaching the rhinos, so why should a recreational group from another country be allowed to waive that fee?

Ben Carter, the director of the Safari Club, argues the rhino being targeted is "old, male and non-breeding and is likely to be targeted for removal anyway because it [is] becoming aggressive and threatening other wildlife." Does this impact the value of the rhino's life? Are we the ones to judge the male's practicality in the population? Perhaps we have the data, but we do not possess the empathy.

I do not believe Knowlton is the enemy, I believe he is the embodiment of a larger problem; the lack of value that humans hold for other earthlings. Knowlton, who is scheduled to rob the life of this rare beast, stated that he "deeply care[s] about all of the inhabitants of this planet and [he] is looking forward to more educated discussion regarding the ongoing conservation effort for the Black Rhino." Knowlton has also acknowledged that he sees both sides of the argument, and holds to his reasoning as the fact that he "want[s] to experience a black rhino. [Knowlton] want[s] to be intimately involved with a black rhino." This man does not deserve to die for his actions. Reprimanded? Yes. Fined for the catch if he does harm the animal? Definitely. But death is not the answer.

Knowlton with a recent kill (Photo from Independent.co.uk)

After all, one of the reasons the message for animal rights is often misconstrued or pushed aside is because all the public is shown is radical and violent displays of the cause. I believe Knowlton's license for the rhino hunt should be immediately revoked, no matter how much he spent on it. There are peaceful ways to share experiences with the other beings of this earth, a (peaceful) safari trip to and African country that the rhino inhabits (Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa) could provide a similar connection without the premature loss of energy in that ecosystem. Do not blame Knowlton, but do prevent him, for the sake of a disappearing species.

 The Independent Articles Following Knowlton's Purchase:
Big-game hunters in Texas bid for licence to kill one of Africa’s rare black rhinos 

Hunter who paid $350,000 to kill a black rhino defends his actions in face of backlash

Black rhino hunter Corey Knowlton receives death threats after winning license to shoot endangered animal

Rhino Facts:

Black Rhino Profile 

Rhino Population Figures 

National Geographic