Friday, April 5, 2013

The United Arab Emirates Enters The Canned Hunt Market




The United Arab Emirates Enters The Canned Hunt Market

This week the the Mourouj Hotels and Resorts announced that it will open the Barari Hunting Resort, near Al Ain, in September.

Guests to the resort will be able to "hunt, cook and eat a variety of UAE wildlife".
Those unfamiliar with the wildlife of the UAE may well get the impression that it is a country teeming with game. It is not, and all wildlife is protected. The newspaper reports state that they "will offer people the chance to hunt oryx, gazelle and deer".

There are no deer amongst the fauna of the UAE and the habitat is entirely unsuitable for them outside of a zoo setting. The Arabian Oryx breeds well in captivity and there are some hundreds in private and public collections within the country. A few have been released into monitored space and protected areas in Sharjah and around Liwa Oasis. The two species of gazelle are both extremely rare and to actually see one in the wild would be a thrill in itself. They both do relatively well in captivity.

So, in short, this is no 'Hunting Resort' this is going to be a 'fish in a barrel' Canned Hunt.

It matters little that so called 'hunters' will be able to cook and eat what they have slaughtered. This is so wrong in so many ways.

Where are the animals going to come from? Private collections and zoos. Each zoo selling its soul and instantly becoming a Dysfunctional Zoo. In fact zoos of the UAE should now speak out and condemn this enterprise before it actually starts operation.

I am not against hunting 'per se'. I have hunted and killed for pest control and for the pot and I have used a gun for culling surplus stock. But the idea of a Canned Hunt turns my stomach. I really cannot get my head around people killing animals because they actually enjoy it.


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