How Trophy Hunting Helped Save the Kri Kri Ibex From Extinction: A Historical Analysis

Trophy hunting has been a controversial topic for many years, but it has recently been credited for saving the Kri Kri ibex from extinction. The animal, endemic to the island of Crete, was hunted almost to extinction in the 1950s. But in 1972, a hunting ban was imposed, and trophy hunting was allowed on island of Sapientza. This allowed hunters to pay for the privilege of hunting the ibex, with the money going to conservation efforts. The money was used to protect the ibex from poachers, and to maintain its habitat. The result has been that the population of the Kri Kri ibex has boomed, and today there are more than 300 of them living on the island. This remarkable success story shows how trophy hunting, if managed properly, can be an effective way to save endangered species from extinction. The Kri Kri ibex owes its survival to the conservation efforts that were funded by the money generated by the blood of these majestic animals.

A Comprehensive Guide To Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Sustainable utilization of the Earth's resources is a way for humans to benefit from them without negatively impacting the environment. These natural elements can include living organisms, such as plants, fish, and animals, as well as non-living elements like water, soil, and minerals. When considering natural resources, it is important to consider the risk of depletion: can they be regenerated, and if so, at what rate? Renewable resources, for example trees and animals, naturally replenish relatively quickly. On the other hand, minerals and oil take a much longer time to form and are considered non-renewable. It has been observed that the most effective entities at preserving sustainability are those owned privately or by smaller communities. Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) is the practice of skillfully managing wildlife species so that their populations and habitats can be sustained in the long term, considering the socioeconomic requirements of humans.

Wild meat hunting in many parts of the globe has become unsustainable, due to either an increase in hunting activities or a decrease in the wildlife population caused by a range of direct and indirect factors. If unchecked, unsustainable hunting can lead to the extinction of vulnerable species, which may in turn negatively impact the entire ecosystem. On the other hand, controlled and sustainable trophy hunting tourism may be useful in controlling animal populations when they become too large. The number of animals that a habitat can support is known as the carrying capacity, which is typically greater than the actual number of animals. The job of the wildlife manager is to keep the animal population within the carrying capacity so as not to cause any damage to either the animals or their habitat.

This piece seeks to illustrate the significance of the supervised hunting tourism of the endangered kri kri ibex in Greece for maintaining the species. To comprehend the fundamentals of controlling their population, we must first be acquainted with the animal. Kri Kri ibex are primarily a type of wild goat.

Goats are highly esteemed amongst the animal species, due to their ability to thrive in even the most challenging mountainous conditions, as well as their tolerance of harsh weather and willingness to consume low-quality feed. Additionally, their small size in comparison to the amount of production they can generate, along with their versatile nature, are some of the reasons why goats were among the first animals to be domesticated. "Over the past 50 years, the global goat population has experienced an impressive growth of 240%, while other domesticated animals have either stayed the same or decreased in number. Presently, there are approximately one billion goats worldwide, with more than 90% located in Asia and Africa, and only 1.8% in Europe. Goats are exceptionally intelligent and agile creatures, with the capacity to fend off diseases more effectively than other ruminant species. Unfortunately, human beings have taken advantage of goats’ ability to feed on vegetation not readily consumed by other livestock, and goats have been driven to marginal lands and forests. Experts have deemed goats as harmful to vegetation and have suggested a ban on them." According to evolutionary records, goats can be divided into three distinct categories based on geographic range: European, Asian, and African. Despite the fact that the global goat population has been steadily rising for centuries, the increase has become even more pronounced in the last few decades, surpassing the rate of human population growth.

Among the most iconic and symbolic members of the ibex family in Europe is the Cretan ibex. While hunting and trading is strictly forbidden, the taking of a limited number of organisms is essential for keeping the population of Sapienza Island in good health. "Capra aegagrus cretica : Endemic subspecies. Strictly protected, its hunting is prohibited. Bern Convention - Annex II Directive 92/43 EEC, Annexes II and IV (natural populations only) IUCN 2007. Capra aegagrus : Troto (VU)." The ability to sustainably harvest the Kri Kri ibex population relies on a surplus of reproduction, which is computed by the correlation of births, deaths, and physical development. Sustainable yields can be determined through experimentation, analyzing natural systems, or using biological knowledge. Research of Theodorou Island, which is comparable to Sapienza Island situated near Crete, uncovered that no more than sixty creatures can inhabit one square kilometer. Consequently, the most extreme number of animals that Sapienza Island can uphold is 540. As indicated by information from an animal study few years ago, there are more than 200 ibex and the same number of mouflons on Sapienza Island, which puts it dangerously close to overcrowding and the subsequent devastation of vegetation and the expiration of all animals. By looking at a few studies from related animal populations around the globe, it is possible to predict when this situation might occur. To form a knowledgeable estimate of the reproductive surplus of Kri Kri ibex on Sapienza Island, we will use information from a study of the wild bezoar ibex population carried out by Karadeniz Technical University. This esteemed educational institution, which was established in 1955, is the fourth oldest college in Turkey and is located in Trabzon, in the Black Sea Region of the country. The gender ratio, as suggested by the research, is as follows: 10+ years old males  15 %; 5-9  years old males  35 % ; 2-4  years old males  50 %. Research has indicated that the goats generally reproduce annually with 66% of them giving birth to two kids, 30% to one kid, and 4% to three kids. Each female goat produces an average of 0.85 kids. The sex ratio of the animals in the herd was 25% males, 35% females and 40% kids. (This data is taken from the Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 8 (11): 2318-2324, 2009 ISSN: 1680-5593 Medwell Journals, 2009. The Distribution of Wild Goat Capra aegagrus Erxleben 1877 and Population Characteristics in Isparta, Turkey. Ebubekir Gundogdu and Idris Ogurlu Faculty of Forestry, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.)

According to the Greek Fauna Documentation Center's official account, the kri kri ibex population on Sapienza Island was composed of two hundred animals. With the total amount of creatures being two hundred, the female ibex will provide sixty new births each year. If half of these are lost due to natural mortality, then the other thirty will result in an overpopulation of the area in just five years. The estimated lifespan of wild ibex is around twelve years. To prevent the destruction of vegetation and overpopulation, the only solution is to have a regulated hunting tourism activity. Trophy hunting, which is an alternative form of tourism, can bring substantial revenue to the state and local businesses by removing the oldest and most senior males. Aside from controlling overpopulation, it also contributes to the sex and age ratio of a given habitat, which is just as essential. A research conducted by a Turkish University has shown that during the mating season, the oldest barren males have the upper hand in claiming harems, leaving the younger, fertile animals without progeny. This, in turn, decreases the birth rate and lowers the population size. "A research conducted on a small, habitat-limited population of bighorn sheep in Canada showed that the birth rate significantly increased in the herd after the oldest and most commanding males were removed through hunting. This demonstrates that even with around 30 animals hunted every year, the population of Sapienza Island remains consistent and healthy due to hunting trophy tourism. This is in comparison to Theodorou Island, where hunting was not allowed, and the plant food source decreased by 30% in a decade! Even though hunting trophy tourism has evident advantages, public opinion is still unfavorable towards this human activity. Hunting and hunters are constantly being criticized and accused without any valid grounds. Conservation of sustainable natural resources should not be used for personal gain or political objectives. It is a process that depends on scientific methods to form and implement long-term plans with the best interests of future generations in mind."

The widespread criticism of trophy hunting has been exploited by certain pseudo-environmental organizations and political groups to manipulate the emotions of the public, despite their limited knowledge on the topic. The use of public disapproval of trophy photos in social media and the public sphere has been used by government officials as a justification to suppress any attempts to inform people about the advantages of hunting. It is quite regrettable that those responsible for safeguarding wildlife, appointed to positions of authority, would aim to curtail freedom of speech and impede the dissemination of data that demonstrates the scientifically-proven merits of hunting. Due to the irresponsible behaviour of the officials, it is legally forbidden to film and distribute footage of the hunt happening on Sapienza Island. "However, one of the major risks to the kri kri ibex is the lack of knowledge of government personnel, who are in a position to make decisions that are not in line with evidence-based methods and solutions. It should come as no surprise that the protection of wildlife is now a worldwide objective with well-established principles that do not rely on the judgment of civil servants. This was strongly highlighted by the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, which took place in Stockholm, Sweden, and adopted some core concepts in this area." "Stockholm Declaration • Principle 2: “The natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management, as appropriate. The Stockholm Declaration not only addressed resource depletion, but also benefit sharing: the objective to ensure that natural resource use not only benefits the few, but the many, both within and across countries. It also speaks to the principle of inter-generational equity: ensuring that today’s resource use does not compromise the availability of natural resources for future generations. In fact, natural resource use relates to all three dimensions of sustainability: social justice, environmental health, and economic development. The sustainable use of natural resources strives for balance between these dimensions: maintaining the long-term use of resources while maximizing social benefits and minimizing environmental impacts. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/sustainable-use-natural-resources-governance-challenge" We are presently in a situation where the survival of more species than ever before is being compromised due to human activities. This is mainly due to the lack of knowledge and awareness of the inherent threats to wildlife and their habitats. Trophy hunting should not be seen as a problem, but rather as a solution. The option is to make use of renewable natural resources or risk losing them altogether. The decision is in the hands of humanity.