Trophy hunting elicits strong emotions with most people either being firm supporters or opponents. Public debate around trophy hunting often centres on the question of the morality of sport hunting and the question of the extent to which the money paid by trophy hunters benefits the population of game animals and the local economy.

Trophy hunting is the selective hunting of old wild game animals. While parts of the slain animal are kept as a trophies, the carcass itself is always used as food for the camp and for nourishment of local communities which are often purely subsistence farmers who frequently experience famine and general destitution.

Trophy hunting that is ethical and community-based, is one of the most effective methods of both improving genetic quality of a game population and teaching local communities that sustainable utilisation of natural resources is in their and the animals best interest. Ethical Trophy Hunters ensure that only old males are hunted those that are well past their prime, those that are no longer breeding, those that are preventing new genetic stock from being introduced into the population.

In addition, community-based Trophy Hunters ensure that trophy fees benefit local communities in the form of feeding schemes, health schemes, education and employment. This is the greatest weapon that we can have against poaching which is the indiscriminate slaughter of game; young, old male, female abundant or scarce. For ethical community-based Trophy Hunts give communities, which are the perpetrators of poaching, the food that they were looking for in the first place as well as a steady income and employment from Trophy Hunting activities.

Trophy hunting has often been seen as the preserve of the wealthy gentleman who is purely satisfying his blood-lust and his desire to have a bigger and better trophy than his peers. While at the deepest level this has probably not changed; the modern world through ethical community-based Trophy Hunting takes this and creates multiple benefits for both the people in local communities and the health and well-being of the animal population.

It is essential that Trophy Hunts are carried out in this context of sustainability so that the biodiversity needs from flora, fauna and people are kept in balance; ensuring that the circle-of-life is maintained in order and in balance.

There is no other way that has proven itself as effective in the long-term eradication of poverty and indiscriminate poaching; than sustainable, ethical and community-based Trophy Hunting programs. These provide both nutrition and a sense of well-being that comes with meaningful employment and contribution to society which is often sadly lacking in wild African areas. Now, we have the opportunity to contribute to the solution of poverty and poaching.