DALLAS (AP) — The US government will allow a Texas man to import the trophy of an endangered black rhinoceros should he kill one in Africa as part of a conservation fundraiser.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday that importing a carcass from Namibia meets criteria under the Endangered Species Act of benefiting conservation.…
Corey Knowlton bid $350,000 last year in a Dallas Safari Club auction billed as a fundraising effort to save the black rhino.
In a letter to the agency in December, the club’s executive director, Ben Carter, said the money raised from such auctions is “critical to supporting the Namibian government in their efforts to stem the tide of commercial killing of these animals.”
Since publishing the initial request in November, the US Fish and Wildlife Service received more than 15,000 comments, as well as petitions with about 152,000 signatures demanding that it be denied. PETA said Thursday that it will file a lawsuit.
The hunt was postponed and Knowlton’s money kept in escrow while the agency deliberated over the permit application.
Dallas Safari Club spokeswoman Jay Ann Cox could not immediately confirm Thursday whether a date has been set for the hunt.
The agency also is allowing Michael Luzich, a Las Vegas investment manager, to import his black rhino trophy. Namibia directly sold him a hunting permit.
Luzich has received far less scrutiny than Knowlton, who said last year he hired full-time security because he’d received death threats once his name became public knowledge.
Full story at http://fwbusinesspress.com/fwbp/article/1/9432/Breaking-News/US-government-approves-Dallas-clubs-rhino-import-permit-.aspx
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/804/950/521/?cid=FB_TAF
The federal government in the US has confirmed that permission has been granted to Trophy hunter Corey Knowlton
Once again we are shown proof that money is power in the United States of America, with permission being granted to Trophy hunter Corey Knowlton to import the trophy of critically endangered black Rhino from Namibia for which he paid 350,000 dollars. This must be stopped before precedent is made and all wealthy people become entitled to be above international law.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/804/950/521/?cid=FB_TAF
Exposing the Big Game 
That petition doesn’t even say what we’re asking for. The person who created it really needs to fix the errors and clarify what the petitioners are asking of the president and congress.
Reblogged this on The Metal Hare's Mix.
This is utterly disgusting, but as you know, money trumps Everything in the U.S. I know, I live here, unfortunately.
Signed, for the little it will probably do. Sigh …
Signed. We should just stop using the word “democracy” and replace it with “plutocracy.” Money rules. It seems no amount of petitioning, e-mailing, writing to legislators and agencies works (although I will keep doing it). What matters is what the big groups (hunters/ranchers/extractors) and wealthy individuals want and will pay for. When we vote, we usually just vote for the next one who will cave in to power and benefit from big donations.