Latest news with #NationalParks
3 hours ago
A trophy hunter killed a lion in Zimbabwe that was part of a research project, sparking anger
HARARE, Zimbabwe -- The killing of a collared lion involved in a research project in Zimbabwe by a trophy hunter has been condemned by wildlife groups, echoing the infamous case of a lion called Cecil whose death at the hands of an American tourist in the same country a decade ago was met with international outrage. The latest lion, known as Blondie, was part of an Oxford University study and wore a research collar sponsored by Africa Geographic, a safari company. Africa Geographic said Blondie was killed by a hunter in June close to the country's flagship Hwange National Park after being lured out of a protected area and into a nearby hunting zone with the use of bait. After Blondie's killing became a new rallying cry for those opposed to hunting, a spokesperson for Zimbabwe's National Parks told The Associated Press on Thursday that the hunt was legal and the hunter had the necessary permits. Zimbabwe allows up to 100 lions to be hunted a year. Trophy hunters, who are usually foreign tourists, pay tens of thousands of dollars to kill a lion and take the head or skin as a trophy. Africa Geographic CEO Simon Espley said Blondie's killing made 'a mockery of the ethics' trophy hunters claim to prescribe to because he wore a clearly visible research collar and was a breeding male in his prime. Hunters say they only target ageing, non-breeding lions. "That Blondie's prominent collar did not prevent him from being offered to a hunting client confirms the stark reality that no lion is safe from trophy hunting guns,' Espley said. Hunting lions is fiercely divisive, even among conservationists. Some say if it is well managed it raises money that can be put back into conservation. Others want killing wildlife for sport to be banned outright. Some countries in Africa like Kenya have commercial hunting bans, others like Zimbabwe and South Africa allow it. Botswana lifted a ban on hunting six years ago. Tinashe Farawo, the spokesperson for the Zimbabwe parks agency, said money from hunting is crucial to support the southern African nation's underfunded conservation efforts. He defended the hunt and said they often happen at night, meaning the collar on Blondie may not have been visible. He said he had no information on Blondie being lured out of the park with bait — which is usually a dead animal — but there 'is nothing unethical or illegal about that for anyone who knows how lions are hunted. This is how people hunt.' 'Our rangers were present. All paperwork was in order. Collars are for research purposes, but they don't make the animal immune to hunting," Farawo said. He declined to name the hunter. Cecil's killing in 2015 unleashed furious anger against Walter Palmer, a Minnesota dentist and trophy hunter who lured the lion out of the same national park in Zimbabwe and shot him with a bow before tracking him for hours and finally killing him. Cecil, whose head and skin were cut off and taken for trophies, was also involved in a research project by Oxford University. Zimbabwe authorities initially said they would seek to extradite Palmer over the hunt, although that didn't happen, while a hunting guide who helped him was arrested, only for charges to be dropped. Zimbabwe's national parks agency says the country makes about $20 million a year from trophy hunting, with a single hunter spending an average of $100,000 per hunt — which includes accommodation and hiring vehicles and local trackers. Zimbabwe is home to approximately 1,500 wild lions, with around one-third of them living in the vast Hwange National Park. Across Africa, the wild lion population is estimated at around 20,000. However, their numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss and human conflict. Lions, one of Africa's most iconic species, are currently listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Eroding protections for public lands
'Public lands have tremendous bipartisan support in the state,' Lawson said in reference to her home state of Montana, about 30% of which is federal public land. 'Everybody from the wilderness advocates who want public land preserved in perpetuity to the hunters and anglers to the OHV (off-highway vehicle) Jeepers. Everybody loves public lands. Access to those public lands is so integral to daily life.' Deep budget and staffing cuts to the U.S. National Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management could affect their ability to effectively care for these lands at a time when they are experiencing record numbers of visitors. Last year, national parks welcomed more than 332 million visitors, a new high, up 6 million from 2023. The National Park System has lost 24% of its permanent staff since Trump returned to office in January, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, a watchdog advocacy group. The association attributes much of the drop to job cuts and staff taking buyouts offered by Trump's administration. And, the National Forest Service cut about 10% of its workforce as part of the administration's campaign to reduce spending. This legislation that Trump signed also rescinded funding for conservation and climate resilience projects in national parks and Bureau of Land Management land that was provided in a law signed by his predecessor Joe Biden called the Inflation Reduction Act. 'Unleashing America's economic potential goes hand-in-hand with preserving our public lands, as years of mismanagement, regulatory overreach and neglect of routine management have hindered outdoor recreation opportunities,' the White House said in a statement to Reuters. Leshy said budget and staffing cuts could be a strategic move by U.S. officials who have long wanted to dispose of public land, pointing to Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget and a force behind the Project 2025 initiative that laid out a conservative blueprint for reshaping the U.S. government. 'I think they've decided, looking at the opinion polls, that it's not popular and it's not wise to press for outright selling off or disposing, transferring federal lands. So what they're doing instead is hollowing out their management, is slashing their budgets and slashing the personnel,' Leshy said. 'The aim is, 'Let's make federal management so bad and so dismal that it will change public opinion,'' Leshy added.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
EXCLUSIVE: Mysterious giant Elon Musk head travels America's national parks, saying 'Make America Wait Again'
EXCLUSIVE: During this high summer season, visitors to several of America's most iconic national parks have found themselves face to face with something unexpected: the towering 12-foot-sculpted head of Elon Musk, smirking confidently atop a trailer. It's flanked by patriotic stars and a two-part message: "MAKE AMERICA WAIT AGAIN" and, in bold yellow below, "Now With Longer Lines Thanks to DOGE Cuts." The sculpture has made surprise appearances at Arches, Yosemite and Mt. Rainier National Parks, drawing curious crowds and fueling viral conversations online. Now, the anonymous organizer behind the spectacle has come forward exclusively to Fox News Digital to explain why he built it, why he picked Musk — President Donald Trump's former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader and policy advisor — and why he wanted it seen in America's favorite outdoor spaces. "You're not the first outlet people would expect to run this," the anonymous backer said during a phone interview. "Which is exactly why I wanted to talk to you." Identifying only as a concerned citizen and "curious reader," the man insists he has no ties to any political organization, nonprofit, or corporate interest. "No organizations, no parties — just me and a few people who care," he said. He explained that the sculpture is "part protest, part performance art," aimed at drawing attention to recent layoffs and budget reductions across the National Park Service.'AMERICAN HERO' OR 'FAILURE': ELON MUSK'S DOGE DEPARTURE DIVIDES CAPITOL HILL "However you feel about the DOGE cuts, and we're using that word tongue-in-cheek, the reality is that thousands of people who love these parks and work to protect them were let go or impacted. And nobody's really talking about it anymore." The parks were a deliberate choice. "National parks are one of the few truly nonpartisan joys we have in this country," he said. "Democrats, Republicans, independents — everyone loves the outdoors." He chose Mt. Rainier for this weekend's installation, he said, because of the high-season congestion and overflowing parking lots. "It's incredibly packed. One lane in, one lane out. The parking lots are overflowing — you literally can't park to see the most popular spots," he said. "It just felt … poetic." Park visitors' reactions were wide-ranging. Some posed for photos, others made rude gestures, and many simply stared. "People crowded around it, took photos, laughed, flipped it off, gave it thumbs-up," he said. "It ran the gamut — a good cross-section of America." The sculpture, built by a Michigan-based artist found online, was designed to look lifelike, and just exaggerated enough to be meme-ready. "We looked for someone who could do something photo-realistic on a big scale but still work within a budget," he said. "We really wanted the smirk. That very self-satisfied look." As for the sign, "MAKE AMERICA WAIT AGAIN" was no accident. The nod to a certain president's famous slogan is deliberate, the backer admitted, but it isn't meant to target any particular political side. "It's meant to spark conversation," he said. "Everyone has an opinion about Elon Musk. But I wanted this to cut across political lines." When asked why he insists on remaining anonymous, the backer didn't dodge the question. "There's something fun about the mystery," he said. "It's not important who I am. It's about what this statue represents." Images of the Musk bust have set Reddit ablaze. Comments from just one post from r/pics include: The mystery creator acknowledges the risks of such a public display but believes the message matters. "Major things happen in our country, real, damaging things, and we forget them because the news cycle spins so fast," he said. "This is a loud, silly way to not forget." When asked what he'd say directly to Musk, he didn't hesitate: "Stick to making cars, and stay out of screwing up the government." The backer says the National Parks themselves are what unite Americans in divided times. "It is like common knowledge that becoming a park ranger is something you do for the love, not for the money," he said. "So when they were fired or stretched thin, it hurt something we all share." When pressed about his own political leanings, he said only: "I'm definitely not a Republican, and I wouldn't call myself a Democrat either. . . . I think there are aspects of both parties that, in my opinion, do certain things right and certain things wrong." But why bring the project to Fox News Digital? "Because I think that you're not the first audience people would think of to cover this. And I think that's fantastic," he said. "That makes me thrilled. Because we're all Americans and we all have different views and different things we enjoy. Funny things and weird things and bizarre things and pretty things." As for what comes next, the head is going to more parks, but where and when remain a mystery. "I can't tell you, but I'm happy to keep telling you in the right moment."
Fox News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Mysterious giant Elon Musk head spotted at national parks says ‘Make America Wait Again'
A 12-foot statue of Elon Musk with the phrase 'Make America Wait Again' is turning heads at Yosemite, Arches, and Mt. Rainier National Parks this summer.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Tracking Trump: No pardon for Maxwell; House committee must subpoena Epstein files; White House releases school funds; and more
Trump said he hasn't considered a pardon for Epstein's associate. A possible clash between House Republicans and the Justice Department over Epstein. The Trump administration said it will release withheld education funds. National parks gift shops may remove books on slavery. The Education Department accused Virginia school districts of discrimination. Deportation flights out of 'Alligator Alcatraz' began.
