A Dallas man pays $350,000 to kill a rhino and controversy follows along with death threats. Corey Knowlton, who paid $350,000 to hunt and kill an endangered black rhino in Namibia, claimed that he did it for the survival of the species.
A Dallas man, who bid $350,000 to kill a rhino, is stirring up criticism from animal-rights advocates. With CNN’s cameras following him, Corey Knowlton, a well-known hunter from Texas, recently traveled to Namibia to enjoy the ultimate kill.
The hunter killed a black rhinoceros because he paid the government $350,000 to do so. The Dallas man revealed that the money he paid to kill the rare animal will be used to protect the species. According to experts, there are about 4,000 black rhinos living in the wild, that number has significantly dropped from 70,000 in the 1960s.
The 36-year-old hunter had another reason for the trophy kill – the rhino, which is an older bull was harming younger males.
According to his bio, Corey Knowlton, who is a member of the Dallas Safari Club, has hunted widely on six continents and took more than 120 species, including a Super Slam of wild sheep and the “Big Five” in Africa. Talking to CNN, he explained his decision to add the black rhino to his already impressive collection.
“The whole world knows about this hunt and I think it’s extremely important that people know it’s going down the right way, in the most scientific way that it can possibly happen,” Knowlton told CNN. “I think people have a problem just with the fact that I like to hunt … I want to see the black rhino as abundant as it can be. I believe in the survival of the species.”
An emotional Knowlton said just after killing the animal:
“I felt like from day one it was something benefiting the black rhino. Being on this hunt, with the amount of criticism it brought and the amount of praise it brought from both sides, I don’t think it could have brought more awareness to the black rhino.”
After receiving dozens of death threats for his move, the FBI has stepped in to investigate the matter. Jeffrey Flocken, the North America Regional Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), an organization that defends animal rights, slammed the hunter. Flocken shared:
“From a biological perspective, the long-term survival of an imperiled species is extremely complicated; trophy hunting not only flies in the face of a precautionary approach teo wildlife management, but in some cases it has also been found to undermine it.A case in point: hunters are not like natural predators. They target the largest specimens; those with the biggest tusks, manes, antlers or horns.”
What are your thoughts on the Corey Knowlton?
Before you jump up on your “how dare he!” soapbox, REALLY read the article and open up your mind a little bit. I was all ready to jump on the “what a horrible person” bandwagon also when I first read the headline. However, after reading the article it changed my point of view on this one instance. If these things are true – that the bull was old, couldn’t mate and wouldn’t let younger bulls mate – I understand their decision to allow Knowlton this hunt. It was a hunt that benefited the greater good of the species. That, to me, was the deciding factor here. Had it been any bull he wanted, like a young one, I would have been totally against it because that would not have made sense. Whether you believe in hunting or not, it’s important to look at the big picture. Hopefully the $350K will be put to good use to help these amazing animals increase their numbers. I am totally against hunters who kill strictly for trophies. I don’t see that as being the case here.
BS
I totally agree with your comment.
I call BULLSHIT. Hunters, if given the opportunity, would kill the last rhino, elephant, etc. They are hunters. Hunters kill. Hunting to them is a sport. I believe that Corey Knowlton would have paid $350,000 to kill any rhino just to have the bragging rights and a photo. His killing of this animal didn’t make me more aware of the plight of the black rhino. If you care about animals you were already aware of their dwindling numbers. It made me disgusted with Corey. Why didn’t Corey just donate the money instead. Would that not have served the same purpose? He could have arranged a big splash in the media. Don’t fool yourself, Corey paid $350,000 to kill a black rhino.
Your and idiot and you know nothing about Hunting or Hunters so don’t try to explain to everyone else what Hunters are about and how they think when you obviously have NO knowledge or any intelligence to speak on the behalf of Hunters. We don’t try to explain your ridiculous perspective on things so don’t try to weight in on how we think and feel?
I’ve hunted my entire life (50 years now) and it has never, ever been about killing for me or anyone I hunt with and I’ve passed on killing 50x more than I’ve ever pulled the trigger. The actually act of Killing the animal has NOTHING to do with why I hunt.
Do both sides a favor and keep your ignorant unfounded opinions to yourself.
Every life matters, even this Rhino. Dont be obtuse. There are so many options that COULD have happened. Hopefully Corey can now feel like a man. $350K could have been donated your arrogant pos, and saved this Rhino and other creatures. Greed, plain and simple
What gives him the right to play GOD. Wild animals are just that wild…they let mother nature do its thing. I enjoy hunting, but I do not enjoy hunting for SPORT!!!!! You eat what you kill…you use every part of the animal that you can, and if you happen to get a trophy animal, that is just a huge bonus.
They try and justify it by saying he would not let others mate…hey DIP SH*TS the strong will survive and the dominate male will get in there and mate…IT HAPPENS EVERYDAY!!! So, do not feed me a line of BS. Yes the average city person would say oh yeah that makes sense. Animals have been surviving for years…do you think this is the first time a male would not let other males mate…HOLY SH*TBALLS you uneducated saps.
I believe this is TOTAL CRAP!!!!
Corey if I ever had the chance to meet you in person I would enjoy knocking your teeth down your throat…oh wait you would pay someone to fight for you…COWARD!!!
Hey Jason,
It is you that is total BS. Why don’t you just go off and hide your pretty little face and quit wasting everybody’s oxygen. Pretty tough hiding behind your keyboard little man.
Corey you are so full of shit!!! And so are all HUNTERS!!! How bout you guys pay people to hunt your asses like wild animals!!!