The death of Ian Gibson, a well-established American game hunter, made news across the globe this month. Gibson was crushed and killed by an elephant, while on a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe, Africa. A letter was released to Gibson's clients, via
AfricaHunting.com.
Dear Chifuti Safaris clients,
It is with deep sadness to announce the passing of Chifuti Safaris professional hunter Ian Gibson. Ian was tragically killed by an elephant bull earlier today while guiding and elephant hunt in Chewore North (lower Zambezi Valley).
The details are just starting to emerge as we write this. However it appears that Ian and his client had been on the tracks of an elephant bull for approximately 5 hours when they decided to take a break and allow the client to rest. Feeling he was quite close to the elephant, Ian and his tracker Robert continued to follow the tracks in hopes of getting a look at the ivory as the client, stayed with the game scout to rest. Robert indicated the bull was in musk. They eventually caught up to the bull, spotting him at about 50-100 meters. The bull instantly turned and began a full charge. Ian and Robert began shouting in order to stop the charge. At very close range, Ian was able to get off one shot before the bull killed him. The scene was very graphic.
Ian Gibson was a fine man and one of the most experienced professional hunters on the African continent. He will be deeply missed by all…
We will provide more details as they become available
Tim and Dave
Safari Classics
Reports vary. While his employer above claims Gibson was hunting the elephant that killed him, other reports say Gibson was on a lion hunt when the elephant charged him. To some, the difference matters not.
When we as humans, decide we are so smugly superior to other creatures that coexist with us on this planet, the universe has its way of making corrections, and putting us in our place. I am personally against what Mr. Gibson, and others in his field, do for a living, but I find no satisfaction in knowing how he horribly he died. I find no joy in the suffering or death of any living creature be it human - or beast. Apparently, in some respects, Gibson did.
My condolences to his family.
What you can do:
Contact IDA/In Defense Of Animals if you are interested in helping to end trophy hunting. They expose organizations like The SCI/The Safari Club International (SCI) – the most ruthless trophy hunting organization. This is from the IDA website:
Clearly leading the list of voracious hunting clubs with an appalling callousness towards wild animals worldwide, is the Safari Club International (SCI), a hunting advocacy group that promotes competitive trophy hunting throughout the world, even of rare species, and not shying away from canned hunts, through an elaborate awards program.
SCI contributes large sums to mostly Republican candidates, and supports those who are eager to help further the club’s shameful agenda to weaken and to circumvent the intent of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and to legally import once-banned trophies of endangered and threatened wildlife.
Examples of the SCI’s efforts to derail wildlife protection include fighting a current petition to protect the African lion under the ESA. Along with the National Rifle Association (NRA), SCI intervened with a law that directed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves from the endangered species list. In 2007, SCI testified at a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service hearing opposing the proposed listing of polar bears as a “threatened” species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
The SCI continues to create and feed a culture glamorizing death and violence globally, across political lines, international borders, and against wildlife and even people. Fortunes are made on the back of millions of animals whose lives are taken by trophy hunters for the sake of killing in an endless spiral of competition.
And while most empathic people prefer to simply watch these magnificent animals, already struggling to survive in human-dominated landscapes, trophy hunters fulfill their lust to kill the largest animals and the most exotic animals to rack up SCI awards. Underlying these actions are futile efforts to transcend weak character, arrested emotional development, narcissism, sexual perversion, anger and finally, a misguided attempt to overcome their own disconnect to nature.