The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting in the United Kingdom recently discovered that a Scottish field sports travel agency was promoting trips to Norway to kill reindeer, the Irish Mirror reported.
Reindeer hunting packages were promoted leading up to the Christmas season. Celebrities and politicians expressed their outrage publicly.
"It tells you everything you need to know about the sick mentality of these people," comedian and animal activist Ricky Gervais told the Irish Mirror. "It's bad enough that British companies are allowed to sell lion and elephant trophy hunting holidays. But for a British company to be marketing reindeer shooting trips at Christmas takes the biscuit."
Hendry, Ramsay & Waters — the travel company — is located in Newburgh, Fife, and offers trips to the Jotunheimen and Breheimen national parks.
The organization's website boasted that hunting only recently became legal in these areas, making it "untouched territory." Eight years ago, hunting in the region was banned, but since the restriction was lifted, trophy hunters have regularly visited the area.
The company recently pulled its website page detailing the trips to shoot reindeer, but it still lists the animals as a hunting option.
Unfortunately, Hendry, Ramsay & Waters isn't the only travel group offering reindeer hunting trips. A United States website also promoted trips to Finland and Greenland to shoot these majestic animals.
It even noted that there are only about 900 to 1,500 reindeer left in these regions and still promoted the hunting trips.
Many media outlets refuse to cover conservation issues that are impacted by the climate crisis and other human-related causes, such as land development and hunting.
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Dwindling numbers of animal populations upsets the critical balance of ecosystems. Declining ecosystems and species can then accelerate climate change, creating a dangerous loop.
Conservation efforts to restore animal populations are important for our future. When media outlets refuse to report on issues such as trophy hunting, it undermines society's ability to address conservation concerns.
Thankfully, the Irish Mirror reported on the travel agencies promoting reindeer hunting and shared the reactions of politicians.
Eduardo Gonçalves, founder of the Ban Trophy Hunting campaign, told the Irish Mirror: "Civil servants have already written the bill. It already passed as a private member's bill. Nine out of 10 voters want it done. What better Christmas gift to wildlife than sparing them an agonising death at the hands of a grinning psychopath."
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