The closure this year came just as scores of hunters were preparing to leave for China for the season opener. It remains to be seen whether the season will be only delayed or cancelled altogether. The message from Wei, edited slightly for easier comprehension, continues as follows:
Several months ago, China Wildlife Management Authority started to plan an auction of hunting quota and permits for the fall season of 2006, in order to replace the original way of issuing the hunting permits based on case application and case approval. When it implemented the auction this past Sunday, August 13, the government was surprised to note that the general public showed strong opposition to it. The general public apparently thought that the government should be concerned with conserving wildlife, not issuing permits for hunting. The man in the street in China, you see, has no idea of the contribution that sports hunting makes to conservation. Additionally, the public generally distrusts our government when it comes to wildlife management. All these factors forced authorities yesterday to give up the planned auction temporarily.
Today, August 14, the Wildlife Authority informed us clearly and definitely that booked hunts in September will have to be cancelled, or postponed. It is not possible at the moment to determine if October hunts, and even later ones, will also have to........(continued)
