"I have just returned from a successful Barbary sheep and Eritrean gazelle hunt in the Nubian Desert of northwestern Sudan, conducted for me by Angelo Dacey of Dacey Safaris. In this letter, I do not wish to talk about the professionalism of Angelo Dacey or the quality of the safaris that he offers, as both are well known to the hunting world. What I want to discuss is the status of the game and its habitat.
"What I experienced in the 12 days of my hunt is horrendous. The deterioration of the habitat and depletion of the fauna is severe. The five to six years of drought and famine is compounded by a more dangerous development, the visits of wealthy Saudi hunters from the neighboring Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who are shooting and killing any type of game that they encounter indiscriminately.
"The evidence of their passage through the region and the stories from the locals were everywhere. As you know, the only hunting currently available in the region of the Red Sea Hills and the Nubian Dessert is for Nubian ibex, Barbary sheep and Eritrean gazelle. The Saudis, upon their arrival in the country, are obtaining regular licenses for foreigners with payment of a nominal fee of $2,300. The Sudanese Wildlife Authorities issue the licenses and assign a game warden to the hunters, who is responsible for seeing that the hunters comply with the rules and regulations of the purchased hunting license. No safari companies or any professional hunters are involved.
"What is happening is, the hunters in the field are doing whatever they want.........(continued)
