A year ago last week the world rallied against poaching when “Cecil the Lion”, a well-known African lion living in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, was slaughtered by an American dentist who reportedly paid $50,000 to a professional hunter for the privilege. The incident came nearly a year after another high profile poaching tragedy captured the world’s attention when Green Mile Safari, an outfit owned by one of the United Arab Emirate’s’ richest men, had a video leaked showing terrible mistreatment of animals in Tanzania.
Due to the international outcry the video inspired, Green Mile lost its access to Tanzanian wildlife preserves. It was a huge victory for conservationists and activists. Unfortunately, just last week, Tanzania decided to overturn that decision, under the cover of darkness, and is in the process of allowing Green Mile back into Tanzania. The Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States sent a letter pleading with Tanzania’s President John P. Magufuli to reverse its decision or face a global backlash.
Last Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that Green Mile Safari’s land grant, “is a window into the shadowy world of big game hunting in a country.”
Friday, a group of 12 activists gathered in front of the Tanzanian embassy in DC to protest Green Mile Safari's hunting concession. The rally included homemade signs, a large elephant head, chants and short speeches. We engaged passersby with information about our campaign, including copies of the letter from the Humane Society and the Washington Post article written by Kevin Sieff. You can see highlights at twitter.com/StopGreenMile
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