WILD ANIMAL EXTERMINATION, 

 PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 



By William T. Hornaday 



THIS is no time for cheerful optimism regarding the 

 future of any killable wild animal species. Either 

 in South Africa or in North America such optimism eas- 

 ily can be as deadly as long-range rifles and smokeless 

 powder. It is very, very easy to kill fine game faster 

 than it breeds; and this spells extermination, unless the 

 killing is stopped in time. 



It is a shocking thing to learn that of the 200 remnant 

 Bontebok now remaining alive in South Africa, 25 may be 

 shot by hunters each year. It is "shocking," because some 

 day it may be easy for some evil influence to ivipe out the 

 remainder I 



Now, as a matter of fact, the people of South Africa 

 hold the pitiful remnant of that beautiful antelope species 

 IN TRUST for science, for the general public and for 

 posterity. Ethically it is a crime to shoot one of those 

 animals for sport, or for meat, so long as the total number 

 of living bonteboks remains under 5,000 head. In Amer- 

 ica, with 7,500 prong-horned antelopes remaining, all 

 killing has long been stopped, and frantic efforts now are 

 being made to make new antelope preserves to start new 

 herds and bring the species back to a safe basis. 



If the people of South Africa permit any more of their 

 fine big game species to be exterminated, afterward they 

 will regret it only once, and that will be FOREVER! 



The only real standard for judging the future is by the 

 past. Without going back into history beyond what we 

 may call the day before yesterday, let us see what the 

 world has lost in truly great species of wild animals by 

 recent exterminations. Let us consider a few examples 

 from our own times; and we will begin with the latest 

 calamity. 



