The absurd logic of shooting black rhinos to save them

A group called the Dallas Safari Club is auctioning off a permit to hunt an endangered rhino. For charity.

rhino
(Image credit: (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images))

The Dallas Safari Club is a curious organization that — on the surface, at least — appears to have a relatively noble goal. Its website, BigGame.org, says that its "conservation and education efforts today ensure that future generations enjoy watching and hunting wildlife tomorrow."

This upcoming January, the DSC is holding a special auction in which all proceeds will be dedicated to the conservation of the endangered African black rhino, a worthwhile effort by just about anyone's standard. Yet it's what the DSC is auctioning that is raising eyebrows and drawing fervent criticism. For the prize, which is expected to fetch anywhere between $250,000 to $1 million, is a special permit granted by the Republic of Namibia to shoot and kill a black rhino.

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Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.