Hunting, Its Moral and Environmental Issues

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Hunting is rather a controversial issue nowadays. Some people consider it cruel and unnecessary while others have some facts that uphold it. There is no direct answer to the question of whether hunting is a positive or negative thing. Various aspects concerning hunting represent it as both good and bad activity.

Hunting is a well-known practice when people (usually men) pursue animals to trap it and kill it. In prehistoric times, hunting was one of the primary means of survival for humans. Hunting brought not only meat but also clothes and other necessary items for households. Currently, there is no need to hunt for survival for most people. Many people prefer doing it for having fun. However, the interest in hunting decreased over the last few decades.

According to Davis (2009), more than fifteen percent of people recognized themselves as hunters in many developed countries ten years ago. The situation is rather different nowadays. There is no more than five percent of individuals who define themselves as hunters. Public support for hunting, on the contrary, arose in recent years. More individuals consider hunting a regular legitimate activity throughout the world.

The general division between the advantages and disadvantages of hunting is based on two statements. The first fact refers to the idea that there is nothing more natural than hunting, and that is why it is normal. The second aspect concerns the problem of killing animals, moral issues, and environmental concerns. However, more aspects of hunting should be taken into consideration.

The first advantage of hunting is economical. Hunters have to pay substantial amounts of money to receive the license for shooting. There are taxes for hunters. Besides, the equipment for hunting is not cheap as well. From this perspective, every country only benefits from hunters’ payments. The other reason deals with the fact that hunting is good for health. One has to be in a good physical condition to walk long distances in various environments and carry all equipment.

According to Dolbeare (n.d.), hunting is useful for men as far as some surveys have shown that it enhances the level of oxytocin or “love hormone”. The next advantage is the feeling of satisfaction. This satisfaction occurs after the hunter shares his game meat with family or friends. One more advantage is debatable. It deals with the protection of the environment. There are too many species of animals. They cannot survive in the modern environment. In such a way, hunters keep balance and reduce the risk of overpopulation.

Hunter may kill species that are not overpopulated as well. Their activity can lead to the extinction of particular animals. The second disadvantage is connected to moral issues. Animals may suffer from terrible pain and die a long death when hunters only injure them. Besides, the idea of killing animals is not moral too. In the modern world, one can buy everything he needs for survival. There is no need to hunt. One more disadvantage concerns the potential damage to somebody’s property and even other people. There were accidents when hunters killed cows, cats, or dogs, and even humans (Why Sport Hunting is Cruel and Unnecessary n.d.)

It is impossible to define exactly whether hunting is right or wrong. It has both advantages and disadvantages. Taking all of them into consideration, one has to define his or her relation to hunting.