http://imgur.com/VZUgXQj


The link provided above is the very letter that South African Airways has made effective immediately, stopping something that made headlines and lifted the hearts of the world when not so long ago, they stood up for the rights of not just animals, but the heritage of the peoples who came long before the settlers the world recognized. The animals were there long before any of us, tribal or otherwise, and we expected would - long after. Human greed has made that impossible, and the ivory trade, as well as the far east demand for the horns of the rhino, have hunted them into extinction in many varieties, leaving some only on game reserves, guarded day and night. We fear the day we wake to know the very last has had their horn sawed off and been left for dead. We have tried through education, to instruct the far east that keratin is the only "medicinal" property within those horns, it hasn't had much impact, and when they sell for so much money, what else can we do ourselves but attempt conservation efforts as much as possible, and guard them with men and guns?

Even hunters have taken it upon themselves to grow conservancy efforts in their own ways, and done as much as possible to garner enough attention to grow the population and interest in maintaining the numbers of high-risk animals like the "Big Five" in South Africa which dwindle nearly daily. 

When South African Airways took a stand, a corporate giant became our hero. Someone larger than a few people or even a group of people individually had taken a stand and said they were not going to allow dead safari animals to be shipped on their airplanes as trophies. These majestic animals are not trophies, they're not for sport alone, they are not here to be hunted into oblivion and they're not for selfies. They should be shot yes, but only with a camera. Come to our country people but only do it for tourism, and that is what South African Airlines said in a very big way. We heard it, and we cheered. Please enjoy our animals, our beautiful sunsets, the beaches, the culture, the history and everything we love so much about this place, but when you leave, leave our country intact, and thank you.

But what is a stand, and what does it mean, when you take it back later? You have done this very thing, and lost the trust of not just your countrymen, but anyone who has ever flown with you, and that is worldwide. This is not limited to those who would not hunt, this goes for trophy hunters as well, who believe in something called "giving your word" and standing by what you say to someone.

You have broken your promise to your own people, to those who might have flown with you, you have epitomized corporate greed, and now - amidst a flurry of backlash you will not even allow anyone to malign you on your social media page on Facebook?  Shame on you.  Perhaps you should have thought about your actions before drafting a letter that was official. Greed is far reaching, and animals need us to speak for them - and it appears we are doing so in far greater numbers than you could have anticipated. We're going to speak even further now.  Those of you reading this, please sign, please get them to notice what they have done cannot be allowed to stand. They must retract this and take back what they have lifted and put it back to the way it was previous. Whatever deals they have made with the devil cannot stand.  Make yourselves heard before there are no animals left for future generations period.