Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Logo of The Spectrum
Thursday, March 28, 2024
The independent student publication of The University at Buffalo, since 1950

Halloween isn’t the only reason there will be blood in October

Why hunting is needlessly cruel

October is here! 

With it comes creepy vibes, falling leaves and the beginning of another season of massacring animals. 

Although it was once a necessary part of progression and preservation of human life, hunting has evolved into the needlessly cruel annihilation of wildlife.

Each year, numerous animal species are driven closer to extinction, largely due to hunting and environmental interference. According to a study done by biologist E. O. Wilson of Harvard University, 30,000 different species of animals are driven into extinction globally each year. The Delaware Action For Animals has found that here in the U.S., we kill a minimum of 100 million animals through hunting, annually.

Many of these animals don’t go down quickly or painlessly. 

Instead, they are often shot, stabbed and battered several times before being finished off. The lucky ones may manage to escape injured, where they will proceed to struggle to feed and shelter themselves as they painfully await death.

The worst part is that the overwhelming majority of us are already aware of this. 

Scientists have been forewarning us of the dire situations we have been forcing animals into for decades, but we cast a blind eye. We morally justify our selfishness by assuring ourselves that someone else will come up with a solution, or that the entire topic is too depressing to think about, and then continue about our lives. 

I, too, am guilty of this. Some of us probably even say, “Well, it doesn’t affect me, so I don’t care,” and they couldn’t be more wrong.

When people over-hunt, as they often do, the entire surrounding ecosystem and environment are negatively impacted. Food cycles are disrupted, leading to starvation and death of other animal populaces. 

These eliminated populations are frequently responsible for the dispersal of vegetation, according to Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Without these animals around to contribute nourishment to their surroundings, extensive environmental degradation is likely, the study says.

Although I’m not vegan and thoroughly enjoy consuming meat, no living being should be treated the way these animals are treated.

Imagine that some extraterrestrials arrived on Earth and started to hunt and eat us. We’d view them as evil and savage-like. Yet, we are no different than that to the animals who are minding their own business and being slaughtered.

To me, justifications like, “it’s a family tradition” and “we’re regulating overpopulation,” aren’t acceptable excuses for butchering entire families. 

Similarly, just because you eat what you kill, doesn’t mean you need to. If you have a fridge full of food, or can afford to go grocery shopping, there is no demand for you to resort to hunting.

Killing for food out of necessity and killing for mere “enjoyment” are two very different things and, unfortunately, the latter happens far too often. 

I hope one day soon, we’ll put aside our differences and stop wasting our breath fighting over which political party can save us the most money and focus on preserving life on this planet. 

Having all the money in the world will not save you when life on this planet is no longer sustainable.

Opinion desk can be reached at opinion@ubspectrum.com. 

Comments


Popular









Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Spectrum