Is Ross Perot Jr. taking legal action over the head of a rhino he shot and wounded during a trophy hunt?
The son of former American Presidential candidate Ross Perot - Henry Ross Perot Jr. - is reportedly engaged in a legal battle involving South African wildlife authorities over the head of rhino he wounded during a trophy hunt earlier this year.

Perot supposedly shot a bull rhino at Mkhuze game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, but the animal escaped. However, Perot believes he’s still entitled to his trophy - the rhino’s head.

According to South Africa’s Independent Online, wildlife authorities have not been able to locate the wounded rhino - or a dead rhino.

A professional hunter acting for Perot then engaged lawyers to allow a “follow-up” operation and it was agreed that Perot could have the animal’s head if it was tracked down during a hunting operation scheduled to start this weekend.

The professional hunter accompanying Perot is said to be Garry Kelly, who claims that the purpose of a second hunt was to destroy the wounded rhino in order to end its suffering.

However, wildlife officials believe the rhino was not seriously injured, and decided last night to call off the follow-up hunt.

But last-minute discussions were held last night between Ezemvelo chief executive Bandile Mkhize and Andrew Zaloumis, chief executive of the IsiMangaliso Wetland Park world heritage site.

… Mkhize and Zaloumis announced that there would be no second hunt and if Ezemvelo were to track down the animal and find that it was suffering they would put it out of its misery - but Perot no longer had any claim to its head.

The article further stated that the hunting code of conduct would not allow a second hunt because “if an animal was wounded and could not be recovered it was considered forfeit.”

Perot’s son Hill Perot reportedly succeeded in killing his own rhino on the hunt.

While Perot Jr apparently bungled his shot in the controlled hunting zone of the Mkhuze reserve, Hill Perot is understood to have succeeded in bagging his own rhino trophy.

White rhino conservation

White rhino (Ceratotherum simum) are considered a conservation-dependent species and are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Intense efforts have increased the population from fewer than 100 in 1895 to approximately 17,500 today.

Supporters of trophy hunting claim it is a viable method for “managing” the white rhino population. The practice also brings in tourism dollars and helps fund conservation efforts. Many others oppose the notion of trophy hunting, pointing out that killing an animal to get a thrill - and acquire a stuffed head for one’s wall - is not an acceptable “sport”.

One of The Forbes Richest Americans 2009

Henry Ross Perot Jr. is listed as number 317 on The Forbes Richest Americans 2009. Perot, along with his father, is said to have lost $2.45 billion in the past 12 months and may be facing a $753 million lawsuit from creditor JPMorgan Chase.

Hopefully, this Texas tycoon won’t be able to afford any more trophy hunts.

Source: GO Media - Written by Rhishja Larson - Image: Wikimedia Commons