It’s all about lots of money

November 6th, 2009

US tycoon fights for white rhino trophy

One of the richest men in America is embroiled in a heated legal battle with South African wildlife officials to recover the trophy head of a white rhino bull. However, the story is not straightforward. It seems that the rhino at the center of the row appears to be alive and healthy in a game reserve in Natal after surviving a hunting attempt more than three months ago by Texas property tycoon H Ross Perot Jr., son of H Ross Perot, former US presidential candidate.

Missed shot

The animal was apparently shot and wounded by Perot Jr. in late July, but the bull ran off and wildlife officials have been unable to find any sign of a carcass or a wounded animal, indicating that it suffered a flesh wound or was not seriously injured. 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.

About turn

But in a dramatic about-turn last night, conservation authorities pulled the plug on the second hunt and declared that Perot was no longer entitled to his trophy horns in any circumstances. The initial decision to allow Perot’s agents to have a “second bite at the cherry” drew strong opposition after it emerged that the animal would be shot by the Wildlife Parks authority if there was a visible bullet wound from Perot’s large-caliber hunting rifle. Despite initial opposition, the Parks authority later agreed that the trophy head and skin would become the property of Perot and could be shipped back to Texas. But last-minute discussions were held last night between a Parks authority executive and the chief executive of the Parks world heritage site.

The money angles

Perot is listed on the Forbes list of America’s richest people, although he is not quite as rich as his more famous father. Perot Jr.’s wealth fell from $2,2bn to $1,25bn in the most recent Forbes list. It is not known how much Perot Jr. paid for the hunt, but sources suggest a single rhino trophy hunting package would cost in the region of $65,000.

No second chance

It has now been officially announced that there would be no second hunt. Other sources felt the decision to allow a follow-up was “morally absurd” and merely a pretext to obtain the animal’s head. They said the animal had suffered a flesh wound and was unlikely to bear any remaining visible wounds. In any case, Perot no longer has any claim to its head.

The hunting party

It has been established from correspondence that Perot Jr., 47, was accompanied on the recent African safari by one of his sons, Hill Perot, 27. While Perot Jr. apparently bungled his shot in the controlled hunting zone of the reserve, Hill Perot is understood to have succeeded in bagging his own rhino trophy.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 4:13 am and is filed under Economy, Finance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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