[Lamplighter]

Seattlepi.com
ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press
Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Rule restricts hunting of rare exotic antelopes

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — For years, hundreds of Texas ranchers have made big money on exotic antelopes,
with hunters paying up to $10,000 to bag just one dama gazelle, a rare animal with short horns curving outward.



Starting Wednesday, however, the U.S. government will stop allowing anyone to hunt the dama gazelle
or two other exotic antelopes native to Africa, the addax and the scimitar-horned oryx
— unless ranchers obtain a permit.

The move to give the animals full protection under the federal Endangered Species Act
is being praised by animal-rights groups that abhor such hunts
and has upset the ranchers whose efforts have led to a rise in the numbers of those exotic animals.
The ranchers say they won't be able to afford the upkeep for their antelopes
— but they also can't legally kill the entire herds or release them.
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