From Reuters Via The Economic Times

A permit to hunt a black rhino in Namibia sold for $350,000 at an auction in Dallas on Saturday with proceeds going to protect the endangered animals despite protests from animal rights groups that saw the sale as immoral conservation.

The license allows for the killing of a single, post-breeding bull, with Namibian wildlife officials on hand for the hunt to make sure an appropriate animal is selected.

The Dallas Safari Club had been expecting the permit to bring $250,000 to $ $1 million at an auction held during its annual convention. The hunt will help in managing the population and provide an underfunded Namibian government hard cash in the expensive battle to thwart poachers, it said.

“Biologists in Namibia were hopeful that a US-based auction would produce a record amount for rhino conservation, and that’s exactly what happened,” said club executive director Ben Carter.

Read more at The Economic Times