The death of Mario Alberto Canales Najjar, leader of the Mexican Hunting Federation (FEMECA), exposed the sport hunting business. The Argentine prosecutor’s office opened an investigation to clarify the fact and analyze the hunting permits of the company that organized the trip, specifically to check if they had the documentation required to hunt buffalo.
Mario Alberto Canales Najjarthe president of the board of directors of the Mexican Hunting Federation (FEMECA) since 2018, died after being rammed by a buffalo of more than one ton in a rural area of Gualeguaychú, province of Entre Ríos, in Argentina.
The events occurred last October 7, when the experienced 64-year-old Mexican hunter, armed with a 408-caliber rifle, approached about 30 meters from the 1,100-kilo animal to shoot it.
It should be noted that the buffalo was in its habitat, in the Punta Caballos field, 40 km from Gualeguaychú, on the border of Argentina and Uruguay.
However, his shot failed to bring down the buffalo and the animal, enraged, launched itself at the hunter and charged him with its horns, according to the Argentine newspaper Página/12.
The tour guide who accompanied Canales Najjar and three other friends – the media continues – then fired several more times at the animal until he managed to separate it from the hunter.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
As the area where the hunt was taking place has no mobile phone coverage and is inaccessible by road for ambulances, Canales Najjar was transported to hospital in a private vehicle. Upon arrival at the hospital, his death was declared.
FEMECA used its official social networks to express its condolences for his death.
“Enormous sadness for the departure of a great man and much better friend. Conservationist and tireless fighter for the rights of hunters, his generous friendship leaves an indelible mark on us, ”said FEMECA.
Who was Mario Alberto Canales Najjar?
Canales Najjar was a lawyer with an office in Mexico City and, in addition to serving as president of the Board of Directors of the Mexican Federation of Hunting and Shooting AC, he was also vice president of the association United for a Sustainable Management of Our Biodiversity (UNBIO). This organization is made up of more than 50 associations specialized in environmental matters, according to the Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico (AZCARM), according to Infobae.
During an interview in 2016, Canales Najjar said that he was “a passionate about hunting” and a “convinced advocate of responsible hunting, ethical hunting and legal hunting as a means of conservation.”
Peace and eternal rest for our colleague, Mario Alberto Canales Najjar, President of @FEMECA2 and Vice President of @UNBIOMX.
And our deepest condolences to his family and friends.#RIP pic.twitter.com/fpWeywMQWJ— AZCARM (@azcarmx) October 8, 2022
According to Perfil, the same year the hunter claimed that legal hunting produced an increase in economic resources that fueled the growth of the regions involved.
“What we defend is that legal hunting, organized hunting, produces spills of economic resources,” he said.
Canales Najjar was also president of the Board of Directors of the Safari Club of Mexico and a member of the International Safari Club, as well as serving as a representative advisor to the National Wildlife Council (Conavis).
Prosecutor opens investigation
For its part, the Entre Ríos Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation to clarify the incident and analyze the hunting permits of the Punta Caballos company that organized the trip, specifically to check if they had the documentation required to hunt buffalo.
The three companions of Mario Canales Najjar will also be questioned to determine who hired the sport hunting company, which charges $500 a day for excursions, according to El País.
At the Punta Caballos establishment, wild animals such as deer, antelope and buffalo are raised so that they later become prey for customers.
The death of Canales Najjar has exposed the activity, unknown to a large part of Argentine society, of the sport hunting business.
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