One of the world’s toughest trophy hunting bans unveiled
The UK government has released its proposal to introduce “one of the toughest bans in the world” on the importing of hunting trophies from endangered animals, almost two years after promising to address the issue.
Laying out the government’s approach on Friday, Environment Secretary George Eustice stated that he was “appalled at the thought of hunters bringing back trophies,” pleading to strengthen protections for endangered animals.
The Conservative Party promised during the 2019 election to block hunters from importing trophies from endangered animals. Since that pledge was made, the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting (CBTH) has estimated that around 300 trophies from endangered animals have been brought to Britain.
CBTH founder Eduardo Goncalves welcomed the proposal but criticized the government for the delay, stating that many animals have been “cruelly and needlessly killed in that time,” and urging the government to bring the bill forward for a vote “as quickly as possible.”
The government’s proposed ban would prevent the importing of hunting trophies from endangered animals, regardless of whether they are wild or bred in captivity for the specific purpose of hunting. Anyone breaching the rules would face up to five years in prison.
As it stands, the government’s measure will aim to protect around 7,000 animals that are currently threatened by international trade, including the “Big Five” – buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions, and rhinos.
