US to lift ban on elephant hunting trophy imports

US ELEPHANTThe Trump administration will allow American hunters to import elephant trophies to the US, reversing an Obama-era 2014 ban, US media report.

A federal government agency said imports could resume on Friday for elephants that are legally hunted only in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) said hunting fees could aid conservation of the endangered animals.

Experts say that populations of African elephants are plummeting.

Their numbers dropped by about 30% from 2007-14, according to the 2016 Great Elephant Census.

The nonprofit group’s report found a population drop of 6% in Zimbabwe alone.

Despite their listing under the Endangered Species Act, there is a provision in US law that allows permits to import animal parts if there is sufficient evidence that the fees generated will actually benefit species conservation.

USFWS told US media outlets it had received new information from officials in Zimbabwe and Zambia that supported reversing the ban.

There is currently an apparent military coup taking place in Zimbabwe.

BBC

 

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