Ban on Importing Trophy Animals to UK to Become Law
Should the U.S. do the same?
What's the story?
- The British government has backed legislation to prevent trophy hunters from importing or bringing back body parts for thousands of species killed abroad.
- The ban, titled the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, was proposed by Parliament Member Henry Smith and is headed to the House of Lords. It would encompass nearly 6,000 animals, many of them critically endangered, including polar bears, hippos, leopards, giraffes, elephants, lions, and rhinos.
- Countless UK citizens travel abroad and pay thousands of dollars to shoot animals legally. Current laws enable hunters to bring back trophy animals, or stuffed heads, back to the UK if they have the correct paperwork.
Criticisms
- Critics say that the profits from hunting go to valuable conservation projects that can help endangered species in the long run.
- Some politicians are worried that Northern Ireland may become a "back door" for illegal trade.
- Some have called the bill an example of neocolonialism and argue that African voices had not been consulted. Maxi Pia Louis, a community leader from Namibia, said:
“What is the purpose of the diplomatic ties we supposedly share? This bill will make African communities poorer for many years to come.”
"[O]pen the floodgate to poachers, who will cause far more cruelty and pain to the animals and will pose a far greater threat to endangered species."
"I do recognize that some of the income from trophy hunting has contributed towards the protection of habitat and the prevention of poaching. But to bring [back] the body parts of endangered species… is not the way forward."
Support
- Tory MP Henry Smith, who proposed the bill, said:
"This is about the values that we in Britain have, that we do not want to be part of a trade-in endangered species' body parts."
"[A] clear signal that, with wildlife in crisis, allowing rich people to kill wild animals for kicks has no place in the modern world."
“We’re delighted that this extremely popular bill has passed its report stage and third reading, with dozens of cross-party MPs taking the floor in today’s debate to share their strong support for legislation to stop hunters bringing their sick souvenirs back to the UK."
Should the U.S. do the same?
— Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: Flickr/ Joal Abroad)
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Good for the UK. Yes, the US should do the same.
Wanton killing of animals for sport trophies is a fairly disgusting practice.
Animals taken as a needed food source is natural, Animals cleared becuase they ae interfering with the biosphere due to over population can be necessary. But none of these other animal killings are for sport, for sport trophies or for wall mounted trophies.
Yes--definitely.
We must do a great deal more to limit the destruction of natural environments all around the world.
People need to realize we are living during the 6th Mass Extinction Event!
I do not believe in trophy hunting and think it's wrong. If you are hunting to eat, that's one thing. Hunting for sport, in my opinion, is disgusting.
I'm not really concerned about this, so long as the animals aren't protected under the laws of the location where they were hunted. If the animal was legally hunted, then it's fine with me if the hunter wants to bring the trophy home.
Hunters pay the government of the country being hunted in to get a license for hunting and taking home a trophy. Instead of banning the trophy how about letting the country of origin decide what they want done. It may be that a country like Nigeria May want the ban hence they would not issue a license for this individual but if they poach the animal that could make a prison term of maybe 20 years. Then the country from which the animal was slaughtered and the country receiving the dead animal could add to the list that no NIGERIAN animals will be allowed in this country. Nigeria would have no right to ship any animals to the United States.
No need for animal trophies whether a person shot them themselves or bought them. Go on a photo safari instead and bring back photographic memories. Much easier to do and far more samples to collect.
The age when we could fool ourselves into thinking that there was an endless supply of trophy animals for hunting ended LONG ago; There is no loERY first world nation (including the USA) should enforce such a ban.
I 100% support this law when it comes to endangered species. And I think poaching is one of the most abhorrent things humans do.
That said, while I don't support hunting for sport, I also don't really see why non-endangered species can't be turned into creepy home decor. I personally wouldn't do it. But I'm also trying not to be hypocritical when it comes to humans killing animals, as I sit here wearing a leather belt and eating a ham and turkey sandwich.
I know some hunters love the challenge of a kill, but I'm more concerned about poachers, especially for near extinction of certain species.
There are many laws already on the books for just this purpose and more, to prevent commercial trade in endangered species and body parts. No new law is needed. Common animals aren't regulated as trophies as well they shouldn't be.
This would be about time. All that will be needed after that will be the enforcement of such a law and penalties without loopholes that will make even the wealthy pay attention.
We should have a ban on this and we should also have a ban on all the children's lives that are trophies now for the Republican party, all the children that have died from AR 15s under the bullshit blanket of the second amendment! An AR 15 is useless for hunting it tears the meat up too much it's made for killing human beings.
You are not allowed to own a machine gun, you're not allowed to own brass knuckles, or a sawed-off shotgun.
BUT!
you can own an AR rifle which was designed specifically for war. Not hunting not target shooting they're terrible target guns it was designed for war. Here's another irony you're not allowed to bring any weapons into a republican convention of any sort but you can bring a handgun concealed just about anywhere else you go. Why is that, why can't you carry a handgun concealed into a republican convention. The answer is really simple because the assholes that make the laws don't want to be shot.
They don't care about your kids they would rather your kids be shot and they keep their jobs that's what the Republican party is all about - the wholesale slaughter of your children while they keep their jobs.
I support bans on imports of animals and animal parts from endangered species, similar to what the U.K. is doing. I'm a hunter and support it in general, but would draw a line with endangered species.
Never have believed in "trophy hunting". We should not allow any animal or reptile that is not indigenious to this country. If you want to hunt, then buy a licese to do so and make damn sure you take the whole animal. There are people in this world starving and trophy hunting is a waste of sustenance as well as good leather. It don't take much skill to kill an animal. Just a means of showing off. This type of hunting should be against the law no matter which country you are in.
It's embarrassing that the US isn't already on this boat.
Wouldn't it be nice to have high numbers of these gorgeous animals, living in their habitat undisturbed so we can see them move and eat and live a full life, and have their babies? Just asking.
Trophy hunting is sick, these people need psychiatric help
"Trophy" animals are killed for NO Good Reason..rich people can afford it, but humanity can't afford to destroy our ecosystem! Next they'll be killing & stuffing their "trophy wives"!
Yes, yes, yes! Trophy hunting is f***ing morbid!
It is amazing that in this day and age, when we are facing climate disaster and the extinction of many species, that this is actually a serious question. The sooner we start protecting ALL of the planet, the better off we will be.
This is a cruelty that is no longer tolerable to our society. Besides fostering the killing of innocent wildlife, it degrades respect for life and further endangers some already endangered species.
Nor should the U.S. allow the importation of exotic species of wildlife; we are currently suffering from the invasion of imported snakes in the Florida Everglades and many birds and other species which may wipe out populations of our native species. when those imported "pets" escaped into the wild, and they always do, sooner or later. Often the animals present dangers even to our human citizens, especially children.
Trophy animals are wasteful and only for the rich and privileged who have to much excess as it is anyhow.
Why do we need this? To boost the ego of a few?
Take a picture, don't kill!
aniamls r not trophies they r living feeling beings and because of the ignorant trophy hunters and the destruction of habitat they r going extinct elephant tusk and rhino horns belong on living breathing animals not on a wal l ban importing of trophy animals here in the united states and ban trophy hunting
Ban fully support.
the bad on trophy hunting outweigh any good from it. trophy hunting is stupid and should be illegal