Ban on Importing Trophy Animals to UK to Become Law

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.”

• Sir Bill, an MP for North Herefordshire, said the ban could:

"[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."

• Environment Minister Trudy Harrison said:

"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."

• Animal charity Born Free said the bill sends:

"[A] clear signal that, with wildlife in crisis, allowing rich people to kill wild animals for kicks has no place in the modern world."

• Claire Bass from the Humane Society International UK said:

“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)