Call to ban lion trophy importation
3rd November 2011
Conservation charity LionAid has called for a ban on the importation of lion trophies into the EU, in the hope that other countries will follow suit
LionAid, a charity aimed at protecting and conserving endangered lions worldwide, is leading the way towards a ban on the importation of lion trophies into the EU. The charity hopes that banning European importation of lion trophies, which can include rugs and necklaces, will put pressure on the USA to follow suit; making a worldwide ban an achievable objective.
Over the past 50 years there has been a massive decline in the number of lions found in the wild, dropping from around 200,000 in the 1960s, to fewer than 25,000 today. Although there are many factors contributing to the reduction, conservationists believe that lion trophy hunting plays a significant role, by impacting social structure and population density.
An estimated, 2,500 adult male lions remain in Africa, with lions in West and Central Africa being classified as 'threatened with extinction' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Yet even with this remaining number, reports show around 650 lion trophies, the majority of which are male, are legally exported every year.
Commenting on the progress of the ban to date, a LionAid spokesperson said, "We are working with the UK and EU Governments and have so far gained the cooperation of eight MEPs and 29 MPs across all the main political parties.
"Time is very much of the essence for lions, and we believe our progress over the past year has been greatly positive."
You can support the LionAid campaign against lion trophy hunting, by signing their online petition.
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