British Trophy Hunters Continue to Import Endangered Species Despite Calls for a Ban

In a single year, British hunters brought back the remains of at least three African elephants they had killed. They also imported numerous body parts from other animals, including crocodiles, bears, lions, baboons, cheetahs, and zebras.

In 2023, wealthy trophy hunters reportedly brought 188 parts from 28 endangered or threatened species into the UK. This occurred after the government had dropped a proposed ban on such imports.

Both the Conservative and Labour parties had pledged to introduce a ban on trophy hunting in their election manifestos. They have been criticized for delaying action, allowing British hunters to continue killing wild animals.

Data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) reveals the extent of the imports. The lions were captive-bred, but almost all other animals were wild and shot in Africa.

Several parts from Canadian black bears were also imported, along with one from Russia and one from Croatia.

Experts warn that Africa's elephants are at risk of extinction, with nearly two-thirds of their population disappearing in the last 60 years.

British wildlife hunters accounted for a fraction of the endangered species shot in 2023. Hunters from around the world took home nearly 1,800 giraffe body parts as "trophies" that year.

Campaigners are intensifying their calls for the UK government to fulfill its promise to ban hunting trophy imports. They argue that trophy hunting is accelerating the loss of nature.

A private member’s bill to ban trophy imports is scheduled for a second reading in Parliament. The government is expected to announce its position then.

A spokesperson for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that the government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies.