Federal Government Withdraws from Hunting Association

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has terminated Germany's membership in the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) at the end of the year.

The background to this is apparently that the CIC promotes trophy hunting on protected species and regularly criticises import bans on hunting trophies into Europe.

The withdrawal is a long overdue step – it cannot be acceptable that Germany is a member of an association that lobbies on behalf of recreational hunters and advocates positions that are detrimental to nature and species conservation and are diametrically opposed to the stance of the federal government. The CIC is at the forefront when it comes to placing a bounty on rare animals of protected and endangered species. It has been promoting the shooting of elephants, polar bears, lions, leopards and other species for years – even though trophy hunting contradicts German animal welfare legislation, studies document its negative impacts, and criticism from the public and politicians is growing ever louder.

Daniela Freyer of Pro Wildlife

CIC lobbies for trophy hunting

The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) describes itself as a «politically independent, international, non-governmental advisory body committed to the conservation of wildlife on the basis of the principles of sustainable use».

In reality, the association – whose members include not only states but also hunting organisations – lobbies for trophy hunting and the commercial trade in endangered species. Most recently, it criticised a demand by the EU Parliament for an EU-wide import ban on hunting trophies of protected species, as well as plans in a growing number of European countries for national import bans on hunting trophies. At the CITES World Wildlife Conference, the CIC regularly opposes the protection of hunted species such as polar bears, giraffes and hippos, and advocates the lifting of ivory trade. The association awards prizes and a rating system for hunting trophies. In Germany, it is a partner of Europe's largest hunting trade fair «Jagd und Hund», held annually in Dortmund, and defends its controversial hunting travel offerings targeting threatened and protected animal species. The CIC had already criticised the Greens during the 2021 federal election campaign over resolutions on trophy hunting in their basic programme and electoral manifesto.

89% of the population in favour of an import ban

«It is deeply unconvincing when the hunting associations CIC and DJV present themselves as the voice of people in Africa, when in reality it is about defending hunting interests. The claim that trophy hunting abroad is without alternative for securing the livelihoods of millions of people and the food security of the rural poor is downright cynical, because in fact it is primarily private large landowners and hunting travel operators who benefit,» said Freyer.

In Namibia — the destination of most German hunting tourists — over 97% of animals are shot on private hunting farms. Germany is the largest importer of hunting trophies of protected species after the United States. Between 2014 and 2018, trophies from at least 15’000 internationally protected mammals were legally imported into the EU. A broad coalition of around 170 nature and animal protection organisations, including 50 from Africa, recently called in a jointposition paperfor a ban on trophy imports. According to surveys, 89% of the population in Germany demand an import ban on hunting trophies; even in South Africa, the most significant African hunting country, 68% of people reject trophy hunting.

Background information:

• Facts on trophy hunting: The myths of the trophy hobby hunters debunked
• Worldwide coalition of almost 170 organisations calls for an import ban on hunting trophies (PDF)
• Pro Wildlife report In the crosshairs of trophy hunting