US Hunting Lobby Invests Millions Against Trophy Ban

The US hunting lobby has spent £1 million to pressure the government into delaying the trophy import ban, according to a new report by Members of Parliament.

Boris Johnson promised three years ago to ban the import of these trophies, but the legislation has still not passed Parliament. Due to this delay, Conservative MP and animal welfare advocate Henry Smith has introduced his own private member's bill to ban the import of hunting trophies.

A new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on banning trophy hunting has detailed the lobbying activities of international hunting corporations.

The report reveals that the US-based hunting lobby group Safari Club International (SCI) spent £1 million on a campaign to persuade MPs and the British public against a ban on the import of body parts from endangered species.

SCI is the world's largest trophy hunting group. It awards prizes to its members for killing large numbers of endangered animals. Founded in the 1970s, the organisation is one of the largest corporate donors to political campaigns in the United States and describes itself as «the leading defender of the freedom to hunt«.

The APPG report found that SCI funded a Facebook page called «Let Africa Live», which featured claims such as: «The United Kingdom is about to destroy local economies in Africa«. Although the page claimed to have been created by local groups in African countries, an investigation revealed that it was funded by SCI from a fund called the Hunter Legacy 100 Fund. The campaign page was ultimately shut down by Facebook, as its head of security stated: «The individuals behind this network attempted to conceal their identity and coordination«.

Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale, chair of the APPG, said that the government had been made aware through intensive lobbying that this could be a «controversial» issue.

He added: «When something is controversial, the government always asks for more time, but we need to get on with it. The US gun lobby has been lobbying like crazy … Safari Club International has put considerable pressure on the government.«

«I am having my own conversations with the Prime Minister. I think he is broadly determined to push this legislation through, but that must happen without regard for this lobby.«

Earlier in the year there was a fierce dispute within the Conservative Party when ministers said Johnson was on the verge of dropping the ban after the hunting lobby launched a campaign. At the time, the British Association of Shooting and Conservation welcomed the news that a ban would harm conservation. Proponents of trophy hunting argue that the revenue generated by hunting is needed to fund conservation efforts and support local economies.

According to the APPG report, populations of lions, elephants and rhinos in Kenya, where trophy hunting is banned, have increased, while lion populations in Zambia and Zimbabwe have also recovered strongly following a temporary ban on trophy hunting.

Trophy hunters kill for pleasure. They kill animals to show off, to demonstrate their supposed fearlessness and courage. The hunting lobby will work hard to maintain the status quo. If we want to preserve our reputation as a nation of animal lovers, all hunting trophies should be banned. Time is running out. Many of the species killed by trophy hunters are on the verge of extinction.

Primatologist Jane Goodall

A Defra spokesperson said: «We are determined to ban the import of hunting trophies from thousands of endangered and threatened species. This ban will be one of the toughest in the world and will take a leading role in protecting endangered animals. And we welcome the bill put forward by MP Henry Smith.«