Trophy hunting gets its name from the horrifying tradition of keeping a part of the slaughtered animal as a trophy. Heads of lions, skins of tigers, feet from elephants, or horns from rhinos are among some of the most prized souvenirs. We all remember the tragic killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe, perpetrated by a dentist from the U.S. who paid $55,000 for the privilege of murdering a highly treasured and endangered animal and bringing its body parts home as trophies.
Oftentimes, the best way to discourage trophy hunting is to ban the importing of these trophies, since most trophy hunters — typically the rich and elite — come from abroad into countries where these precious and endangered animals live. It has now been 5 years since Cecile the lion was murdered, which means the UK has spent 5 years offering empty promises of a hunting trophy imports ban without any follow through. The wild lion population has plummeted by 98% in the past 70 years, and could totally disappear in the next 30. Sign the petition if you think enough is enough! The United Kingdom’s Parliament must immediately introduce legislation banning the importation of hunting trophies before one more animal dies for this horrible sport!