A UK ban on trophy hunting could save the lives of 2,000 wild animals over the next decade, including African elephants and leopards on the verge of extinction.
Eduardo Goncalves, founder of The Campaign Against Trophy Hunting, told Metro.co.uk that the world’s most threatened species would stand a chance of survival if the government follows through on promises to ban the ‘morally indefensible sport’.
Ministers have launched a public consultation asking for voters’ opinions on proposed new legislation to prohibit imports of slaughtered animals to the UK. However the next 12 hours are crucial with the survey set to close at 11.59pm.
Mr Goncalves said animals whose lives could be saved include hippos, lions, zebras, polar bears and monkeys – the most popular targets among British trophy hunters.
Urging people to have their say he said: ‘[Trophy Hunting] is having a devastating impact on some of the rarest species. A ban would send a really big signal to the international community.
‘It’s so rare we are asked our opinion on something like this. It’s something we can’t let slip past us. If we don’t act then we have only got ourselves to blame.
‘Over the last decade 1.7 million animals have been killed by trophy hunters around the world. They are being bred in captivity in back yards for this purpose. It’s absolutely insane. It’s immoral. We are in the midst of an extinction crisis almost as bad as the climate crisis and animals are being bred for the bullet.’
Earlier this month Metro.co.uk exposed the grim reality of Europe’s largest trophy hunting fair, where outfitters flogged ‘cheap and easy’ deals to kill endangered animals and take their heads home as a prize.
Last year we also reported on the thousands of endangered lions that are being slaughtered in the barbaric ‘canned hunting’ trade,.
What is Trophy Hunting?
Trophy hunting is the shooting of certain animals for pleasure, usually big game such as rhinos, elephants, lions, pumas and bears. The trophy is any part of the animal — such as head or skin — that the marksman keeps as a souvenir. Canned hunting involves an animal, usually a lion, being confined to a fenced area from which it cannot escape.
Although public surveys suggest the majority of the UK population disagree with the blood-sport, it is kept alive by a wealthy minority who argue money from the hunts funds conservation.
Mr Goncalves said this was a ‘hoax’ with studies showing the population of endangered animals can make a ‘remarkable recovery’ when trophy hunting stops.
Costa Rica, Kenya and Malawi, are amongst the countries which have chosen to ban trophy hunting and have seen a boost in nature tourism as a result.
Mr Goncalves said: ‘Scientists have shown that elephant trunks are getting smaller or disappearing altogether because of trophy hunting. This is a symptom of a weakened gene pool.
‘The hunters have gone after the big-tusked animals leaving the ‘weaklings’ behind to pass on their genes.
‘This means elephants in future may not have the genetic resilience to be able to adapt to climate change, they will be more prone to disease, and therefore have a greater likelihood of dying out. There are now just 40 Big Tusker elephants left on earth…’
Mr Goncalves urged people to vote for option three on the government consultation, which supports a total ban of trophy hunting imports and exports rather than a ban on just endangered species.
Celebrities, media outlets and other animal rights groups are among those who have echoed his calls.
The next few hours are crucial to end Trophy Hunting. The UK Govt public consultation closes TOMORROW. Hunters are lobbying for NO BAN. We may NEVER get another chance to STOP this evil trade.
Email huntingtrophyconsultation@defra.gov.uk ASAP: âI support Option 3 Total Banâ. ð— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) February 19, 2020
Experts say a UK ban could set a moral precedent for other countries to toughen up legislation against trophy hunting.
Wendy Higgins of the Humane Society International told Metro.co.uk: ‘Trophy hunting is about killing for kicks and bragging rights, displaying the morbid, stuffed remains of once beautiful and iconic animals like elephants, lions and giraffes.
‘So a UK import and export ban would be a major nail in the coffin of this cruel industry because it would stop them being able to bring back those trophies from South Africa, the United States and elsewhere to hang on their wall.
‘The sooner the UK government implements a ban, the better.’
You can have you say on the government consultation here