Is Captive Lion Hunting Really Helping to Save the Species?
Global pressure is building to end the importation of lion trophies from "canned" hunts in Africa. But those hunts are getting more popular.
When Australia banned the importation of lion trophies this year, it became the first country to take legislative action against the lucrative business of hunting captive lions, an increasingly popular activity in South Africa.
Greg Hunt, Australia’s environment minister, called the controversial sport “cruel” and “barbaric” and said he hopes Australia’s decision is “part of a significant movement to end ‘canned’ hunting forever.”
Now the anti-captive hunting lobby—made up of conservationists and activists from around the world—is pushing for similar legislation to prevent lion trophy imports into the European Union.
Longer term, the opponents hope that a ban will be adopted by the United States, source of most of the hunters who go to Africa. (Read about the United States' decision
