This is excellent news, and is a reminder that the president can be swayed when he sees concern about an impending decision. This was just a halt in the lifting of the ban until he takes a closer look. It will be important to encourage him to keep the ban in place.

Via CNBC.

President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media.

Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration.

An elephant roams in Zimbabwe.
William F. Campbell | The LIFE Images Collection | Getty Images
An elephant roams in Zimbabwe.
President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday he is putting a decision to allow imports of elephant trophies on hold after a torrent of criticism from conservation advocates and across social media.

Trump’s reversal came hours after his administration released a rule on Friday to allow hunters who kill elephants in Zimbabwe to bring their trophies back to the United States, which had been banned by the Obama administration.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement that he had spoken with Trump and “both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical.” He said the “issuing of permits is being put on hold as the decision is being reviewed.” […]

Africa’s elephant population plunged by about a fifth between 2006 and 2015 because of increased poaching for ivory, a coveted commodity used in carving and ornamental accessories in China and other parts of Asia, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said last year.

Wildlife activists argue that corruption is endemic in impoverished Zimbabwe, and that money generated by big game hunting and meant for conservation has been diverted into the pockets of crooks and poachers…

The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Ed Royce, slammed the administration’s decision to allow the imports, saying economic and political turmoil in Zimbabwe gave him “zero confidence” the authorities there were properly managing conservation programs.

“Elephants and other big game in Africa are blood currency for terrorist organizations, and they are being killed at an alarming rate,” Royce said in a statement. “Stopping poaching isn’t just about saving the world’s most majestic animals for the future — it’s about our national security.”

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2 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. MACVEL says:

    So, Trump caves in to the Animal rights crowd. 🙁

  2. Maynard says:

    To the limited extent that I understand these things (that is, I freely acknowledge that I may have been fed a false narrative), my understanding is that wild elephants are regarded as troublesome by residents of rural Africa (would you want a herd of huge animals trampling your ranch or farmland?), so the locals have no reason to preserve them — UNLESS managed hunting is allowed, in which case troublesome beasts become a valuable resource, only to be taken under controlled circumstances that benefit the community. Thus the practical effect of a hunt ban is to incentivize locals to kill off the elephants, whereas the practical effect of a licensed hunt is to incentivize locals to protect the herd. Funny how that works. But correct me if I’m wrong.

    Wow, the left-wing Slate has posted an article, “Lifting the Ban on Elephant Trophies Will Probably Help Save Elephants”, which actually discusses the question from a perspective that’s other than hysterical. What’s the world coming to?

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