Hundreds of endangered animals killed by British trophy hunters since Sunak promised ban

Get the free Morning Headlines electronic mail for information from our reporters the world over

Sign as much as our free Morning Headlines electronic mail

The authorities’s resolution to drop the ban on imports of physique components from trophy hunts has value the lives of a whole bunch of susceptible and endangered animals, campaigners say.

Figures counsel not less than 715 animals, starting from elephants to bears and leopards, have been killed by rich British hunters since October 2019, when the Conservatives first promised a ban within the Queen’s speech.

Every 12 months, hunters from the UK journey overseas and pay hundreds of kilos to legally shoot animals. They carry again our bodies or physique components as souvenirs.

After a number of failed makes an attempt in recent times to ban imports of “trophies” of endangered wildlife, a recent drive is being made in parliament within the coming weeks, and stands on a knife edge.

The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting has used the commerce database of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) to calculate numbers of our bodies or physique components – similar to skins, tails, heads, horns and ft imported – since October 2019.

The organisation counted 56 within the final three months of that 12 months; 202 in 2020; 57 in 2021 – a decrease tally as a result of of Covid journey curbs – and estimates of 200 for 2022 and 2023. CBTH says that 200 determine is a conservative estimate, since British trophy imports have generally been 300 or extra in a single 12 months.

The species from which they got here embrace lions; African elephants; Russian bears; American cougars and Asian mountain sheep.

The trophies embrace entire our bodies of bears, elephant and giraffe ft; elephant and hippo tusks and the skins of leopards and zebras – species which are already underneath growing stress from habitat loss, local weather change, poaching and the unlawful wildlife commerce.

Actor Peter Egan, a supporter of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, mentioned the failure to ban imports had led to a whole bunch of animals – many of them endangered – being “needlessly butchered” by British trophy hunters.

“It is incredible that the hunting trophy ban is not yet law,” he mentioned.

Outlawing imports had been promised within the 2019 Conservative manifesto, and the pledge was repeated within the authorities’s “animal welfare action plan” revealed in 2021. The proposed ban was included within the Animals Abroad Bill – however this was dropped after months of delay, to conservationists’ dismay.

A personal member’s invoice containing a ban was then scuppered when a bunch of lords tabled dozens of amendments designed to cease it passing.

Mr Egan added: “Over 44,000 stakeholders took part in the government’s extensive public consultation, of whom 86 per cent supported the proposals. The bill was backed by every party in the Commons – Labour even had an identical pledge in its manifesto.

“A ban has the backing of nine out of 10 voters. One would have thought that a government facing potential electoral wipeout would have moved heaven and earth to get such a popular bill passed.”

The star of Downton Abbey and Ever Decreasing Circles mentioned the federal government would assist make sure the survival of many Conservative MPs in addition to harmless animals by passing the ban.

“The longer the delay, the more lions, elephants, giraffes and hippos will die needlessly at the hands of British trophy hunters. It is time to end this disgrace without any further dithering,” he mentioned.

A personal member’s invoice by MP Henry Smith – banning trophy imports and drafted by the federal government – handed the Commons with assist from MPs throughout the events, however was blocked within the Lords when a number of friends tabled greater than 60 amendments to debate because the deadline approached after which expired.

Now Labour MP John Spellar has launched one other invoice, once more as a non-public member’s one and once more containing a ban. It is because of have a second studying within the Commons on 22 March earlier than progressing to the lords – the place it’s feared friends may once more resolve to wreck it.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs mentioned: “We are committed to delivering on our pledge to ban the import of hunting trophies and will continue to explore ways to bring this forward.”