News

Westminster, London – On Tuesday the 1st July,

 the day that Cecil the Lion was killed by a trophy hunter 10 years ago, a significant meeting was held in Westminster, organised by Eduardo Goncalves of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting and Christine Macsween from LionAid, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the tragic killing of Cecil the Lion. The event saw a strong turnout of MPs, Lords, and various celebrities, all united in their call for an end to the importation of hunting trophies into the UK.

A highlight of the meeting was the powerful speech delivered by Baroness Sue Hayman, the Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

She reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to bringing a Bill to ban the Importation of Hunting Trophies before Parliament at the earliest opportunity, a statement that was met with enthusiastic reception from attendees.

During the meeting, Christine presented Lion Aid's most recent assessment of wild lion population numbers remaining in Africa. This latest assessment has been compiled by Dr. Pieter Kat.

LionAid’ s specific assessment  2025 figures were presented, revealing an estimated total of 13,014 lions in eastern and southern Africa. Furthermore, they reported a critically low figure of 342 lions in western and central Africa, where resident lion populations are highly genetically distinct. 
This presentation underscored the alarming decline in lion populations and the urgent need for robust conservation measures, directly linking the issue to the impact of trophy hunting.

Following the meeting, a determined group marched to No. 10 Downing Street. There, Christine Macsween from LionAid and Eduardo Goncalves from the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting delivered crucial documents advocating for a comprehensive UK ban on the importation of hunting trophies. LionAid also presented their petition specifically calling for a ban on the import of lion trophies into the UK, which has garnered an impressive 905,553 signatures, demonstrating widespread public opposition to this practice.

The event served as a powerful reminder of Cecil the Lion's legacy, which continues to galvanise efforts against trophy hunting, and highlighted the growing momentum behind legislative action to end the import of these controversial items into the UK.

Please, if you possibly can, will you support our work with a donation today  to help us in this very important fight for lions. Christine Macsween  is back in Westminster today to talk again with MPs and Lords about the huge importance of bringing in legislation to ban the importation of lion trophies into the UK.

Please click here for the link to donate. Thank you so much. 

The fight goes on! Please support us in our work. Thank you for your kindness.