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While a trophy hunting import ban into the UK has been a manifesto priority under two different governments now, no progress has been made. It has been left to individual Members of Parliament to put forward proposals, all have eventually been defeated. Mr Henry Smith MP perhaps came closest, his proposed Bill sailed through the House of Commons, only to be defeated by a filibuster in the House of Lords by those with vested interests. Now, a proposed similar Bill by David Reed MP has been delayed for a second reading until June this year. Stuck again in other words.
What caused this latest obstruction? It seems to be that politicians seem convinced by misleading arguments from the pro-hunting lobbies that passing such Bills would be seen as “neo-colonial” interference in the affairs of African nations. This is of course complete nonsense – nations are free to determine what they wish to import and what not. Look for example at the ban on Canadian seal skins, controlled drugs, offensive weapons, for example flick knives, self-defence sprays, for example pepper spray and CS gas, rough diamonds, personal imports of meat and dairy products from most non-EU countries.
Also, the level of trophy hunted imports into the UK is minimal. For example in 2023, CITES lists 1 leopard, 1 cheetah, 3 elephants and 1 hippo. CITES does not give information on when those animals were actually shot – most likely not in 2023.
We have asked prominent politicians and conservationists in Botswana to provide their opinions on this “neo-colonial” concept, and all so far have been entirely dismissive.
We report below conclusions from a recent scientific publication from Tanzania, still a prominent trophy hunting export nation. The article discusses the Selous Game Reserve, previously a major trophy hunting concession location, but now transformed into Nyerere National Park by the Tanzania government.
The Tanzania publication determined the following:
1. Trophy hunting does not prioritise wildlife conservation and local community development;
2. Trophy hunting is unethical and the focus should be on other forms of ecotourism for sustainable wildlife conservation and income generation;
3. Conservation activities were the least funded by state trophy hunting revenue. Already, this necessity was taken over by foreign donor agencies like the Frankfurt Zoological Society.
4. Trophy hunting cannot be considered a conservation tool when wildlife conservation does not form the heart of the matter.
African trophy hunting concessions, meanwhile, are not attracting much interest these days – 70% in Zambia have not been tendered for, and 40% in Tanzania. Those that are most attractive to hunting operators cling right to the edges of nationally protected areas, sucking trophy animals protected one minute into a hunting area the next. Infamously, Tanzanian hunting operators allowed their clients to shoot several of the few remaining large “tusker” elephants crossing the border from Kenya out of Amboseli National Park. There has been little condemnation of this despicable practice.
Clearly, UK politicians need to realize that the “neo-colonial” ploy is just that – not in any way applicable to the real situation on the ground in Africa where hunting operators and their supporters here in the UK will use any excuse to keep this colonial enterprise going, regardless the cost to wildlife conservation.
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