NPR: Trump Puts a Pause to Lifting Ban on Importing Elephant Trophies

The US Fish and Wildlife Service had announced that it would lift a ban imposed on importing sport-hunted elephant parts from Zimbabwe and Zambia, and then President Donald Trump stepped in to block the decision until he reviewed the figures on conservation. In a Twitter message, Trump noted that he would be“hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal.” The agency had claimed that allowing “management” through sports-hunting and imports would contribute to revenue for conservation. Elephants are a vulnerable species due to hunting and loss of habitat, and there is a culture clash between those who would hunt endangered animals and those who would prefer greater protections. Groups like Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association have fought the ban from Zimbabwe since 2014. The African elephant is the largest mammal on earth, with adults weighing about 6 tons, and their population numbers about 400,000, according to the World Wildlife Fund. WWF and other advocates for protection of animals like the Humane Society are expressing hope that the ban on importing elephant remains stays in place. – YaleGlobal