The killing of lions for trophies, like the recent story of Cecil the lion from Zimbabwe, are horrifying and senseless.
According to the IFAW, African lion populations have plummeted by 48.5% over the past twenty years. Today, there are believed to be less than 40,000 lions remaining across a handful of African countries. These few animals face ever increasing threats from burgeoning human populations encroaching on their traditional ranges, disease, and loss of prey.
Americans are leading the world in the import of dead lions as “trophies”. From 1999 to 2008, Americans imported 4,021 lion trophies. This accounts for more than half of those traded internationally during this time period.
The US can help lead the way by banning the import and export of these trophies