United Kingdom - Bill To Ban Trophy Hunting Imports Moves to House of Lords

​worldanimalnews.com/historic-bill-to-ban-trophy-hunting-imports-into-the-uk-passes-the-house-of-commons-moves-to-the-house-of-lords/

A historic bill aimed at protecting wildlife has passed the house of commons in the United Kingdom and will now move to the House of Lords for a vote. The bill would make it illegal to import hunting trophies from species internationally recognized as being endangered or in danger of extinction. This monumental bill would be the first of its kind, sending a strong message to the International community that the United Kingdom stands up for imperiled wildlife and doesn't support the pay for slaughter of innocent, endangered species. This would include lions, polar bears, giraffes, elephants, and rhinos; all of which face the possibility of extinction.

Not my photo. Photo taken from ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/US/cecil-lion-trophy-hunting-industry-africa-explained/story?id=32785057

I've spent many years advocating against trophy hunting and I've engaged in many a debate with pro-trophy hunters who all follow the same narrative when it comes to their defense of their actions. It has long been reported that money spent on these trophy hunting excursions is funneled in to local communities and conservation initiatives, but statistically, these same species continue to plunge towards extinction. This suggests that all of that blood money is actually doing nothing to protect these species because they'd be plentiful at this point using that logic.

When you look at vulnerable species like giraffes, lions, pangolins, or rhinos, they share a lot of the same perils imposed on them by humanity. They suffer as a result of continued human growth and expansion, losing their habitat and being forced in to human conflict with local communities. These conflicts can lead to injury or death from innocent species who are simply trying to source food or water. As human populations continue to grow, more land is needed for agriculture / crops, effectively taking away these imperiled species' habitat and leaving them fragmented. Humans have caused nearly 100% of the perils that our planet's most recognized & imperiled species face, and yet there are those who continue to advocate selfishly for trophy hunting.

When you really look at the struggles these species face; habitat loss, fragmentation, human conflict, poaching, trophy hunting, the illegal wildlife trade, the link to humanity couldn't be more clear. We are directly responsible for the extinction and endangerment of every species on the list. Whether it's overfishing that is putting the Vaquita in peril or the illegal wildlife trade that has decimated wild pangolins, it can all be traced back to us and our selfish, greedy nature and entitlement. Honestly, can you imagine having a debate with some loser who is actually trying to convince you that shooting and killing lions or elephants for fun is actually helping them when their population continues on a steady decline? This selfishness is the reason our planet is suffering because humanity is so self-serving and we believe that everything on this planet is for us to use as we see fit, even when all of the signs are telling us to stop.

If the UK passes this ball, they will make history and hopefully inspire other countries across the planet to enact similar laws to protect our planet's wildlife. There is no logic in hunting animals for fun in order to protect them. These people should donate their tens of thousands of extra dollars to REAL conservation organizations that are tirelessly working to prevent the extinction of imperiled species. Trophy hunting is disgusting and we have to stop contributing to the demise of our planet's most recognized species to satisfy a sick urge to slaughter a wild animal and pose next to its corpse. 

HAPPY VEG