Washington, D.C. — The Born Free Foundation has welcomed the announcement by France’s environment minister, Ségolène Royal, banning the import of lion heads, paws, and skins by trophy hunters.[teaserbreak]
The decision was made public following the screening of the film Blood Lions at the European Parliament in Brussels on November 17, 2015, which had been organized by the Born Free Foundation. The film exposes the cruel and horrific intensive breeding of lions in South Africa for the so-called canned hunting industry.
Public concern about the impacts of trophy hunting has been growing following the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe by an American dentist in July 2015.
The European Union (EU) is one of the biggest sources of hunters and importers of wildlife trophies. Almost 120,000 trophy items were legally imported into the EU between 2003 and 2012, including almost 3,500 lion trophies. France is the third largest trophy importer among EU countries, behind Spain and Germany*.
Born Free Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Adam M. Roberts, said: “Trophy hunting adds to the pressure on lions and other wild animals already threatened by habitat loss, conflict with people, and trade. This cruel and damaging activity does nothing to enhance species conservation or local communities. We applaud France’s decision, and urge other EU countries to follow suit.”
Born Free continues to work with EU Member States and the European Commission to end the import of all wildlife trophies into the EU.
*Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) trade statistics derived from the CITES Trade Database, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK
The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and works to phase out zoos. The Foundation rescues animals from lives of misery in tiny cages and gives them lifetime care. Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine turtles, and many more species in their natural habitats, working with local communities to help people and wildlife live together without conflict. The Foundation’s high-profile campaigns change public attitudes, persuade decision-makers, and get results. Every year, Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide. More at www.bornfree.org.uk.
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation”—the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, and www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, therodicompany@gmail.com