Britain is to have the toughest trophy-hunting laws in the world according to the Daily Telegraph and Defra minister Zac Goldsmith.
What appears to be envisaged is a ban on the import into the UK of endangered animal parts, such as their heads. Sounds good – if you can’t bring them home to hang on the wall maybe you won’t go and shoot elephants, rhinos etc.
However, I have seen this move criticised by some on social media as follows:
…and even…
Although some of those agreeing with the remarks above are those usual suspects who agree with anything and anyone who disagrees with Chris Packham, that isn’t true of them all.
So, I can’t see the argument from those remarks above, and can’t access the Science letter, but I do remember (very vaguely) a discussion on the radio where these arguments were rehearsed. And therefore the offer, not a challenge, just an offer, for anyone out there who would like to say why banning the import of dead bits of endangered species is a bad thing for those animals rather than a good thing, is the offer of a guest blog. Guidance for contributors of guest blogs is here.
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I am happy to do a guest blog on this, I was the lead author on the Science paper so can give that perspective, as well as the broader one from decades of experience in Africa. Let me know – my email is below! Cheers Amy