Donald Trump reversed decision to legalise hunting trophy importation
President Donald Trump has said he will no longer be lifting the ban on the importation of hunted elephants.
He announced the news via Twitter after his administration faced huge backlash from the announcement that the ban would be lifted.
Trump argued that hunting could actually help conservation efforts.
Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2017
'To support conservation, hunters should choose to hunt only in countries that have strong governance, sound management practices, and healthy wildlife populations,' a White House spokesperson told The Independent.
The ban was put in place as part of the Obama administration.
Animal rights activists were outraged by the lifting of the ban.
You really have to be a special kind of human garbage to lift a ban on elephant trophy hunting.
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) November 17, 2017
'The suggestion by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that slaughtering imperilled elephants is acceptable as long as a donation is given to “conservation” marks an expansion of its outrageous “pay-to-play” policy, which thwarts the Endangered Species Act,' reads a statement from PETA.
'PETA has been challenging this policy for years and will continue to do so until the government recognizes that selling a threatened animal’s life to raise money for “conservation” is like selling a child on the black market to raise money to fight child molestation.'
Trump tweeted that he will be maintaining the ban until he can review the 'facts' about elephant conservation.
