Elephant hunt trophy imports from Africa in to Europe can restart after a controversial EU ruling.
Animal campaigners are furious about the EU’s Scientific Review Group’s U-turn on an earlier decision to suspend imports from Zambia.
The country had export of its elephant trophies stopped in April after concerns from representatives of EU countries that population levels were dangerously low.
The Zambian government claimed an aerial survey suggests there are now 33,000 of the animals in the country, leading the EU to change its position.
The same meeting of the EU group agreed to continue to allow the import of lion hunting trophies from Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.
African Elephants, Luangwa River Valley, Zambia, AfricaHunted: African elephants are targeted by game hunters
Campaigners hotly dispute the population estimates used but the Tanzanian and Zambian governments claim trophy hunting can contribute to wildlife conservation if properly managed.
It comes a month after the Mirror revealed trophies such as elephant skin handbags and bracelets were being imported in to Britain.
Dr Pieter Kat, LionAid co-founder, said: “It is disappointing that it appears from the outcome that political agendas superseded scientific evidence.
“We are seeking an urgent meeting with the EU Commission to determine on what justifiable grounds these decisions were made and to strongly urge that the SRG meeting reconsiders their conclusions.”
