Petition to Ban Lion Trophy Imports into Australia

To Minister for the Environment The Hon Greg Hunt MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham: The Director Wildlife Trade Regulation Department of the Environment

We ask that Australia change its rules on the import of hunting "trophies" and bans all such imports.

Australia could lead the way and set precedence for banning trophy hunters from bringing any of their trophies back to Australia.

Banning the import of their kills will help reduce the incentive for Australians to go to Africa and America to shoot endangered animals.

In March the European Commission was asked to ban the import into the EU of any such trophies, which have increased in popularity since hunting lions and other endangered wildlife has been outlawed in many countries.

According to UK-based charity Lion Aid, as many as 8,000 lions are being bred in captivity for holiday-makers to shoot with bows and arrows and even pistols in South Africa alone.

Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik has confirmed that the current rules on wildlife imports, based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), don't go far enough and that the EU is developing tougher new rules.

In a letter to Ms Lambert, Mr Potocnik said that in cases where there are concerns about the sustainability of lion hunting in certain exporting countries, those new rules would give the possibility to the Commission to suspend imports of lion hunting trophies into the EU.

Ms Lambert welcomed the decision, which she said she hoped would mean an end to so-called canned hunting, which she called "an abhorrent and sordid piece of animal cruelty."

She said: "While it is mainly happening outside the EU we can't directly put a stop to it, but we can ban the import of any such "trophies"; that result to discourage EU holiday-makers from taking part in this unacceptably-cruel activity.

"We must try to stop the breeding of mammals simply for holiday-makers to kill for fun: I am glad the Commission agrees that we should be banning the import of these "trophies."

- See more at: http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/2014/06/09/eu-heed-green-meps-call-ban-import-canned-hunting-trophies/#sthash.4no96Zz4.dpuf

http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2012/12/an-assault-on-reason/#more-11406

In the 1960s, it was estimated that there were 200,000 lions on the African continent. Sadly, only 20,000 are left today. Sport hunting is still permitted in the wild and South Africa specifically breeds lions for captive hunting -- "canned hunting."

Sport hunting refers to animals killed for the prize of an animal trophy, usually the skin or mounted head of the animal. That can be done legally in a few places, such as game reserves. However, the illegal sport hunting across Africa and poachers selling lion trophies to the rest of the world are real issues that affect all of us.

Sport hunting mostly targets adult male animals. Hunters regard them as the most impressive to kill. Adult male lions -- who, it is estimated, only make up 15 percent at most of any lion population -- are the primary trophy targets.

In fact, as many as 8,000 lions are being bred in captivity in South Africa alone for holiday-makers to shoot with bows and arrows and even pistols, according to UK-based charity Lion Aid.

In March, the European Commission was asked to ban the import into the EU of any such trophies. Collecting them has grown in popularity since hunting lions and other endangered wildlife has been outlawed in many countries.

Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik has confirmed that the current rules on wildlife imports, based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) do not go far enough and that the EU is developing tougher new rules.

The continued specific removal of the male from the lion population, (called "mining") is unsustainable. They simply cannot be replaced.

We ask that Australia ban importing these "trophies" of male lions and animals from sports hunting.

See more at: http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/2014/06/09/eu-heed-green-meps-call-ban-import-canned-hunting-trophies/#sthash.4no96Zz4.dpuf

http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2012/12/an-assault-on-reason/#more-11406