Trump Admin Acknowledges the Importance of Hunting By Taking This Step

A recent move by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services proves the Trump Administration understands that hunting is an important wildlife conservation tool, both at home and abroad.

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As of October 20th, the import of sport-hunted lion trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia will be permitted. While all lions are currently protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Service allows the import of these trophies if it finds the country they’re coming from has a well-managed sports hunting program that ultimately enhances the lion’s survival.

Mid-2018, the Service will re-evaluate the hunting programs in these South African countries and determine whether lion trophy imports will continue to be permitted in 2019.

The NRA was quick to praise the move.

“By lifting the import ban on lion trophies in Zimbabwe and Zambia, the Trump Administration underscored the importance of sound scientific wildlife management and regulated hunting to the survival and enhancement of game species in this country and worldwide,” Executive Director of the NRA-ILA, Chris Cox, said in a statement.

“This is a significant step forward in having hunting receive the recognition it deserves as a tool of wildlife management, which had been all but buried in the previous administration,” he concluded.

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