UK Ivory Act – Ivory Bearing Species Consultation

Stephen Wiggins Article 1 Comment

The United Kingdom government (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)) is seeking consultation (via an on-line survey) on extending the scope of the Ivory Act 2018 to encompass five additional ivory bearing species (hippopotamus, narwhal, killer whale, sperm whale and walrus), not just elephants  – this DEFRA consultation runs …

South Africa’s Draft Policy Position – Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros

Stephen Wiggins Article 4 Comments

After last year’s High-Level Panel (HLP) submission process in South Africa, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) released its HLP Report in May 2021. Among many proposals, the DFFE proposes to enhance the conservation of lion and rhino species in the wild by halting their commercially driven domestication/exploitation. …

“We must end this barbaric practice”

Stephen Wiggins Article 1 Comment

“We must end this barbaric practice” is a reported quote with regard to the ethical/moral acceptability of trophy hunting by Boris Johnson – British Prime Minister given in a 28 September 2019 tweet alongside a picture of Cecil the lion – it’s now 6 years since this iconic lion’s slaughter on 1 July 2015 for …

South Africa’s High Level Panel Report

Stephen Wiggins Article 1 Comment

 Banner Image courtesy of Mark Boulton – Elsa Trust and Elsamere The Republic of South Africa’s Cabinet approved the High Level Panel’s (HLP’s) report [High Level Panel Report_15 December 2020] last week, so a briefing for stakeholders was held today, Sunday, 2 May 2021. Minster Creecy (Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and …

New Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for a Total UK Hunting Trophy Import Ban

Stephen Wiggins Article 4 Comments

Banner Image – “Sport hunting in Zimbabwe is big business, with hunters such as David Barrett paying $10,000 for the experience. Barrett, who is British, and others argue that Western hunters provide vital revenue to local communities” – National Geographic In 2019, 68 percent of Conservative voters supported a trophy …

Breeding and trading endangered wild animals is not conservation – it threatens their survival

Stephen Wiggins Article 2 Comments

Banner image “Tiger for sale in Bangkok.” By Andreas Wilson-Spath*, Daily Maverick, 9 February 2021 – This article was provided by the Conservation Action Trust. Conservationists have demonstrated that legalised trade and commercial breeding of wild animals stimulates demand, encourages poachers and smugglers and ultimately pushes species towards extinction in the wild. A …

Man Facing Jail in Slovakia for Illicitly Importing ‘Canned’ Tiger Trophy

Stephen Wiggins Article 3 Comments

  Flemming Emil Hanson (Zenger, 26 January 2021) reports that “A hunter is facing up to five years in jail for killing an endangered tiger in South Africa, importing it to Slovakia” and then using it “in violation of the law to promote business activities in connection with the mediation …

Is ‘celebrity power’ undermining global conservation efforts?

Stephen Wiggins Article 2 Comments

Are celebrities (and by association the public) misguided in their support of trophy hunting import/export bans? This is the question posed by Alex Morss, in a 15 January 2021 article published in The Guardian – “Celebrity power undermining global conservation efforts, [some] scientists warn”  – ie. the accusation being that …