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| Cecil the lion killing disgusting and horrifying, says UK minister | Cecil the lion killing disgusting and horrifying, says UK minister |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The illegal killing of Cecil the lion by a US trophy hunter was disgusting, horrifying and very sad, according to a UK minister, who said he could see the arguments “on both sides” for legal big game hunting. | The illegal killing of Cecil the lion by a US trophy hunter was disgusting, horrifying and very sad, according to a UK minister, who said he could see the arguments “on both sides” for legal big game hunting. |
| Rory Stewart, the environment minister, would not be drawn on whether the UK should ban the import of lion heads, paws and skins, or whether British airlines should follow the actions of three US carriers which this week banned such trophies. | Rory Stewart, the environment minister, would not be drawn on whether the UK should ban the import of lion heads, paws and skins, or whether British airlines should follow the actions of three US carriers which this week banned such trophies. |
| But he said the British government was looking very closely at the issue of imports, and that 61 import permits were issued and 16 trophies were imported to the UK over the last 12 months. | |
| Related: Trophy hunting just part of the story behind declining lion numbers in Africa | Related: Trophy hunting just part of the story behind declining lion numbers in Africa |
| Announcing £5m in funding to tackle the illegal wildlife trade in rhino, elephants, tigers and other animals globally, Stewart said on Wednesday: “This is a deeply horrifying situation with Cecil the Lion. That is an illegal action, a disgusting action and one we completely condemn.” | Announcing £5m in funding to tackle the illegal wildlife trade in rhino, elephants, tigers and other animals globally, Stewart said on Wednesday: “This is a deeply horrifying situation with Cecil the Lion. That is an illegal action, a disgusting action and one we completely condemn.” |
| He said the one good thing that had come out of the killing, which has sparked outrage around the world and calls for the Minnesotan dentist who killed the 13-year-old lion to be extradited to Zimbabwe, was to have re-engaged the public in conservation. | He said the one good thing that had come out of the killing, which has sparked outrage around the world and calls for the Minnesotan dentist who killed the 13-year-old lion to be extradited to Zimbabwe, was to have re-engaged the public in conservation. |
| “The reason why Cecil the lion has been so powerful is it’s re-engaged millions of people in the issue of conservation and how you get humans to live alongside biodiverse species. So this has been a tragedy, it’s a very, very sad situation but the positive element of it is that it’s restarted this conversation we’re having now.” | “The reason why Cecil the lion has been so powerful is it’s re-engaged millions of people in the issue of conservation and how you get humans to live alongside biodiverse species. So this has been a tragedy, it’s a very, very sad situation but the positive element of it is that it’s restarted this conversation we’re having now.” |
| On Wednesday, Theo Bronkhorst, a professional hunter who allegedly aided the killing of Cecil, said that the charges being brought against him by a Zimbabwean court were “frivolous and wrong”. Over £0.5m has been donated to wildlife researchers who were tracking the lion in Hwange national park. | On Wednesday, Theo Bronkhorst, a professional hunter who allegedly aided the killing of Cecil, said that the charges being brought against him by a Zimbabwean court were “frivolous and wrong”. Over £0.5m has been donated to wildlife researchers who were tracking the lion in Hwange national park. |
| Stewart was speaking at London Zoo for the £5m second round of the government’s £13m illegal wildlife trade challenge fund, which is designed to fund projects to stem the poaching crisis that is killing over 1,000 rhino in South Africa and more than 20,000 African elephants each year. | Stewart was speaking at London Zoo for the £5m second round of the government’s £13m illegal wildlife trade challenge fund, which is designed to fund projects to stem the poaching crisis that is killing over 1,000 rhino in South Africa and more than 20,000 African elephants each year. |
| “Overall we’re still facing an enormous crisis,” Stewart said of the illegal trade, which is estimated by the UN to be worth $50-150bn (£32-95bn) per year. | “Overall we’re still facing an enormous crisis,” Stewart said of the illegal trade, which is estimated by the UN to be worth $50-150bn (£32-95bn) per year. |
| Asked whether the legal hunting of big game such as lions was defensible, given the money it raised for African governments who promise to spend it on conservation, he said: “You can see the arguments, both sides, and there are disagreements amongst different African states. | Asked whether the legal hunting of big game such as lions was defensible, given the money it raised for African governments who promise to spend it on conservation, he said: “You can see the arguments, both sides, and there are disagreements amongst different African states. |
| “Botswana has banned hunting entirely. Another state is generating approximately $300m a year [an apparent reference to Zambia, which earlier this year said it would lift a ban on hunting], which is then ploughed back into conservation. These are difficult issues.” | “Botswana has banned hunting entirely. Another state is generating approximately $300m a year [an apparent reference to Zambia, which earlier this year said it would lift a ban on hunting], which is then ploughed back into conservation. These are difficult issues.” |
| But he would not promise a ban on trophy imports to the UK, something politicians and conservationists have said should happen at both an EU level and in the US. | But he would not promise a ban on trophy imports to the UK, something politicians and conservationists have said should happen at both an EU level and in the US. |
| “We’re looking very carefully at that, we’re discussing carefully with the public, with other countries. But this has to be international, this is not about some short-term response from the United Kingdom. | “We’re looking very carefully at that, we’re discussing carefully with the public, with other countries. But this has to be international, this is not about some short-term response from the United Kingdom. |
| Stewart praised a declaration adopted by the UN last week to eradicate the illegal wildlife trade, both at the supply end in Africa and demand end, which is largely in south-east Asia. He said that while elephant poaching numbers had changed little since 46 countries signed an accord in London last year to tackle the problem, the so-called London declaration was a success politically. | Stewart praised a declaration adopted by the UN last week to eradicate the illegal wildlife trade, both at the supply end in Africa and demand end, which is largely in south-east Asia. He said that while elephant poaching numbers had changed little since 46 countries signed an accord in London last year to tackle the problem, the so-called London declaration was a success politically. |
| “The core of the declaration is political. The key thing it achieved was to get a really remarkable number of heads of state, foreign ministers, to turn up and make a big public commitment to make this a priority.” | “The core of the declaration is political. The key thing it achieved was to get a really remarkable number of heads of state, foreign ministers, to turn up and make a big public commitment to make this a priority.” |