Washington - The US Fish and Wildlife Service under US
President Donald Trump has decided to allow the remains of elephants
hunted for sport in Zimbabwe to be imported into the United States,
reversing a ban on such imports introduced in 2014.
Zimbabwe's elephants are listed as "threatened" under the US
Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The service justified the change by saying the ban, imposed under
former president Barack Obama, was based on limited information
available at the time.
"The facts on the ground have changed and improved" regarding the
management and status of Zimbabwe's elephant population, it said,
adding that sport hunting can provide benefits to conservation as
part of a sound wildlife management programme.
"We are now able to find that African elephant trophy hunting in
Zimbabwe will enhance the survival of the species in the wild," the
service said. Money raised through hunting permits could boost
conservation efforts, it added.
The Zimbabwe National Elephant Management Plan, adopted in January
2016, lays out clear objectives to facilitate more systematic
management for African elephants, the serivice said.
The service also said non-governmental organizations, safari
outfitters, professional hunter associations and individuals provided
other updated information on the management of African elephants in
the country prior to its decision to lift the ban.