Donald Trump administration lifts ban on importing lion hunt trophies

a reply to: RalagaNarHallas

There is still a near total importation ban on commercial trade in African elephant ivory. ...and has been in place since 2016, I think.

Even trade in ivory already within the US is severely restricted, though I'm not sure of the wherefores, and whereas's.

This lifting of the trophy ban effects that not at all.

I suppose that means the tusks of any elephant taken as a trophy stay with the trophy.

Asian elephant ivory isn't as restricted, apparently.

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
I don't understand the logic behind this? What legitimate reason could there possibly be to lift this ban?

The basic logic that African nation's wildlife services understand animal control needs far better than a group of Americans driven purely by emotional pablum ever will. As long as these hunters are following the law, I see zero logic in banning the import of their trophies back into the US. The ban was generated by emotional drivel following an American dentist's successful, legal African lion hunt and the outburst of ridiculous feels the photos of a named wild lion generated.

Lions may be endangered in some areas, but in other areas they may well be overpopulated and in need of thinning. I salute this decision, but it never should have been needed as the ban never should have happened in this country in the first place.

originally posted by: jacquesdarippa
Keep an eye on this thread just to see how the pro Trump people spin this one.

Uh, look back at the Cecil the lion flap and you'll see a lot of people who thought the ban was overstepping horsecrap when it was first enacted.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Liberal "experts" say we're on our way to self-destructing, via Nuclear War, or Changing Earth's Climate.

So what the heck...hunt, trap...enjoy!

I don't understand the logic behind this? What legitimate reason could there possibly be to lift this ban??

So, I used to think this was a bad thing too, but then I watched an episode of "Adam Ruins Everything" which is a show with a liberal slant. They said that allowing people to take legal trophies actually BENEFITS overall wildlife conservation.

The people who hunt are guided and they only kill old or problem animals that need to be put down anyway. Also, they pay HUGE sums of money that helps with all the other conservation efforts.

Making it legal actually HELPS animals and conservation efforts. I didn't realize this either, but if you have an issue with this you should check out that episode I am talking about. Adam explains it much more eloquently.

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: TheLead
a reply to: Southern Guardian

And?? You could already hunt them, just couldn't bring them back to the states. I don't see an issue with the change.

Then why bother with this change?

So you can bring your lion hide and head back to your American home? Obvious reason for change is obvious. Next on the agenda needs to be lifting the ban on meat imports from overseas hunts.

a reply to: Metallicus

Hunting is conservation. Hunters, through their license fees, ammo taxes, pay to play fees, and donations to the myriad of species specific conservation groups around the world fund actual, honest to God conservation of wildlife more than anyone else does. If you remove the BS from the equation, such as counting the Sierra clubs PAC spending and frivolous financial efforts geared towards unproven nonsense like global warming, hunters keep this country's wildlife protected and thriving. Even moreso in countries like Africa which lack the ability to finance their preservation parks and even feed many villages if you removed legal American and European hunters from their economy.

Breaking news from twitterland.

Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!
twitter.com...

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Yup.

Not a big fan of trophy hunting myself, but the animal isn't wasted. The meat goes to people who need it. Not sure what lion tastes like, or elephant--nor is it likely I'll ever find out--but the hunts do serve a purpose.

The money paid goes to conservation efforts.

The problem is poaching.

You want to make a difference and save African animals? Poaching is the problem, not trophy hunters. Y'all are gettin' up in arms about the wrong issue.

Would you like to know the reason white rhinos are all but extinct?? Chinese medicine. Rhino horn is apparently really big in Chinese medicine. Would you like to know who supplies the vast majority of the illegal rhino horn? Poachers.

Get outraged about the real issue. Contact the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) about which they consider to be the real issue. While they're not big on trophy hunting, either, they also know that the money raised by that helps their work against poachers.

originally posted by: gortex
Breaking news from twitterland.

Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!
twitter.com...

This is what I love about Trump's Twitter account. You can get useful information and no media (or ATS OP) spin.

originally posted by: gortex
Breaking news from twitterland.

Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!
twitter.com...

Seems like a reasonable approach.

originally posted by: gortex
Breaking news from twitterland.

Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!
twitter.com...

I love the stupidity of people's comments, so much fake outrage.

a reply to: gortex

LOL

Welcome to the new world of:

Step 1: say-something-before-learning-the-facts

Step 2: back-pedal-if-the-facts-prove-step-one-a-dumb-move

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: gortex
Breaking news from twitterland.

Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!
twitter.com...

I love the stupidity of people's comments, so much fake outrage.

No way man.

It's fricken hilarious !

Who needs cable tv when we can now get our entertainment for free ?



Me say this, me gonna do that.

No wait! I might change my mind.



Priceless !

a reply to: thesaneone

I love the stupidity of people's comments, so much fake outrage.

"Fake outrage" seems to have caught the President's attention.

This is despicable.

Good, the trophies obtained on those hunts were still coming into the country, just illegally and fee/tax free. It's kinda like marijuana, readily available for those interested, and completely tax/fee free. Now that it is allowed again, money can be generated from it.

This doesn't allow illegal imports, only legal ones, and I'm going to assume the fee will be hefty, but it won't matter. The people that pay the prices to go on these hunts will gladly pay whatever the fee is to legally import their trophy.

It is also recognized by the WWF (not the old wrestling one) that in certain circumstances, these hunting reserves are actually beneficial to not only the native population, but also the hunted species itself. Typically these hunting reserves would qualify for approval with the WWF, because there is enough money in it to make it beneficial for the species. It's almost free advertising, and in the end the species actually does benefit in terms of numbers and circumstances. Remember, most of the animals hunted are actually born in captivity, and on these reserves, poachers are hunted more than the wildlife.

The debate over the moral situation is another aspect though, but emotions tend to overshadow actualities quite often, and therefore making that a debate that goes around in circles endlessly. I'm compassionate but rational, I hate knowing these things happen, and I wish they wouldn't, but understand the importance to local economies and the species itself for the legit reserves.

a reply to: CranialSponge

You ain't kidding, things are so loopy and effed up that I still think it's 2010 and I'm still in the hospital in a coma having bad dreams but my wife swears to me it's 2017 and it's all real, the world has gone full Re Re.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: thesaneone

I love the stupidity of people's comments, so much fake outrage.

"Fake outrage" seems to have caught the President's attention.

I heard he invented the term.

a reply to: intrepid

You can roll your eyes about it if you want, but there's data to back up that position.