Washington, D.C. – Born Free USA, a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, applauds House Natural Resources Committee Chairman, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), for reintroducing the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act (CECIL Act). Among other provisions, this crucial bill would prohibit the import of African elephants and African lions from Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
Chairman Grijalva first introduced the CECIL Act in 2015 following the killing of the African lion, Cecil, directly outside the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, during the time when the African lion was proposed to be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but had yet to receive federal protections. The reintroduction of this legislation comes at a time when some members of Congress as well as the Trump Administration are looking to dismantle the ESA and reduce or outright revoke protections for imperiled wildlife.
According to Angela Grimes, acting CEO for Born Free USA, “The CECIL Act is a sharp and necessary rebuke to the Trump Administration’s pro-trophy hunting agenda. It strengthens the trophy import permit process made murky by recent policy changes, and it restores transparency.”
In addition to reinstating the Obama-era rule prohibiting the import of elephant and lion trophies from certain countries, this bill would extend ESA protections to species proposed for listing under the ESA. It also strengthens the U.S. Department of Interior trophy import application process, including by requiring the agency to issue a public notice and hold a public comment period before issuing an import permit for any sport-hunted trophy of a threatened or endangered species. Additionally, it terminates the Department of the Interior’s pro-trophy hunting conservation council and calls for the Interior Department to no longer use taxpayer dollars to pay the administrative costs associated with processing the permit application. Lastly, the CECIL Act would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the effectiveness of trophy hunting in supporting international wildlife conservation efforts.
Grimes added, “Born Free USA is proud to support this bill that seeks to protect some of our most beloved species against those who feel compelled to kill them for sport. We urge the House of Representatives to swiftly take up and pass this important legislation.”
