Yesterday, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposed a new rule to better control the trade in live African elephants and elephant sport-hunted “trophies” via the Endangered Species Act (ESA). While Born Free USA welcomes any steps to curb the cruel trade in these complex, sentient animals, the proposal on the table does not go far enough.
What the New Rule Would Do
If the new rule is implemented, there would be stricter controls on importing elephant trophies from range states to the U.S. Importers would be required to gain specific permission to import under the ESA and imports could only happen if the population of elephants in the exporting state is deemed stable, and if adequate legislation was in place in the country of export, among other criteria.
Additionally, live elephants would only be able to be imported for exhibit in zoos if special permission is granted and if it can be shown that the receiving institution is properly equipped to care for them. This may go some way towards preventing tragedies such as that of 2016 when 17 elephants were taken from their wild homes in what is now Eswatini to be put on display in three U.S. zoos but would not close the door on these incidents altogether.
A Good Start, but the Proposed Rule Does Not Go Far Enough
Angela Grimes, CEO of Born Free USA, says, “We commend the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for showing willingness to curb the trade in African elephants and their body parts, but it is vital that we focus on prohibition over regulation in this instance. There is no excuse to continue to facilitate trophy hunting of African elephants nor their continued import to the U.S. to be subjected to the misery of life in zoo captivity. We implore FWS to take this opportunity to heed the calls of conservationists, animal welfare experts, and the public to ban both live and trophy imports of elephants.”
Born Free USA released a report exploring the plight of elephants in zoos earlier this year. The report found that elephants suffer from significant physical and psychological health issues, experience premature death, and are exposed to dangerous diseases while held captive in zoos. Ultimately, the zoo industry’s failure to keep elephants alive in zoos has necessitated their continued capture from the wild to stock zoo exhibits. The report concludes that zoos are harming both the animals they hold captive and wild populations.
Born Free USA will take this opportunity to submit a formal response to the new proposed regulations and call for stronger, more effective protection.
