Wildlife Trade

Trophy Hunting: Busting the Myths and Exposing the Cruelty (2019)

This report, published by Born Free, challenges many of the myths that persist about the supposed “benefits” of trophy hunting and exposes trophy hunting for what it truly is: a cruel practice that neither significantly benefits wildlife conservation efforts nor provides vast economic opportunities for local communities in the places where hunts take place.

Main Findings:

• Between 2008 – 2017, nearly 300,000 trophy items were exported across the world, including nearly 40,000 elephant trophies and 14,000 lion trophies.
• Between 2008 – 2017, the United States was the top importer of CITES-listed trophy items.
• International and national regulations, where they exist, are most commonly focused on preventing the extirpation or extinction of endangered species, rather than protecting the integrity of populations or ensuring the welfare of targeted animals.
• Many trophy hunting organizations offer awards for methods of killing a trophy animal, which might include the use of bows and arrows, handguns, or ‘traditional’ weapons, such as muzzle loaders or spears, methods that clearly do not prioritize the welfare of the target animal and are likely to increase the possibility of suffering.
• While hunting proponents often defend the targeting of older male animals on the grounds they are past peak breeding age and no longer contribute to the genetic diversity of future populations, removing particular animals on the basis of specified individual traits may have a disproportionate impact on the behavior of remaining animals in the group and its genetic integrity.
• While trophy hunting proponents claim hunting fees make a vital contribution to local and national economies in the countries where trophy hunting takes place, in truth the economic contribution of big game hunting is virtually nil.
• Evidence suggests that, far from benefiting wildlife conservation, the effects of trophy hunting are all too often detrimental.