US allows hunters to import six elephant trophies from Zimbabwe

Just 24 hours later, Mr Trump tweeted that he would put the decision on “hold.” After that tweet, not a single elephant trophy was approved for import to the United States.

“Because the president found trophy hunting distasteful he essentially abrogated the law with a tweet,” said George Lyon, the lawyer who represented the Dallas Safari Club, “and that’s not how the administrative process is supposed to go.”

So far, the wildlife service said it had processed eight permits. In addition to the six it allowed, it denied two, and it is expected to rule in coming months on more. Mr. Lyon estimated that as of last September, close to 300 elephant trophy permits from various African countries were awaiting processing.

Mr Easter says he’s not wasting any time to bask in his legal victory. His elephant’s tusks are already being prepared for shipment to his home in Texas.

“They are going to hang in the living room of my house, and I will remember that elephant for the rest of my life,” he said.

He has another trophy hunt in Africa booked for August.-New York Times

ED: While the elephant population in Africa has been declining, that in Zimbabwe has been growing.  The elephant population in Zimbabwe has grown from 84 000 to over 100 000. Zimbabwe’s carrying is only 45 000. The elephant herd is causing so much damage to the environment that the country is thinking of culling the animals. 

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