The more signatures we get, the greater the pressure on a so far reluctant UK Government. They really need to know that banning the importation of lion trophies into the UK is an issue that the public care deeply about. It is simply too easy for the UK Government to say that it “is seeking to ensure that [hunting] is sustainable” and to declare that “properly managed, legal and sustainable trophy hunting can play a part in species conservation efforts”.

This is simply not the case. In reality it is likely that there are now less than 15,000 wild lions left across the entire African continent and only 5 viable populations. Given that hunt-able males account for roughly 10% of the population, the rest being made up of females, adolescents and cubs and that a large number of these animals are in small, scattered, isolated pockets, the additive source of mortality from trophy hunting has a huge impact on population dynamics and is an easily preventable source of decline in African lions. Hunting lions for sport and entertainment could and should be stopped immediately.

 LionAid estimates that of 49 continental African nations, lions are extinct in 25 (51%), virtually extinct in 10 (20%), and only have some possible future in 14 (28%). Only five populations number over 1,000 lions and these are located in Tanzania/Kenya (3), South Africa (1) and Botswana/Zimbabwe (1). Uniquely genetically distinct western and central African lions are virtually extinct.

So the UK could and should join Australia, France and the Netherlands in banning lion trophy imports and at least join the United States by placing comprehensive conservation requirements on any further trophy imports.

So a big thank you to you all for supporting this petition. Let’s keep going. Keep those signatures coming!!