Biden’s elephant protection efforts are likely to backfire
The Biden administration is considering making American hunters clear new hurdles to legally import African elephant hunting trophies. Supporters claim the...
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The Biden administration is considering making American hunters clear new hurdles to legally import African elephant hunting trophies. Supporters claim the new rules will better protect elephants by forcing other countries to generate redundant scientific studies and adopt laws in the mold of our Endangered Species Act. But the hurdles also risk discouraging American hunters, many of them from Texas, whose fees help fund elephant conservation. The move could starve African wildlife agencies of funding critical to elephant conservation.
While there are opportunities to improve how elephant hunting is managed, strangling wildlife agency budgets is likely to hurt elephants more than it helps. Smaller budgets mean reduced anti-poaching efforts and decreased ability to maintain habitat. Until other sources to fund these important conservation activities are found, the Biden administration should not impose rules that would make Africa a less attractive destination for American hunters.
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