Status of the African Lion and Sport Hunting

Status of the African Lion and Sport Hunting

August 7, 2015
Status of the African Lion and Sport Hunting
The Killing of Cecil the Lion
extinction. Although commercial trade in Appendix I
species generally is prohibited under CITES, sport hunting
An American citizen was accused of illegally killing a
is not considered a commercial activity. Sport-hunted
popular lion named Cecil near the Hwange National Park in
trophies of Appendix I species require both an export
Zimbabwe in July 2015. The citizen reportedly paid some
permit from the country in which the animal was hunted
$50,000 to conduct the hunt. The hunt reportedly was
and an import permit from the trophy’s destination country.
illegal because the owner of the land on which the lion was
Some countries have quotas for sport-hunted trophies. For
killed did not have a quota to hunt a lion and the local
example, Tanzania has an annual quota is 50 lions per year
hunting guide did not have an appropriate permit.
and Zimbabwe has one of 70 lions per year.
Zimbabwean authorities are seeking to extradite the U.S.
citizen to face charges associated with funding an illegal
In the United States, laws related to international sport
hunt and have confiscated the lion’s severed head (i.e., the
hunting are governed by ESA, which implements CITES
trophy). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is
and is administered by FWS. If a species is listed as
conducting an investigation into the incident.
endangered, import of a sport-hunted trophy is prohibited
unless an enhancement of survival permit is obtained and
The incident has stimulated debate on sport hunting and
used. Enhancement of survival implies that the import of
raised questions about the relative importance of sport
endangered animals or their parts or products will provide
hunting versus other threats to the species. Further, it has
incentives for increasing the survival of the species in its
raised questions about the status of the African lion under
native habitat. If a species is listed as threatened, the same
the Endangered Species Act (ESA; P.L. 93-205). Some in
rules apply unless there is a special rule, which may allow
Congress cite this incident to contend that protections for
for a limited number of trophies to be imported.
the African lion should be enhanced in U.S. conservation
laws. The incident also has highlighted ongoing federal and
The illegal killing of a foreign species (according to U.S. or
congressional efforts to address global wildlife trafficking
foreign law) also could be a violation of the Lacey Act.
in general.
Under the Lacey Act, it is unlawful for any person to
Status of the African Lion (Panthera leo leo)
import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase
in interstate or foreign commerce any wildlife taken,
The range and population of the African lion has declined
possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law or
in recent decades. Although it once ranged across most of
regulation of any foreign law.
the African continent, scientists estimate that the African
lion now resides in 22% of its historical range. Recent
Protection of the African Lion
estimates suggest that the wild lion population in Africa
The African lion is listed under CITES as an Appendix II
falls between 23,000 and 39,000, with most of the
species, the second-most-stringent category of trade
population living in 10 regional strongholds—primarily in
controls on protected species. Range countries are required
protected and game management areas in Eastern and
to issue export permits for the outbound transport of an
Southern Africa. Nearly 40% of all African lions are in
Appendix II species. Depending on domestic laws, a
Tanzania.
destination country may require an import permit for an
Appendix II species. The permitting process aims to
FWS has stated that habitat loss and degradation, largely
regulate and monitor the conservation and management of
caused by the expansion of agriculture and ranching in
the animals, including those killed for sport.
Africa, are the main threats to the African lion. Associated
with this expansion is an increase in human-lion conflicts.
In the United States, the African lion currently is not listed
The most significant form of this conflict is the retaliatory
as a threatened or endangered species pursuant to ESA.
killing of lions that prey on livestock and, to a lesser extent,
However, FWS issued a proposal in October 2014 to list the
that harm humans. FWS also concluded that sport hunting
African lion as threatened species under ESA. If listed,
was not a primary threat to African lion populations.
FWS could regulate the import of sport-hunted trophies of
Selected Regulations and U.S. Laws That Address
African lions into the United States. A listing under ESA
Sport Hunting
would not prohibit the hunting or killing of lions in Africa;
these activities are subject to the laws of the range country.
Sport hunting is addressed internationally through the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
FWS also is proposing a rule to accompany the listing,
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Under CITES, species
referred to as a Section 4(d) rule. This rule would create a
are categorized into one of three appendixes corresponding
permitting mechanism to regulate the import of sport-
to how threatened their population is due to trade;
hunted African lion trophies into the United States. The
Appendix I consists of species most threatened with
proposed rule states that trophies may originate only from
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Status of the African Lion and Sport Hunting
countries that are implementing a scientifically sound
including one specifically in response to Cecil’s death. S.
management plan for African lions. If the rule is finalized,
1918, the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the
FWS would monitor lion conservation in countries where
Importation of Large (CECIL) Animal Trophies Act, would
sport hunting is allowed. If sufficient management and
amend ESA to prohibit the import or export of any species
conservation practices were not being followed, FWS could
proposed to be listed as threatened or endangered. Other
suspend the import of trophies to the United States, an
bills include the Rare Cats and Canids Act of 2015 (H.R.
action that FWS took against sport-hunted elephant trophies
2697), which would establish a separate account within the
from Zimbabwe and Tanzania in 2014.
Multinational Species Conservation Fund that could
provide assistance for the conservation of African lions,
Figure 1. Top 10 Importers of all Mammal Trophies
among other specified wildlife.
(2008-2014, as reported by importing country)
Figure 2. African Lion Trophy Imports to the
United States
(captive bred and wild imports)

Source: CITES Trade Database at http://trade.cites.org/.
Notes: Trophies compiled for countries with an asterisk are
reported by exporting countries.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
International Sport Hunting
The killing of Cecil the lion may spark further interest in
The killing of Cecil the lion has sparked a general
legislation seeking to address global wildlife trafficking
controversy over the practice of sport-hunting iconic
generally, including the Global Anti-Poaching Act (H.R.
species in foreign countries. Proponents of sport hunting
2494) and the Wildlife Trafficking Enforcement Act of
contend that if hunting-related profits are used for the
2015 (S. 27).
conservation and management of animal populations, these
Advocates against sport hunting call for implementing
funds could support conservation goals. Further, they state
wholesale bans on the import of popular sport-hunted
that sport hunting is an important contributor to regional
species from Africa, expanding ESA’s extraterritorial reach,
economies in some range countries. Critics argue that in
prohibiting transport of game trophies of threatened and
some range states where wildlife management practices
endangered species through certain U.S. airports, and
may be poorly implemented and where the profits
addressing funding for FWS to expedite the endangered
associated with sport hunting are not directly linked with
species listing process. Advocates of sport hunting,
conservation efforts, species’ populations may continue to
however, have questioned whether the focus on hunting
be threatened by hunting. Sport hunting could be used to
African lions would be better directed toward other
conceal illegal wildlife trafficking, or the revenue sport
priorities, since FWS concluded that sport hunting was not
hunting generates may be lost to corruption. When species
a threat to African lions.
are threatened by habitat loss, human-animal conflict, and
poaching, sport hunting could exacerbate a species’ decline.
Congressional reactions also may generate further interest
in evaluating the Obama Administration’s progress toward
The United States plays a dominant role in the sport hunting
implementing the February 2014 National Strategy for
of CITES-listed species, representing roughly 40%-70% of
Combating Wildlife Trafficking. Among several objectives,
the annual global trade. (See Figure 1.) However, in recent
the strategy states that the Administration will use
years, European and other hunters have increased their
administrative tools to address the poaching of African
share in trophies. The United States is also a leading
elephants and rhinos by limiting the number of sport-hunted
country for importing sport-hunted lion trophies,
trophies an individual can import. A key question for
accounting for 64% of all lion trophies imported (See
policymakers will be the scope of U.S. anti-trafficking
Figure 2).
efforts and which species, if any, require enhanced policy
Congressional Responses
attention.
Several Members have responded to the reported killing of
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Cecil the lion by issuing public statements on the incident
Liana W. Rosen, Specialist in International Crime and
and urging FWS to finalize the proposed rule on listing the
Narcotics
African lion under ESA. Several bills have been introduced
IF10274
in the 114th Congress to address wildlife trafficking,
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Status of the African Lion and Sport Hunting

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