A move by U.S. authorities to allow hunters to import elephant and lion trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia has provoked public uproar. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman said that both countries could use the much-needed revenue from U.S. sport hunting for conservation purposes. President Trump unexpectedly changed his opinion on the matter on Sunday, calling trophy hunting a horror show, adding that he is skeptical about how it can help the conservation of elephants or any other animal. Despite that, conservation groups sued the U.S. government over the plan on Monday.
A report from the Humane Society of the United States sheds light on the countries where American trophy hunters are most active. While Africa is a major and indeed exotic destination, the practice also occurs elsewhere, particularly north and south of the U.S. border. Half a million dead animals were imported to the U.S. from Canada as trophies between 2005 and 2014, 43 percent of total trophy imports. Canada's proximity to the U.S. makes it an attractive destination and it's home to a wide range of animals like caribou, grizzly bears, moose and mountain lions.
South Africa has the largest hunting industry worldwide and it's the second most popular source of American trophy imports. Between 2005 and 2014, 383,982 animals were imported as trophies, 32 percent of the total. Other countries of origin include Namibia with six percent as well as Mexico, Zimbabwe and New Zealand who all accounted for four percent each.
*Click below to enlarge (charted by Statista)
