One of the most controversial topics in conservation, trophy hunting receives intense public and political attention.
In 2019, the UK Government proposed banning the importation of hunting trophies from nearly 7,000 species – reflecting public desire for conservation action.
However, debates around trophy hunting tend to be emotive and polarized, and policymakers need robust evidence on the likely conservation impacts of any legislation. WildCRU researchers worked with colleagues to assess the impacts of trophy hunting and the proposed legislation. They found that blanket import bans risked doing more harm than good and proposed a more nuanced approach, where imports are only permitted if they have proven conservation and community benefits.
This work informed debates in both Houses of Parliament, and WildCRU continues to engage with policymakers in the UK and abroad to ensure any legislation helps rather than hinders conservation.