People on Twitter Are Upset That President Trump Lifted an Elephant Trophy Ban
The Trump Administration’s decision to lift a ban on importing elephant kill trophies spurred outrage on Twitter, with many users sharing an old photo of Donald Trump Jr. holding an elephant tail after a hunt.
Back in 2012, Donald and Eric went trophy hunting in Zimbabwe, killing an elephant and cheetah among other large animals, facing passionate and longlasting backlash once the photos surfaced.
So when the it was reported that President Trump reversed the Obama-era ban on hunters importing trophies of elephants killed in Zimbabwe and Zambia during government-approved expeditions, critics moved quickly to recirculate the photo.
Elephants are listed as endangered, but an Endangered Species Act stipulation lets the government give people permits to import trophies if there’s evidence that the “hunting actually benefits conservation for that species.”
“Legal, well-regulated sport hunting as part of a sound management program can benefit the conservation of certain species by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation,” a Fish and Wildlife spokesperson said in a statement.
Animal rights activists were not happy. “It’s a venal and nefarious pay-to-slay arrangement that Zimbabwe has set up with the trophy hunting industry,” Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society, told the Washington Post.
Both of Trump’s sons have defended hunting. “Anyone who thinks hunters are just ‘bloodthirsty morons’ hasn’t looked into hunting,” Donald Jr. told Forbes in 2012. “If you wait through long, cold hours in the November woods with a bow in your hands hoping a buck will show or if you spend days walking in the African bush trailing Cape buffalo while listening to lions roar, you’re sure to learn hunting isn’t about killing.”
That didn’t stop people from being incensed by the ban lift, many suggesting that his sons’ love of the hunt influenced the President.
What good reason could Donald Trump have for reversing the Obama administration ban on import of elephant trophies from Africa? https://t.co/chjsbeA1J3 pic.twitter.com/puFh3ev6Bc
— Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) November 16, 2017
Donald Trump has just lifted the ban on hunters bringing slain elephant 'trophies' back into the US.
It means little Donny Jr can show off his prize to his daddy. pic.twitter.com/Ap6RnNpMlL— James Melville (@JamesMelville) November 16, 2017
I refuse to stop tweeting about this until it goes viral, this story has to be heard!!! Donald Trump just reversed an Obama-era ban to import elephant remains to the USA. Yep, that's DJTJ with an elephants tail in his hand, he's an absolute sicko. pic.twitter.com/OQYWC6oqo0
— Save Our Planet (@StopExOrd13792) November 16, 2017
The world has unbelievably cruel people in charge at the moment.
This is what Donald Trump’s family see as ‘fun.’
Now Trump is to reverse the ban on importing elephant “trophies” from Africa.
The worlds last elephants.
Reprehensible.
Plse RT. pic.twitter.com/gZju2dgQsJ— Dr Lauren Gavaghan (@DancingTheMind) November 16, 2017
Infuriating. Will increase poaching, make communities more vulnerable & hurt conservation efforts: https://t.co/w3BT8tZzgw
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 16, 2017
Trophies from #Elephant and #Lion hunts can now be brought into to US. Thanks for nothing @realDonaldTrump! I call on @FedEx, @DHLUS, @AmericanAir, and all other delivery and airline companies to ban transport of animal trophies. pic.twitter.com/e4MekDXVLz
— Daniel Schneider (@BiologistDan) November 16, 2017
Since Republicans are cool with killing off the last of the elephants maybe they can change their animal symbol to a picture of Don Jr.
— Jeremy Newberger (@jeremynewberger) November 16, 2017
Correction: The headline of the original version of this story incorrectly described the ban Trump reversed. It was a ban on hunters importing trophies of elephants legally killed in Zimbabwe and Zambia, not a ban on
poaching, which is illegal.