The Issue: Wildlife Belong in the Wild

Trophy hunting is the killing of wildlife purely for the purpose of displaying parts of the animal—often the head or skin.  

Globally, imports of over 97,000 trophies of mammal species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were recorded between 2014 and 2018.  

While Australia has banned the import of African lions and elephants and rhinos, the import of trophies from many CITES listed species, including giraffes and zebras, is still permitted.

Shockingly, Australia ranked 10th on the list of global trophy imports of CITES listed mammal species for 2014–2018 with 827 trophies from 40 different species, including threatened species.  

Import permit data shows that trophy hunting is not going anywhere fast. The number of permits for mammal trophy imports into Australia have actually increased over the last 20 years. Yet, public opinion of trophy hunting is overwhelmingly negative. 

Our Solution: A Ban on Trophy Imports

Australia’s federal environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is undergoing major reform in 2023 to deliver stronger environmental outcomes.  

This reform process provides an opportunity to impose a national ban on the import of CITES listed animals as trophies into Australia.     

HSI is pushing hard to ensure this ban becomes a reality by working closely with Government and stakeholders toward a solution that ensures threatened species from around the world remain in the wild, not hung on a wall. 

Our report, Trophy Hunting by the Numbers, examines Australia’s role in the global trade in hunting trophies, and makes the case for a full ban on CITES species trophy imports to Australia.

Click here to read the report

What Can You Do?

You can write to the Federal Environment Minister, asking for a ban on trophy hunting imports into Australia, by clicking here. Every voice makes a difference for imperilled animals around the world.

Want a heads up on more opportnunities to participate in trophy import law reform? Join our newsletter by filling in the form at the bottom of this page and we will keep you in the loop! 

You can also follow us on social media for updates and information on developments in laws across the country. 

Keen to know more? Check out our animal fact sheets!

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