USF&WS To Review Status of African Lions, Update for International Conservationists

From: Crosshairs@safariclub.org

FWS To Review Status of African Lions, Update for International Conservationists

On November 27, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a 90 day finding, announcing that an endangered species listing for the African Lion "May be warranted." Although the announcement did not take SCI and SCI Foundation by surprise, the FWS's finding was extremely disappointing. Listing the African Lions as endangered will almost undoubtedly prevent the importation of lion trophies into the United States which will likely inhibit U.S. citizens from hunting lions altogether. An import ban will undermine funding for on-the-ground conservation programs and will not reduce the number of lions taken in range nations. And, without the U.S. market, revenues generated from lion hunting that are allocated to wildlife conservation are likely to plummet.

SCI and SCI Foundation have been working on this issue extensively with range nations in Africa, both to prevent endangered listing under the ESA and to prevent similar restrictions that could be imposed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). SCI and SCI Foundation will help range countries to provide the necessary information to the FWS to demonstrate not only that the facts and science do not justify an endangered listing, but also that listing would be harmful to the conservation of the species. SCI and SCI Foundation will be submitting strong comments to the FWS opposing the proposed listing. Rest assured that SCI and SCI Foundation will be doing everything possible to prevent the African Lion from being placed on the endangered species list.

The FWS's 90 day finding is only the initial step in the listing process. It does not mean that African Lions are currently on the endangered species list, or that the listing status of the African Lion is predetermined. It does mean, however, that now, more than ever, SCI and SCI Foundation must aggressively fight to prevent the listing of the species. Stay tuned for future alerts on how you can help SCI and SCI Foundation carry out this important mission.

Believe it will come under review at CITIES NEXT SEATING AND VOTE in a couple of years and depending on the outcome USFW will act accordingly.

SCI has acquired some influential individuals and plan on raising a $1 000 000 at the upcoming convention in Reno to fund the fight in preventing this from happening....

My best always.

if any one has plans to hunt lion they need to do it soon.

current administration is not hunter friendly...

Sorry guys just wanted to clarify, it will not go to vote at the very next seating (CITIES) but be brought to the agenda for the following as it was not on the agenda for this one it can not go to vote but will be on the one there after for sure.

My best always.

Good morning guys,

I was about to post the same news now. I got the e-mail last night, all of us will have to work hard and together with SCi to prevent this from happening. I have been talking to clients the last 2 years telling them about the FWS wanting to implement this act.

Well to all the guys reading this, if you want a lion in your trophy room better act soon as nobody know what will happen with this! We are all hoping that it wont happen as lion hunting is a very big part of my business and should they stop it we will loose a lot of income and there will be no need to even conserve these areas anymore as it will be way to expensive!

If anyone would like to know more regarding hunting lion please do not hesitate to contact me at anytime @ js@hvsafaris.com.

P.S: Jaco if look at this e-mail, should they stop lion hunting we have been very fortunate being able to hunt as many lion as we have done!

Best regards,

Jacques

I think anyone who wants a lion should do it now. I think there will be lion hunting in the future, YOU JUST WILL NOT BE ABLE TO IMPORT THEM ANYMORE IN THE USA. It just like Obama getting re-elected. They have the numbers and support. There are a tremendous number of anti-hunters out there and they hate lion hunting.

Unfortunately, I agree. I finally made the decision to hunt in Africa last year, and I decided to include a lion as I was worried about all the talk about prohibiting lion hunting. I am glad I was able, thanks to Hartzview and Jacques, to get a lion with the debate coming to the forefront again. The world is changing and politics, not sound conservation measures, appear to be winning the battle. That is so very unfortunate...for us and for the wildlife.