Not exactly correct, but generally you're close.
Only trophy elephant are exportable.
Not all trophy elephant are CITES authorized for export.
Just because CITES and Zimbabwe allow it to be exported, does not mean that YOU can import it. This is how the beware of your outfitter matters far more than most understand.
The USFWS allows import with strict criterion. At minimum, you'll spend $2500 on legal representation to coordinate your 50 page, comprehensive application. That applilcation requires the Operator open their financials to explain sources and uses of funds...most won't. The killing of an elephant must have a determination that the elephant in question is going to enhance the survival of the species. You need to provide 3 years of snare collection counts. Game counts in the concession for that period of time. Anti-Poaching patrol data. Amount of arrests and convictions. Overall health of Elephant and other species in that concession over that time period. Evidence of funding of humanitarian effort, local community investment, avoiding human/wildilfe conflict, etc.
May operators do not have concessions that do all that, or will participate in the effort to document all of that, or they haven't had the concession long enough to create the required evidence.
I'm 2 for 2 in getting USFWS import permits in recent years because I chose the right operator. Most do not.
