Philotherians Love Emirates
Animal lovers have a new reason to fly with the world’s biggest international carrier.
As of May 15th 2015, Emirates became the largest airline in the world to have a total and permanent ban on the transport of elephant, rhino, lion and tiger hunting trophies – whether legally obtained or not. It specifically targets trophies from elephants, rhinos, lions and tigers, whereas the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species only restricts the transport of the most critically endangered species such as black rhinos. Even non-endangered animals will classify.
Emirates aren’t the first to take some kind of step toward preventing this kind of trade. South African Airlines also placed a ban against hunting trophies this year, but their main issue is with incorrect labelling – several big game hunters had attempted to get their trophies into Australia by saying that they were “mechanical parts”. The ban is only a temporary measure until this problem can be resolved, and is only in effect on cargo flights.
33,000 elephants are killed each year for ivory
British Airways also has a ban on shipping ivory, although other hunting trophies are allowed.
Wealthy hunters from around the world visit Africa in order to hunt animals for sport. While the hunting of endangered animals in the wild is illegal, certain reserves will allow hunters to pay a large fee to hunt their animals, most of which have been almost completely domesticated or drugged so that they present no real danger. They then stuff the bodies (or parts of the bodies) and take them home, or alternatively take smaller trophies like horns and tusks.
Rebecca Francis is aiming to hunt the Big Five – elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard
The decision from Emirates was made “to eliminate illegal trade and transportation of hunting trophies worldwide and save wildlife heritage”, and because their rules are irrespective of the CITES appendix regarding the sale and transport of animal species, there are no loop-holes.
Although these bans won’t prevent the hunting of animals – legal or illegal – it will prevent hunters from taking their spoils out of the continent, which it’s hoped will deter poachers from abroad. The complete ban means that illegal hunters who could claim that their trophies were from legal hunts will also be turned away.