Delta and American airlines ban big-game trophy shipments

U.S. airlines Delta and American banned the shipment of big game trophies on flights, in the wake of outrage over the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe. Delta banned the shipment of ban shipment of all lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies. It added it would review its acceptance policies for other hunting trophies with the appropriate government agencies and other organisations. American tweeted its ban Monday night. The decisions follow similar measures taken by Emirates and South African Airways. The bans come during the peak hunting season in certain African countries and a worldwide outcry over the killing of Cecil by American dentist and trophy hunter Walter Palmer.

Effective immediately, we will no longer transport buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion or rhino trophies.

An American Airlines tweet

The lion, with a distinctive black mane, was a favourite with international visitors to Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. Palmer apparently paid $50,000 to hunt and kill the lion, which was skinned and decapitated. Authorities in Zimbabwe recently named another American alleged to have taken part in an illegal trophy kill of a lion in the country. A government statement also said a safari organiser has been arrested as part of the crackdown on hunting near the big game reserve where Cecil lived.

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