Roger Williams Park Zoo condemns lift on elephant trophy hunt ban

November 16, 2017 5:11 pm

An African elephant at Roger Williams Park Zoo. (Photo courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo)

By News Staff

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Twitter: @ABC6

Roger Williams Park Zoo announced Thursday that they are condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to lift a ban on importing trophies from African elephant hunts.

The Obama-era policy, which banned the import of elephant trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia, was reported to be reversed by President Trump’s administration Thursday morning, making it once again legal for hunters to import the heads of elephants killed in the African nations – even though African elephants are listed on the United States’ federal Endangered Species Act.

“This is a very sad day for anybody who works with and understands African elephants,” says Roger Williams Park Zoo executive director Jeremy Goodman. “We know that 96 elephants a day are killed in the wild. Our zoo works with the Wildlife Conservation Society on its 96 Elephants campaign to halt the illegal ivory trade.”

Goodman says that in the past 25 years, the wild African elephant population has dropped from 1.6 million to fewer than 500,000.

Goodman confirms that Roger Williams Park Zoo will continue to advocate against any further policies that will put endangered wildlife at risk.

Roger Williams Park Zoo is currently home to three African elephants: Alice, Ginny, and Kate. Goodman says that having the elephants at the zoo brings visitors closer to nature, and makes it possible for staff to educate the public on animal conservation issues.