The UK’s proposed Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill may be well-intentioned, but it risks undermining proven conservation strategies. Despite heated rhetoric, the UK accounts for less than 1% of global trophy imports—most from healthy, well-managed populations. The government’s own assessment overstates the conservation benefit of a ban while ignoring its potential harm to local communities that rely on regulated hunting for revenue and habitat protection. In reality, regulated trophy hunting often funds conservation and incentivizes communities to protect wildlife. A blanket ban would do little to save species but could devastate those conservation programs. The document instead proposes a “smart ban” that permits imports only if they contribute meaningfully to biodiversity and community welfare. Pro hunting conservationists recognize that thoughtful, regulated harvest can align human and ecological interests, whereas overly simplistic policies often backfire. If the UK truly wants to help wildlife, it should prioritize smart regulation over symbolic prohibition.
