The leader in defending the freedom to hunt and promoting sustainable-use wildlife conservation worldwide.
The French Government is currently considering a ban on the import and export of legally acquired hunting trophies already regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and European directives. SCI members and supporters can submit comments opposing this proposal and explaining why well-regulated hunting remains an important tool for wildlife conservation and sustainable community development.
All members may submit comments, regardless of nationality, and submissions may be made in any language. Even a brief statement can demonstrate the detrimental impact of this proposed ban.
Protect Well-Regulated Hunting!
Regulated hunting benefits conservation. Revenue generated through international hunting helps fund wildlife management and research, protect habitat, and support anti-poaching initiatives in wildlife range states.
Trophy import bans harm both wildlife and local communities. Reducing the economic incentives from sustainable hunting also reduces the value of wildlife, particularly in rural regions where communities live side by side with species that may pose significant risks to people, livestock, and crops. Regulated hunting programs create jobs, target problem animals, and empower communities to participate in wildlife management.
The French Government should respect science-based wildlife management decisions made by range countries. The countries with hunting programs have demonstrated success—they protect the world’s largest populations of elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, and many other species. Their programs are based on science and fully comply with international law. France’s proposal is the opposite—it conflicts with international consultation requirements and is based on emotion, not science.
Blanket bans are poor conservation policy. Research repeatedly shows that blanket bans reduce conservation funding and the benefits for local communities and landowners and ultimately harm the very wildlife they purport to protect. Rather than adopting broad restrictions, the Government of France should defer to established international frameworks, including CITES and the EU, and support evidence-based approaches to wildlife management and conservation.
Make Your Voice Heard
SCI encourages every member and supporter to submit a comment. Messages should remain respectful, constructive, and focused on conservation outcomes.
French policymakers need to hear directly from hunters, conservation practitioners, and wildlife advocates: sustainable, well-regulated hunting is a legitimate and effective part of conservation, and public policy should reinforce successful conservation programs rather than undermine them.
Click the link and enter your comments in the “Commentaires” field. If you prefer to submit in French, use an AI translator to translate them, then paste the French translation into the “Commentaires” field. Confirm your email address, then click “Previsualisation” to submit your comments. Submit Your Comments Here
