Species factsheets

Learn more about key trophy-hunted species: African elephants, leopards, lions, giraffes, black rhinos, European brown bears and grey wolves.

Trophy Hunting by the Numbers report series

Trophy Hunting by the Numbers: The United States’ Role in Global Trophy Hunting
This report reveals that American hunters imported more than 72,600 hunting trophies from CITES-listed mammals from across the world between 2014 and 2018. Most of these imports to the U.S. came from Canada and South Africa, while other top exporters include Namibia, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Tanzania, Mexico, Zambia, Russia and Tajikistan. The most common wild-sourced species imported into the U.S. over the period were American black bear, chacma baboon, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, gray wolf and leopard.

Trophy Hunting by the Numbers: The European Union’s role in global trophy hunting
The EU is the world’s second-largest importer of mammal trophies, second only to the U.S. Between 2014 and 2018, the EU imported nearly 15,000 hunting trophies of 73 internationally protected species. Over those five years, the number of trophies coming into the EU increased by 40%, despite opinion polls indicating that the vast majority of EU citizens surveyed are against trophy hunting.

Trophy Hunting by the Numbers: South Africa
This study provides details on South Africa’s role in the international trade in hunting trophies of mammal species listed under the CITES during the most recent five-year period for which data were available at time of publication (2014-2018). South Africa exported more trophies over the period than any other African country based on importer reported data, with the African lion being the most commonly exported species.

Films

“Blood Lions”®
This award-winning documentary feature film exposes the misleading claims made by the lion breeding and canned hunting industries. “Blood Lions”® follows acclaimed environmental journalist and safari operator Ian Michler, and American hunter, Rick Swazey, on their journey to uncover the realities of the multi-million dollar predator breeding and canned lion hunting industries in South Africa. See: bloodlions.org/the-film

“Lions, Bones & Bullets”
This award-winning investigative documentary follows the wildlife trafficking trail from South Africa to Laos and Viet Nam uncovering elaborate, international wildlife fraud worth nearly $100 million annually in South Africa’s controversial commercial captive lion industry. See: waterbear.com/watch/lions-bones-bullets

“Trophy hunting: an unnecessary evil”
People with a vested interest in trophy hunting use several arguments to defend it, including that it is a ‘necessary evil for conservation and development’. HSI/UK put these arguments to African conservation experts and community leaders. This is their testimony.

Reports

The Lion’s Share: On the Economic Benefits of Trophy Hunting
This report debunks inflated claims that trophy hunting is a critical contributor to African economies and jobs. It also proves that the non-hunting tourism industry has a much brighter future in Africa.

The $200 Million Question: How Much Does Trophy Hunting Really Contribute to African Communities?
This report analyzes literature on the economics of trophy hunting and reveals that African countries and rural communities derive very little benefit from trophy hunting revenue.

Trophy Madness Report: Elite Hunters, Animal Trophies and Safari Club International’s Hunting Awards
This report reveals that a hunting membership group, Safari Club International, promotes the senseless slaughter of wildlife for sport by offering its members the opportunity to compete to win nearly 50 awards for killing elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, bears, ringed-horn antelopes, wild sheep, ibex, moose, and many other animals around the world.

Cecil 2: Trophy Hunting America’s Lion
This report reveals that the top five deadliest states for mountain lions are Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Between 2005 and 2014, trophy hunters killed approximately 29,000 mountain lions in the U.S.; an estimated 2,700 more were killed in other countries and traded internationally over the last decade.

Eco-Tourism Worth More to African Economies Than Trophy Hunting by Michael Markarian
The HSUS’s former Chief Program and Policy Officer shows that wildlife-based eco-tourism is a big industry in Africa and dwarfs trophy hunting in its economic impact.