Several other airlines have banned air shipment of hunting trophies in the past few days, including Delta, United and American Airlines.
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South Africa Airways took a step in the opposite direction last week, announcing it had “reversed” its embargo on the shipping of rhinoceros, elephant, tiger and lion trophies on its cargo carriers.
A Minnesota dentist has recently faced intense backlash after he killed a popular lion named Cecil in Zimbabwe. In a brief statement, Delta pledged to “review acceptance policies of other hunting trophies with appropriate government agencies”.
The moves come after an American dentist killed the well-known lion l ast month in an allegedly illegal hunt, setting off a worldwide uproar.
A spokesperson for British Airways told Mashable on Monday that they “do not transport animal trophies of any kind” and added that the airline has always adhered to the rules set out by 1973 Convention on worldwide Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The big three US airlines have all banned the shipment of hunting trophies following the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe.
“The attraction for trophy hunters is being able to display the animal they butchered when they get home”, the website says its petition. The U.S. has been urged by animal conservationists and more than 228,500 petitioners on the White House website to have Palmer extradited to Zimbabwe to face charges.
Historically the shipment of such trophies has been extremely rare on Air Canada as the airline does not operate flights to Africa.
“Delta, United and American Airlines have already bannedthe hunting trophies, but the senators noted that other airlines have yet to act”. With permits that can cost as much as $55,000 for lions, the practice can mean big money for the 11 countries that allow the hunting of the big cats, and trouble for the animal populations. According to Palmer, he believed that it was a legal killing when he killed the lion in a hunt.
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Some have criticized the airlines for giving into the public pressure, and many, including hunters, say it is unfair for the companies to ban all big game trophies, even those that are legally harvested.
