Undercover Investigation Exposes Illegal Wildlife Items at Safari Club International Convention

5 年前

An undercover investigation completed by the Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States at the Safari Club International convention on January 9-12 revealed dozens of items made from illegal wildlife trade.

A video shared by the Humane Society International showed items such as paintings on elephant skin for sale, as well as clothing items made from stingrays and elephant leather. The footage was captured by a hidden camera worn by an undercover investigator.

From January 1, 2018, Nevada law states that it is unlawful for any person within the state to “purchase, sell, offer for sale or possess with intent to sell any item that is, wholly, or partially, made of an animal part or byproduct derived from a shark fin, a lion of the species Panthera leo or any species of elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, pangolin, sea turtle, ray, mammoth, narwhal, walrus or hippopotamus.”

The investigator attending the Safari Club International convention also spoke to several organizers of “canned” lion hunts, a form of hunt during which a person can shoot a captive-bred lion inside an enclosed area it cannot escape from.

In a press release, acting president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and president of Humane Society International Kitty Block, said, “Making money off the opportunity to kill these animals for bragging rights is something that most people around the world find appalling. It’s an elitist hobby of the 1 percent, and there is no place for trophy hunting in today’s world.” Credit: Humane Society International via Storyful