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Two species of lions were added to the list of endangered animals
STATES CHRONICLE – With so many species of animals that are going extinct, some people are trying to do something and the US wants to protect endangered lions.
The giant tortoises are gone, Darwin’s finches are threatened by parasites, large birds and mammals are disappearing from the rain forest, and many other animals are in trouble as well. The main reasons are climate change and heavy hunting.
There is an Endangered Species Act which lists threatened animals not only from the US but from across the globe. Although animals from all the corners of the world are listed here, the laws imposed through the act are applied only to people in the U.S.
This means that for example an American hunter cannot bring home the trophies he had hunted. The Endangered Species Act bans the trade in the listed animals, regardless of their state: alive, dead or in body parts.
The most recent additions to the list are two types of lions in India and South Africa, where the hunting industry is thriving. Lions in the south of Africa are listed as ‘threatened’ and the lions in central Africa and India are listed as ‘endangered’.
The decision of listing these lions came after a US dentist killed ‘Cecil’ one of the most popular lions who was a tourist attraction. Although the dentist, Walter Palmer was cleared by authorities in Zimbabwe, the incident angered many people who started protests at a game of trophy hunting in Africa.
Besides the listing, an order was issued for wildlife permitting requirements which states that any American who violates wildlife laws will no longer be granted permit for other wild-life-related activities in the future.
The only case in which import of these lion species will be allowed is if it proves to be of help for the animals. However, even in this case or for scientific or educational purposes, there will be required permits.
Moreover, the permits won’t be cheap at all which will make it even harder to obtain. There were many hunters who claimed that they were catching lions to help conserve the species, but now they will have to bring proof of this conservation.
The Humane Society has listed these animals on the Endangered Species Act as it believes that the African continent shouldn’t be dealing with this problem all by itself, since lions are an interest to the whole world.
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