Recent increases in poaching are deplorable and are fuelled by the trade in ivory. My SNP colleague Dr. Lisa Cameron MP was involved in seeing the Ivory Bill pass in the Commons earlier this year. This Bill is currently with the House of Lords and the SNP welcomes both the Bill and the UK Government’s progress on tackling the illegal ivory trade.
The SNP hopes to see the UK Government fulfil their manifesto commitment of “a total ban on ivory sales” through this Bill.
The Scottish government is currently reviewing the current situation of trophy hunting in Scotland and considering whether changes to the law are required.
My SNP colleague in the European Parliament, Alyn Smith, has been an active on this issue and signed a letter to President Trump earlier this year expressing his concern at the US administration’s decision to lift the ban on elephant trophy imports from Zimbabwe.
The SNP 2015 manifesto promised to “support further animal welfare measures with a global focus”, including “action to end the illegal ivory trade and protect species such as polar bears and Bluefin tuna.”
