If you haven’t been thrown for a loop by President Trump before, this should surely do it.

The President called elephant hunting a “horror show” according to the Washington Post, and even suggested another change in the ban on importing elephant trophies to the U.S., despite his administration’s earlier approval of the practice.

On Sunday evening, Trump said on Twitter that a final decision would be announced this week. He stated that he hasn’t bought-in to the fact that hunting elephants helps in the conservation of the species “in any way.”

The President’s sudden change in heart now means that elephants shot in Zimbabwe and Zambia cannot be imported to the U.S.

Where do you stand on this issue? Do you agree with the President’s abrupt change? 

Cam Hanes has already spoken out on the issue, and posted a long response on his Instagram account:

 

Is this for real @realdonaldtrump? I’ve never hunted elephant or have ever wanted to, but I do know that every successful wildlife conservation model includes hunting of select animals. Just look right here in North America, the greatest wildlife conservation success story in the world. It is because of hunters that our wildlife thrives. We don’t kill everything as the term “horror show” inaccurately might indicate. Biologists and wildlife professionals study habitat, the carrying capacity of the land, how many animal currently call it home, the health of the herd, etc. and determine bag limits. To ensure the health of any herd, this needs to happen with all animals, including elephants. I am shocked that you or those on your staff (@repryanzinke) aren’t fully aware of this? If some small town bowhunter from Oregon knows that hunting animals gives them value whereas not hunting animals is the very worst thing that can happen for their future, that’s not a good sign. North America isn’t Africa, I understand that. So, let’s talk about the history of hunting in Kenya where in reality they loved their animals to death. Kenya’s much-praised ban on hunting, had an impact opposite to its intent: wild animals disappeared at an accelerating rate. “Charismatic megafauna”; elephants, lions, rhinos, population numbers have plummeted. When Kenya’s hunting ban was passed in 1977 in response to the “Ivory Wars” that were ravaging the nation’s elephants, it was hailed as a new and progressive paradigm for wildlife management. With the hunting pressure off, animal lovers opined, the game prosper. Instead Kenya’s wildlife has declined by more than 70 percent over the past 20 years. What happened? While the ban played well in the developed world, it was catastrophic for the people who lived in the rural Kenya, where wildlife actually exists. As animal rights groups applauded Kenya’s no-kill policy and urged its adoption across Africa, the killing continued unabated. Hunting gave the animals of Kenya value so those that live there cared about protecting them, as in investment. But with no hunting, elephants are a negative as they damage crops, ruin water sources, (cont.) 👇

A post shared by Cameron Hanes (@cameronrhanes) on

Image courtesy wikimedia

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