The Animals Being Hunted
'Protected.' Endangered. Still Being Shot.
Every year, British hunters travel across the world to kill wild animals – including those listed as endangered, critically endangered, or even extinct in the wild.
Since the 1980s, more than 5,000 trophies of endangered species have been imported to the UK. Behind every trophy is a life lost — and often a species pushed one step closer to extinction.
Most Targeted by British Trophy Hunters
These are the species that appear most often in hunting trophies – iconic, charismatic animals that should be protected, not pursued.
Elephants
Endangered (Savanna), Critically Endangered (Forest)
Africa (notably Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe)
African Big Five, Dangerous Game of Africa, Animals of Africa, Hunting Achievement Award
Elephant populations have plummeted from 20 million in the 19th century to around 400,000 today.
One fifth of all endangered species trophies brought to the UK are elephant parts.
British companies openly offer elephant hunting holidays.
British hunters have brought home tusks, feet, ears, tails, and skins — one even turned elephant feet into umbrella stands and skin into rifle cases for friends.
Hippos
Vulnerable (population declined up to 20% in the last decade)
Africa (notably Uganda, South Africa)
Animals of Africa, Dangerous Game of Africa
Hippos are the second most popular CITES-listed African animal for British trophy hunters.
In 2002, over 5 tons of hippo teeth were exported from Uganda alone.
Hunters collect teeth and feet for ‘trophies’
Leopards
Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia)
African Big Five, Cats of the World, Dangerous Game of Africa, Hunting Achievement Award
Leopard numbers have crashed from 700,000 in the 1960s to about 50,000 today. Trophy hunting is a major cause of this decline.
British hunters lure leopards with bait and shoot them from hides, sometimes at point-blank range.
Zebras
Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra: Vulnerable; Cape Mountain Zebra: Endangered
Namibia, South Africa
Animals of Africa, Hunting Achievement Award
The Cape Mountain Zebra population is just 1,714 adults, spread across 75 sub-groups, many not viable long-term.
Trophy hunters often shoot zebras multiple times, causing prolonged suffering. Hunters have described zebras running in circles, stumbling, and kicking in the dust before dying, with groups celebrating and taking selfies over the bodies.
Some British hunters have shot so many animals, including zebras, that they needed to order extra-large crates to ship all their trophies home.
Entire families, including women and children, participate in zebra hunts, treating the killing as a bonding experience.
Wolves
Varies by region; threatened in many areas
Canada, US, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Mongolia
Cats of the World, Hunting Achievement Award, Animals of North America, Animals of Asia
Wolf hunts can be bought online for around £2,000.
British hunters have travelled to Canada, the US, Russia, Mongolia, and Eastern Europe to shoot wolves, sometimes adding lynx and cougars to their kill packages.
Hunters bring home bodies, skins, skulls, and teeth, displaying them as status symbols.
Cheetahs
Vulnerable (IUCN); Africa’s most endangered big cat
Namibia (legal), South Africa
Cats of the World, Animals of Africa
Cheetahs have vanished from 98% of their range; only 6,500 remain.
British hunters have shot cheetahs and brought home their bodies, skulls, and skins.
British hunters have participated in cheetah hunts, sometimes using packs of dogs.
Black Rhinos
Critically Endangered
Africa (notably South Africa, Namibia)
African Big Five, Dangerous Game of Africa, Animals of Africa
Only 3,142 black rhinos remain. Trophy hunting is a major threat, and British colonial hunters killed thousands.
British trophy hunters have shot black rhinos in recent years, with some describing the experience as “like mainlining on heroin”.
Giraffes
Vulnerable; some subspecies critically endangered
Africa (notably South Africa, Namibia)
Animals of Africa, Hunting Achievement Award
Giraffe numbers have collapsed by up to 90-95%.
British hunters are among those cited as a key factor in their decline.
Major hunting organizations have spent millions lobbying to block even modest protections for giraffes, prioritizing hunters’ rights over species survival.
Hunters keep giraffe skins, tails, and heads as trophies, sometimes turning body parts into furniture or accessories.
Lions
Vulnerable; some populations critically endangered
Africa (notably South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia)
African Big Five, Dangerous Game of Africa, Cats of the World, Hunting Achievement Award
Lion populations have crashed from 200,000 in the 1970s to as few as 10,000-20,000 today. Trophy hunting is a leading cause of non-natural mortality.
Around 2/3rds of the lions killed by trophy hunters since 2015 were captive-bred and semi-tame. They were shot on fenced estates.
Lions may be shrinking, partly because trophy hunters target the largest ones for record books.
The Ones You Don’t See in Headlines
They may not make the news – but they’re still at risk, and still being killed for ‘trophies’.
Walruses
Vulnerable; populations declining
Arctic (Canada)
Animals of North America, Hunting Achievement Award
Walruses are highly sensitive to disturbance and climate change. The world’s population is about 112,500.
British hunters have traveled to Canada to shoot walruses and bring back trophies
Black Bears
Not globally endangered, but threatened in some regions
Canada, US
Bears of the World, Animals of North America, Hunting Achievement Award
Up to 13,000 black bears are shot by trophy hunters each year.
The paws are sometimes used in soup.
The black bear is the second most popular CITES-listed species shot by British trophy hunters.
Seals
Varies by species; some threatened
South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Tasmania, Australia, Finland
Animals of Africa, Animals of the South Pacific
Seal hunts can be bought online; pollution and hunting kill thousands every year.
Skins are the main trophy, with some hunters boasting about the number of seals shot on social media.
Alligators
Not currently endangered
US (notably Florida, South Carolina)
Animals of North America
Alligator hunts can be purchased online and paid for by debit card.
Hunters often keep the heads and skins, sometimes mounting the heads as home décor
Vervet Monkeys
Not currently endangered, but numbers declining
South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Not eligible for major SCI awards, but hunted for “Tiny Ten” collections
ervet monkeys are among the cheapest animals to shoot – sometimes less than £50.
One British hunter’s 9-year-old son shot so many he was nicknamed “The Sniper.”
British hunters have shoot “ranched” animals reared in controlled environments.
Serval Cat
Not currently endangered, but populations declining
Southern Africa (notably South Africa)
Cats of the World, Animals of Africa
Servals are sometimes bred for “canned hunts” in enclosures. Their leopard-like appearance leads to persecution.
British hunters have shot servals, including captive-bred animals
Golden Jackal
Not currently endangered
Eastern Europe, South-East Asia, Africa
Animals of Africa, Animals of Asia
Jackals are killed not for population control or conservation, but purely for sport and trophy collection
Aardwolves
Not currently endangered
East Africa (notably Kenya)
Animals of Africa
Trophy hunting fees start at £1,135.
Wild Sheep
Varies by species; some critically endangered
Asia (Argali, Barbary sheep), North America (Bighorn sheep)
Wild Sheep of the World, Mountain Game of the World, Hunting Achievement Award
Some wild sheep populations are critically depleted.
Hunters win top awards for shooting the most or largest wild sheep.
Bongos
Near Threatened; populations declining
Central and West Africa
Animals of Africa, Hunting Achievement Award
Bongos have 1-metre-long horns and are disappearing from many areas due to trophy hunting.
The horns are highly prized, and British hunters have shot bongos and brought home these trophies.
African conservation groups warn that hunting has led to their disappearance from large parts of their range.
Canadian Lynxs
Not currently endangered, but populations declining in some areas
Canada
Cats of the World, Animals of North America
Notable for huge, fur-covered paws. Extensively hunted for fur.
Bison
Critically Depleted (IUCN)
North America (US, Canada)
Wild Oxen of the World, Animals of North America
From 60 million, only about 11,000-13,000 bison remain. The species is “absent from many of its indigenous spatial units.”
Baboons
Not currently endangered, but populations declining
Africa (notably South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia)
Not eligible for major SCI awards, but hunted for “Tiny Ten” collections
Baboons are sometimes shot for free or as “vermin.”
British hunters have described an “obsession” with shooting them.
British hunters have shot hundreds of baboons, with some taxidermists in the UK specialising in baboon trophies
Ducks
Varies by species; some populations declining
Africa (notably South Africa), Argentina
Not eligible for major SCI awards, but included in “wing shooting” packages
British hunters travel to South Africa and Argentina for “wing shooting” trips, killing ducks as part of packages.
Wild Cats
Varies by species; some critically endangered
Africa, Asia, Europe
Cats of the World, Animals of Africa, Animals of Asia, Animals of Europe
Wild cats are shot for SCI awards in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The most recent trophies brought into the UK were from Africa.
Some hunters keep entire rooms – “Africa Rooms” – filled with the bodies and skins of wild cats and other animals, treating them as collectibles.
Want to get involved in ending this cruel practise for good?
Step Right Up: Enter the Grand Slam!
Do you have what it takes to join the most exclusive club in cruelty?
The “Grand Slam” and “Inner Circle” awards are waiting for bold contestants like you -just bring the biggest collection of animal trophies you can muster.
Entry requirements?
Simple: kill dozens, or even hundreds, of animals from as many different species as possible.
The more rare, majestic, or endangered, the better!
Why settle for ordinary when you could be celebrated for a lifetime of destruction?
