The killing of the Zimbabwean lion known as 'Cecil' was a particularly distressing case of animals being killed for hunting trophies. The Minister with responsibilities for Africa previously wrote to the government of Zimbabwe to call for our two countries to work together to promote lion conservation.
As part of its efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade more broadly, the Government hosted and led the London Conference on Wildlife Trafficking, where over 40 countries adopted the London Declaration in an effort to save iconic species from being poached to the brink of extinction. It has also set up the £13 million Illegal Wildlife Challenge Fund to support projects in the developing world.