A study analyzing U.S. trophy hunting imports (2005–2014) revealed over 1.26 million wildlife trophies were brought into the country, averaging 126,000 annually, primarily from Canada, South Africa, Namibia, and several African nations. Imports included trophies from over 1,200 species, notably 32,500 Africa Big Five: lions, elephants, leopards, white rhinos, and buffalo. Ports like New York, Dallas, and Chicago were major entry points.
Though controversial, African trophy hunting involves high costs (e.g., $13,500–$150,000 per hunt) and targets species listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Threatened on the IUCN Red List and U.S. ESA. This data is central to ongoing debates on conservation, economics, and regulation surrounding international trophy hunting and its ecological and legal implications.
