Import of Elephant Trophies from Tanzania & Zimbabwe

NOTICE: A suspension has been placed on the import of sport-hunted trophies from Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Please refer to the information below and our Questions & Answers for additional details on these decisions.

Tanzania: Based on the current situation on the ground in Tanzania, the Service is not currently able to make the findings necessary to allow the import of sport-hunted trophies from elephants hunted in Tanzania during calendar year 2015. The Service makes decisions on the import of sport-hunted trophies from elephants hunted in Tanzania on an application-by-application basis. Unless information is received that shows a significantly improved situation for elephants in Tanzania such that the required findings could be made, permit applications for the import of elephant sport-hunted trophies would be denied. 

Zimbabwe: Import of sport-hunted trophies from elephants hunted in Zimbabwe from April 4, 2014, is suspended indefinitely.

On April 4, 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced an interim suspension of imports of sport-hunted African elephant trophies hunted in Zimbabwe during calendar year 2014. This decision was clarified on April 17, 2014, to indicate that the suspension only applied to trophies taken on or after April 4, 2014.  On July 17, 2014, after evaluating new information provided by the Government of Zimbabwe and others, the Service determined that it was unable to make the required enhancement finding under the Endangered Species Act and confirmed that a suspension of elephant trophies hunted in Zimbabwe from April 4, 2014, to December 31, 2014, was in place. (Note: The decision was made on July 17, 2014, but due to technical revisions and updating, a revised version was signed on July 22, 2014).  On March 26, 2015, the Service announced that the suspension extends into 2015 and future hunting seasons.

The interim suspension was published in the Federal Register on May 12, 2014. Click here to access that notice. 

A confirmation of the suspension was published in the Federal Register on July 31, 2014. Click here to access that notice. 

Please click the links below to access a pdf version of the findings on which these decisions are based.

• Zimbabwe - March 26, 2015 Endangered Species Act enhancement finding July 22, 2014 Endangered Species Act enhancement finding; April 4, 2014 Endangered Species Act enhancement finding 
• Tanzania- 2015 CITES non-detriment finding; 2014 CITES non-detriment finding; 2015 Endangered Species Act enhancement finding; 2014 Endangered Species Act enhancement finding

Straight-Horned Markhor Reclassified from Endangered to Threatened

On October 7, 2014, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service published a final rule to reclassify the straight-horned markhor (Capra falconeri megaceros) from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). At the same time, the Service finalized a rule under section 4(d) of the ESA that allows the import of sport-hunted straight-horned markhor trophies under certain conditions.

Under the 4(d) rule for straight-horned markhor, the Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service may authorize the importation of personal sport-hunted trophies without a threatened species permit, if the trophy is taken from a well-regulated hunting program that benefits both local communities and the species. For programs that meet specific criteria, as outlined in the 4(d) rule, the Director of the Service may publish a Federal Register notice authorizing importation of personal sport-hunted trophies of straight-horned markhor.

Currently, the Service has not authorized any programs under the 4(d) rule and a threatened species permit is required to import personal sport-hunted trophies of straight-horned markhor.

If you are requesting to import a straight-horned markhor trophy, from any program, for your own personal use, you should complete application form 3-200-20.

Please refer to the press release and FAQs for additional information on this final rule.

Sport-Hunted Trophies

The following application forms make reference to species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

CITES regulates the international trade of roughly 5,000 species of animals and 29,000 species of plants. To determine if a species is listed under CITES, you can search by scientific name or common name on the CITES Species Database.

To determine if a species is listed under the Endangered Species Act, please visit U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's (Service) Endangered Species program website.

If you are unsure whether the animal species that you are importing, exporting, or re-exporting is listed under CITES and/or the ESA, please contact the Division of Management Authority, Branch of Permits.

Import of Sport Hunted-Trophies

If you are requesting to import trophies for your own personal use that consist of raw or tanned parts of species listed in Appendix I of CITES and/or listed under the ESA, you should complete application form 3-200-20.

Some species listed under CITES Appendix I and/or the ESA have very specific requirements and require a different application form. If you are requesting to import any of the following species, please complete the application form indicated below:

Southern African Leopard, African Elephant, and Namibian Southern White Rhinoceros

If you are requesting to import trophies for your own personal use, including the raw or tanned parts of a Southern African Leopard, African Elephant, or Namibian Southern White Rhinoceros, you should complete application form 3-200-19.

For additional information on how to import a sport-hunted Southern African Leopard or African Elephant trophy, please read our factsheet.

Bontebok from South Africa

South Africa has an established management program that allows for controlled hunts of male bontebok from registered captive herds. If you are requesting to import bontebok trophies for your own personal use from South Africa, you should complete application form 3-200-22.

For additional information on how to import a sport-hunted bontebok trophy from South Africa, please read our factsheet.

Argali from Mongolia, the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan), and the Republic of Tajikistan

If you are requesting to import argali trophies for your own personal use from Mongolia, the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) and the Republic of Tajikistan, you should complete application form 3-200-21.

If you are requesting the import of an argali trophy from any other country, you should complete application form 3-200-20.

Export of Sport Hunted-Trophies

If you are requesting to export trophies for your own personal use that consist of raw or tanned parts of species listed in Appendix I, II, or III of CITES and/or listed under the ESA, you should complete application form 3-200-28.

For general information on CITES permit requirements, click here .