ITA Airways bans hunting trophies
Italy’s ITA Airways has joined the campaign of the international organisation Humane Society International/Europe and introduced a ban on transporting hunting trophies on its flights, both as cargo and as passenger baggage.
On a national level, ITA Airways' commitment holds particular significance, since Italy ranks among the primary importers of hunting trophies in Europe. Between 2014 and 2021, 442 hunting trophies from mammals protected under Cites (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) were imported, including hippos, rhinos, elephants, and lions.
These data reveal the country's active involvement in the trophy hunting industry, despite a survey indicating that 86% of Italians oppose this practice, with 74% supporting a legislative ban on trophy imports. (cj)