Botswana’s ex-president pleads with Boris Johnson to ban hunting trophy imports

Exclusive: It was disappointing that ministers postponed action, says Ian Khama, launching cross-party report calling for urgent crackdown

‘Game trophies’ of polar bears (Getty Images)

A former president of the country that has the world’s biggest elephant population has issued a heartfelt plea to Boris Johnson’s government to finally outlaw imports of body parts from hunted animals, after an outcry when ministers postponed a ban.

Ian Khama, who criminalised trophy-hunting in 2014 during his decade as president of Botswana, warned that every day without a ban on hunting trophy imports took elephants nearer to extinction.

“I hope very much that this time they will stick to it because every day that we lose, we are losing many animals out there in different parts of the world,” he said.