Animal welfare and animal rights movements are gaining influence across the world, which has been aided by the widespread use of social media. New fields of thinking and activism increasingly emphasize the rights and welfare of individual animals even when broader nature conservation goals are at stake.

The influence of these NGOs was demonstrated when last year, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different political groups submitted a Written declaration on trophy hunting in the European Parliament, with the aim to ban the import of game trophies into the EU, including non-endangered abundant species. The declaration was based on the opposition to killing animals and targeted conservation hunting in general. This attempt to abolish hunting was failed, when the Written declaration was lapsed due to the lack of sufficient signatures.

These organisations don’t stop, even though the attacks against sustainable hunting still contradicts the globally established guidelines for the sustainable use of renewable resources as a basis for conservation.

In light of the current situation, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) invited one of the initiators of the Written declaration, a founder of the European Parliamentary intergroup, MEPs For Wildlife, Mrs. Catherine Bearder, and raised the question: What’s your problem with hunting?

During the debate, conservation experts, politicians and hunters joined the panel to discuss and share their knowledge about sustainable wildlife conservation. The audience was more than actively engaged and shared their thoughts.