France bans imports of lion hunt trophies

Officials told to stop issuing import permits for lion heads, paws and skins, while country considers stricter controls on other species

France has banned the import of lion heads, paws and skins as hunters' trophies, nearly four months after the killing of Zimbabwe's most famous lion by an American trophy hunter sparked international outrage.

In a letter to the actor and animals rights activist Brigitte Bardot, France's environment minister, Si(C)goline Royal, said that she had instructed officials to stop issuing permits for lion trophies and was considering stricter controls on trophies from other species.