ATLANTA — Delta has banned the shipment of some “animal trophies,” the airline company said in a statement on Monday.
“Effective immediately, Delta will officially ban shipment of all lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies worldwide as freight,” Delta said in the statement.
Animal trophies have come under scrutiny over the past month following the killing of Cecil the lion, a 13-year-old male Southwest African lion who was illegally killed in Zimbabwe on July 1.
The Delta statement continues:
“Prior to this ban, Delta’s strict acceptance policy called for absolute compliance with all government regulations regarding protected species. Delta will also review acceptance policies of other hunting trophies with appropriate government agencies and other organizations supporting legal shipments.”