Delta says it will no longer allow freight shipments of big game trophies. The decision follows the killing of a popular lion in Zimbabwe.
The airline said in a statement on Monday that, effective immediately, it "will officially ban shipment of all lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, and buffalo trophies."
NPR's Jackie Northam reports that Delta is the only major American carrier that has direct flights between the U.S. and Africa. "From now on, big game hunters are going to have to find another way to get their so-called trophies home," she says.
Jackie says that other major airlines like Lufthansa, Quantas and Emirates Airlines have already put similar bans in place. "Delta was under pressure from activists to change its policies and stop transporting the animals. Nearly 400,000 people signed an online petition at Change.org."
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